The Righteous One, in His day of distress, resting his faith and hope on the character of Jehovah

David, by example, gives us seven inducements to call upon God in our trouble. Because God is great (v. 10); that He is also good (v. 5); One who forgives (v. 5), and His mercy is plenteous (v. 5). Furthermore, He is full of compassion (v. 15); One who is gracious (v. 15), and mercifully long-suffering (v. 15).

Two handmaids of hope accompany these sevenfold inducements. Firstly, that David had experienced a great deliverance in the past (v. 13), and then the certain knowledge that God would answer (v. 7). Thus, He was helped and comforted in God.

David’s afflictions prefigured the trials of Christ, who at all times hoped in God His Father.

Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Psalm 86

¹O LORD, do thou bow down thine ear,
And hear me graciously;
Because I sore afflicted am,
And am in poverty.

²Because I’m holy, let my soul
By thee preserved be:
O thou my God, thy servant save,
That puts his trust in thee.

³Sith unto thee I daily cry,
Be merciful to me.
⁴Rejoice thy servant’s soul; for, Lord,
I lift my soul to thee.

⁵For thou art gracious, O Lord,
And ready to forgive;
And rich in mercy, all that call
Upon thee to relieve.

⁶Hear, LORD, my pray’r; unto the voice
Of my request attend:
⁷In troublous times I’ll call on thee;
For thou wilt answer send.

⁸Lord, there is none among the gods
That may with thee compare;
And like the works which thou hast done,
Not any work is there.

⁹All nations whom thou mad’st shall come
And worship rev’rently
Before thy face; and they, O Lord,
Thy name shall glorify.

¹⁰Because thou art exceeding great,
And works by thee are done
Which are to be admir’d; and thou
Art God thyself alone.

¹¹Teach me thy way, and in thy truth,
O Lord, then walk will I;
Unite my heart, that I thy name
May fear continually.

¹²O Lord my God, with all my heart
To thee I will give praise;
And I the glory will ascribe
Unto thy name always:

¹³Because thy mercy toward me
In greatness doth excel;
And thou deliver’d hast my soul
Out from the lowest hell.

¹⁴O God, the proud against me rise,
And violent men have met,
That for my soul have sought; and thee
Before them have not set.

¹⁵But thou art full of pity, Lord,
A God most gracious,
Long–suffering, and in thy truth
And mercy plenteous.

¹⁶O turn to me thy countenance,
And mercy on me have;
Thy servant strengthen, and the son
Of thine own handmaid save.

¹⁷Show me a sign for good, that they
Which do me hate may see,
And be asham’d; because thou, LORD,
Didst help and comfort me.