PSALM 86 - A PRAYER OF PETITION AND PRAISE.

 INTRODUCTION - Read Psalm 86

Psalm 86 is both a prayer of petition and a prayer of praise. Composed by David, we read of his heartfelt desires to have a relationship with the Lord and at the same time to live a life that is holy and in obedience to God. 

David knew that he had failed his Father God and therefore he sought his Father's mercy and forgiveness. He pleaded with Him to cleanse him, so that he could have confidence in answered prayers. We know that David trusted God, but he needed to have his hope and faith renewed everyday, so he could be full of joy and happiness.

"Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in You." Psalm 86:4 (NLT)

"Teach me Your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to Your truth. Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honour You." Psalm 86:11 (NLT)

Finally, in this Psalm we hear David's admittance that God is the ONLY GOD - faithful and true, the Creator of all things, and most of all there is no one with more LOVE, MERCY, COMPASSION, GOODNESS, and GRACIOUSNESS than Adonai - His Lord and Master.

"For you are great and perform wonderful deeds. YOU ALONE ARE GOD." Psalm 86:10 (NLT)

"But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry, and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness." PSALM 86:15 (NLT)

We can't place this Psalm in any specific time in David's life, because it connects to "general circumstances" in his life - his trials, temptations, faults, feelings of guilt and his pleadings for his relationships with His Lord.

David was sincere in his faith, with a great heart for prayer. He "pleads, sobs and trusts" through all the verses of this Psalm, but he is also singing the Lord's praises. 

"I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart. I will glorify Your name forever." Psalm 86:12 (NLT)

A PLEA FOR HELP IN TRIALS AND TEMPTATIONS - Read Verses 1-7

David was feeling down and distressed for many reasons. Most of all he just felt like he'd let the Lord down. "Poor and needy" are figurative words to describe how he was feeling. This is how many of us feel at different seasons of our life - emotionally and spiritually. But we know that our God is full of love and compassion, but we know that we can "CALL ON OUR GOD IN CONFIDENCE, KNOWING HE WILL ANSWER US."

"Bend down and hear our prayer, O Lord. Answer me, for I need your help." Psalm 86:1 (NLT)

"Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord; hear my urgent cry. I will call to you whenever I am in trouble, and You will answer me.". Psalm 86:6&7

David's Trust in God's Faithfulness

David wanted to come to God in humility, because whatever the problem was, "he was desperate". He knew that only God could meet his need. We can learn a lot from David, "for he cried to God all day long" and his relationship with God was like no other.  "He could not and would not rely on anyone else for help." 

We too need to rely on God and God alone. Often we try to work out our problems on our own, or qwe seek help from others; but the true joy and happiness comes when we show sincere loyalty and trust in the ONE TRUE GOD AND PROVIDER. 

The Word "Adonai" is used many times, beginning in this passageto show David's loyalty and submission to God. David knew that God was not just a `fairweather friend'. God could be counted on in 'every day of trouble'. 

"David believed the Lord to be a living and potent God and indeed to be GOD ALONE. It was on this account that He resolved in every hour of trouble to call on Him." Charles Spurgeon.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your ways." Proverbs 3:5&6 (NIV)

David's Trust in Love and Mercy

David also based his prayer on what he had experienced of God's love and mercy. He knew God was ready to forgive. Many of us wallow in grief and guilt because we are too ashamed to come to God. We don't have the confidence in God's forgiveness and grace, even though we know HE IS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR. 

David, like us at times, feel unsafe in a world with both "physical and spiritual enemies". He needed to be covered by "God's divine protection". We too need to know that we have this confidence in God's forgiveness, mercy and love.

"O Lord, You are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for help."

 Psalm 86:5 (NLT)

Trusting With Earnest Prayers

He who prays every day and during the day can rest assured that the Lord will hear him, just as he heard David's prayers. The nearer we draw near to God, the greater our joy will be. David's prayers may sound like "vain repetitions", but just like a child cries out for his parent's attention, we need to be equally earnest. 

"Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near." Isaiah 55:6

In these busy and troubling days, we cannot afford to miss out on spending time with our Father. I know, I have experienced in the last couple of weeks what it is like to be "too busy" and "preoccupied" to spend time with the Lord and His Word. I can tell you, it's not good to be "struggling alone".

"The danger comes when the things WE HAVE consume so much of OUR TIME that we have NOTHING LEFT FOR HIM. It's a lot easier to get involved with the WORK OF THE LORD than it is to get involved with the LORD OF THE WORK." Bob Gass

"Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God , have mercy on me Lord, for I call on you all day long. Bring joy to your servant Lord, for I put my trust in you." Psalm 86:2-4 (NIV)

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip of every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." Hebrews 12:1  (NLT)

THE ONE TRUE GOD - Read Psalm 86:8-13

David had lived in a land where they had worshipped heathen gods, but he knew that his God - the God of Israel - was the ONE TRUE GOD. David knew that this ONLY TRUE GOD could not be compared with the pagan gods of other nations. They were bitter, vengeful and cunning; but the ONE TRUE GOD of Israel that he worshipped and followed was LOVING, FAITHFUL and ALL POWERFUL.

David wanted to walk in truth - his natural reaction was obediance to his Father's will; a true servant of God who regulates his life by learning from Him. 

"Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to Your truth. Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honour You." Psalm 86:11 (NLT)

David is now calling on the Lord with a UNITED HEART OF PRAISE, GLORIFYING GOD'S NAME. Personal experience of God's faithfulness, omnipotence and love only lead to PRAISE AND WORSHIP.

"I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your Name forever." Psalm 86:12 (NIV)

"When we consciously focus our emotions and effections upon WHO GOD IS and WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR US, our heart is marvellously united in praise and worship." David Guzik

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD - Read Psalm 86:14-17

There is no stronger argument for answered prayer than real life examples. David told how the Lord had delivered him from the lion's and the bear's paws, when he cane up against the Philistine giant.

"Your servant has been keeping your father's sheep. When a lion and bear came and carried off the sheep from the flock, I went after them, struck them, and rescued them from their mouths. When they turned on me, the lion and the bear, I seized them by the hair, struck them and killed them. Your servant has killed the lion and the bear, this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who rescued me from the paws of the lion and the bear will rescue me from this Philistine." 1 Samuel 17:34-37  (NIV)

David knew that the Lord would continue to be COMPASSIONATE, GRACIOUS and MERCIFUL towards him. He knew he had fallen in the past, but God had forgiven him. He knew "God would deliver his soul again".  

The word "Adonai" is used to describe God as STRONG and OMNIPOTENT. It is bold request of David's here to seek God's strengthening power in his time of need. This verse, which we also read in Exodus 34 and Micah 7, remind us, that God can help us in any situation.

"The Lord, the Lord, the COMPASSIONATE AND GRACIOUS GOD, SLOW TO ANGER, ABOUNDING IN LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin." Exodus 34:6&7 (NIV)

"Who is a God like you, WHO PARDONS SIN AND FORGIVES THE TRANSGRESSION of the remnant of His inheritance? YOU DO DO NOT STAY ANGRY FOREVER, but DELIGHT TO SHOW MERCY. YOU WILL AGAIN HAVE COMPASSION ON US; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:18&19 (NIV)

"But you, O Lord, are a GOD OF COMPASSION AND MERCY. SLOW TO GET ANGRY, FILLED WITH UNFAILING LOVE AND FAITHFULNESS." Psalm 86:15 (NLT)

* Are we grieving? We have a LORD FULL OF COMPASSION.
*Are we struggling with temptation? HIS GRACE IS THERE FOR US.

*Are we guilty with sin or failure? HE IS PATIENT AND MERCIFUL.

*Are we struggling with our faith? WE CAN REST ON GOD'S FAITHFUL PROMISES.

One look on "God's shining face" and "all the darkness will turn into day". When the LORD GIVES US STRENGTH we can overcome all things and continue to serve Him.

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

David was thinking about his past deliverance because he was struggling with trials and temptations in his current situation - he had enemies, both physical and spiritual that were attacking him. but he remembered that "God had rescued him before and would rescue him again". 

He never approached God on the basis of   ' what he deserved'. Anything he received from God was due to grace and mercy, because of God's great goodness. The same is true of our salvation. 

"For it is by grace we have been saved, through faith - and this is not of ourselves, it is a gift of God."Ephesians 2:8 (NIV)

God does nothing by halves. He keeps us safe and brings us joy, so that He will be honoured.

"Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies will see it and be put to shame, for You Lord have helped me and comforted me." Psalm 86:17

CONCLUSION

* He delivers us from temptations and MAKES US HOLY AND PURE.

* He delivers us from troubles WHEN WE TRUST IIN HIM.

* WE WILL HAVE JOY when we surrender all our grieves and guilts, and accept His forgiveness, grace and mercy.

* We can have a sense of confidence, KNOWING GOD ANSWERS PRAYER. 

*When we declare God's greatness, WE TOO WILL BE STRENGTHENED.

If the source of our LIFE, STRENGTH and HOPE were anything LESS THAN THE LORD, we are bound to fail. Our life needs to be ROOTED IN GOD. Our lives are given purpose abd fulfillment when we ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS OUR SOURCE.

Because our STRENGTH COMES FROM GOD we are sustained through times of pain, difficulty and suffering. We are strong even when we feel weak. In fact, we are promised that GOD'S STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS. No, it is better than that - it is a HOPE that one we will be CHANGED TO BE LIKE JESUS, and His power, love, peace and joy will fill us completely. We will know the ETERNAL BLISS OF ONENESS WITH HIM. 

This is what David prayed for, and why He praised and worshipped His Heavenly Father.

"Every past experience of God's goodness to us is a promise of His continued blessing." David Guzik

"Holy Bible - New International Version", (2011), Zondervan

"Holy Bible" - New  Living Translation", (2015), Tyndale House Publishing

Gass, Bob, 1996, "Best of the World Today", Bridge-Logos

Guzik, David, 2020, "Psalm 86 - Help from the Great God", ewm@enduringword.com

Spurgeon, Charles, 2021, "Treasury of David - Psalm 86 Commentary", Christianity.com