FRAMEWORKS: Psa 86: Prayer: Requests & Reasons

    

A prayer of David.

  

[Preliminary Comments: As the title declares this is all a prayer. It is full of requests (14 or 15 depending on how you count them) and reasons for the requests. Some of the reasons are behavioral [e.g. v.2-4], some are because of the nature of the Lord [e.g. v.7,13] or His activity.]

 

 

v.1-4 Requests & Reasons

v.1  Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
     for I am poor and needy.
v.2  Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
     save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God;

v.3  have mercy on me, Lord,
     for I call to you all day long.
v.4  Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
     for I put my trust in you.

 

v.5 David's cause of reassurance

v.5  You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
     abounding in love to all who call to you.
     

v.6,7 Request & Reason again

v.6  Hear my prayer, Lord;
     listen to my cry for mercy.
v.7  When I am in distress, I call to you,
     because you answer me.

 

v.8-10 The Uniqueness of the Lord

v.8  Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
     no deeds can compare with yours.
v.9  All the nations you have made
     will come and worship before you, Lord;
     they will bring glory to your name.
v.10  For you are great and do marvellous deeds;
     you alone are God .

 

v.11 More Requests & Reasons

v.11 Teach me your way, Lord ,
     that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
     that I may fear your name.
    

v.12,13 Declarations & Reason

v.12  I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
     I will glorify your name for ever.
v.13  For great is your love towards me;
     you have delivered me from the depths,
     from the realm of the dead.

 

v.14 The Purpose behind his prayer

v.14  Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
     ruthless people are trying to kill me –
     they have no regard for you.

 

v.15 His Confidence in the Lord
v.15  But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
     slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
     

v.16,17 Yet more requests & reasons

v.16  Turn to me and have mercy on me;
     show your strength on behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you just as my mother did.
v.17  Give me a sign of your goodness,
     that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
     for you, Lord , have helped me and comforted me.

 

 

[Additional Comments: A useful study is to go back over the verses listing all the reasons why David makes his requests of the Lord which reveal much about him and much about the Lord.]

   

   

Continue to Psa 87

      

  

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