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