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Psalm 86
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 86
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 86[a]
Prayer in Suffering and Distress
1 A prayer of David.
Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.[b]
2 Preserve my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who puts his trust in you.
3 You are my God;[c] have pity on me, O Lord,
for to you I cry out all day long.
4 Give joy to the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord,
I lift up my soul.[d]
5 O Lord, you are kind and forgiving,
filled with kindness[e] for all who cry to you.
6 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
and listen to my voice in supplication.
7 In the time of trouble I call to you,
for you will answer me.
8 There is no one among the gods like you, O Lord,
nor can any deeds compare with yours.
9 All the nations[f] you have made
will come and bow down before you, O Lord,
and glorify your name.
10 For you are great and you do marvelous deeds;[g]
you alone are God.
11 Teach me your ways, O Lord,
so that I may walk in your truth;
let me worship your name
with an undivided heart.[h]
12 I will praise you with all my heart,[i]
O Lord, my God,
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 Your kindness[j] toward me is great;
you have rescued me from the depths of the netherworld.
14 Arrogant men are rising up against me, O God;
a violent mob seeks my life;
they do not keep you before their eyes.[k]
15 But you, O Lord, are a merciful and compassionate God,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness and faithfulness.[l]
16 Turn to me and grant me your gracious favor;
endow your servant with strength
and rescue the child of your handmaid.[m]
17 Grant me a sign of your favor,[n]
so that those who hate me
may see it and be put to shame,
because you, O Lord,
have helped and comforted me.
Footnotes
- Psalm 86:1 The psalmist passes in turn from supplication to an act of trust and gratitude toward God. This poem, composed most likely after the Exile, is the prayer of devout Israelites who believed in the Lord’s goodness as a result of their own experience. After all, he brought Israel back to life in the most somber moment of her history! The Lord seemed so close to them that he could listen, pardon, and save; the psalmist contemplates the mystical experience of Moses encountering God (see Ex 34:6). The conviction of God’s goodness overwhelms us by its evidence and its simplicity of expression. It already paves the way for a “missionary” sensitivity. The imprecations against the pagans lose their vehemence, and one foresees the day when, touched by the Lord, they will render glory to the only God.
By means of this psalm, Christians can pray for their well-being in this world and beyond. Prolonging Christ’s Passion, the Church and Christians experience the same anguish he did and seek to take refuge in the same heavenly Father. - Psalm 86:1 Poor and needy: see note on Ps 34:7.
- Psalm 86:3 You are my God: indeed, God himself has chosen David to be his servant (see 1 Sam 13:14; 15:28; 16:12; 2 Sam 7:8).
- Psalm 86:4 My soul: see note on Ps 6:4.
- Psalm 86:5 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
- Psalm 86:9 All the nations: see note on Ps 46:11. Your name: see note on Ps 5:12.
- Psalm 86:10 Marvelous deeds: see note on Ps 9:2.
- Psalm 86:11 The psalmist asks God to save him from his enemies and also from himself (see Pss 25:5; 51:9, 12). Undivided heart: see 1 Chr 12:33; as well as Ezek 11:19; 1 Cor 7:35.
- Psalm 86:12 The psalmist vows to praise the Lord for his help (see note on Ps 7:18). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
- Psalm 86:13 The psalmist anticipates being heard. Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5. Depths: see note on Ps 30:2.
- Psalm 86:14 These haughty foes disregard God—to their ruin (see Ps 54:5; Jer 20:11).
- Psalm 86:15 This verse recalls Ex 34:6.
- Psalm 86:16 Child of your handmaid: another translation is: “faithful child.” See also Ps 116:16.
- Psalm 86:17 Favor: the good things promised in the covenant (see notes on Pss 27:13; 31:20). Those who hate me . . . put to shame: the imprecations against enemies that conclude a good number of the psalms are here kept to a minimum.
Psalm 86
Tree of Life Version
Psalm 86
Tree of Life Version
Slow to Anger, Full of Chesed
Psalm 86
1 A prayer of David.
Turn Your ear, Adonai, and answer me,
for I am weak and needy.
2 Watch over my soul, for I am godly.
You are my God—
save Your servant who trusts in You.
3 Be gracious to me, my Lord,
for to You I cry all day.
4 Gladden the soul of Your servant,
for to You, my Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For You, my Lord, are good,
and ready to forgive
and full of mercy to all who call upon You.
6 Give ear, Adonai, to my prayer,
listen to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I call upon You,
for You will answer me.
8 There is none like You among the gods,
my Lord, there are no deeds like Yours.
9 All nations You have made will come
and bow down before You, my Lord,
and they will glorify Your Name.
10 For You are great, and do wonders—
You alone are God.
11 Teach me Your way, Adonai,
that I may walk in Your truth.
Give me an undivided heart to fear Your Name.
12 I praise You, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and glorify Your Name forever.
13 For great is Your lovingkindness toward me.
You have delivered my soul from the lowest part of Sheol.
14 God, the proud have risen up against me
and a gang of ruthless people have sought my life,
and have not set You before them.
15 But You, my Lord,
are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, full of love and truth.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me.
Give Your strength to Your servant,
and save the son of Your maidservant.
17 Make me a sign for good,
so that those who hate me may see it and be ashamed.
For You, Adonai, have helped me and comforted me.
Psalm 86
World English Bible
Psalm 86
World English Bible
A Prayer by David.
86 Hear, Yahweh, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my soul, for I am godly.
You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.
3 Be merciful to me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to the soul of your servant,
for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.
6 Hear, Yahweh, my prayer.
Listen to the voice of my petitions.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call on you,
for you will answer me.
8 There is no one like you among the gods, Lord,
nor any deeds like your deeds.
9 All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord.
They shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great, and do wondrous things.
You are God alone.
11 Teach me your way, Yahweh.
I will walk in your truth.
Make my heart undivided to fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart.
I will glorify your name forever more.
13 For your loving kindness is great toward me.
You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.[a]
14 God, the proud have risen up against me.
A company of violent men have sought after my soul,
and they don’t hold regard for you before them.
15 But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,
slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.
16 Turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give your strength to your servant.
Save the son of your servant.
17 Show me a sign of your goodness,
that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed,
because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.
Footnotes
- 86:13 Sheol is the place of the dead.
Psalm 86
New International Version
Psalm 86
New International Version
Psalm 86
A prayer of David.
1 Hear me, Lord, and answer(A) me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.(B)
You are my God; 3 have mercy(C) on me, Lord,
for I call(D) to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust(E) in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love(F) to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry(G) for mercy.
7 When I am in distress,(H) I call(I) to you,
because you answer(J) me.
8 Among the gods(K) there is none like you,(L) Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will come(M) and worship(N) before you, Lord;
they will bring glory(O) to your name.
10 For you are great(P) and do marvelous deeds;(Q)
you alone(R) are God.
11 Teach me your way,(S) Lord,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;(T)
give me an undivided(U) heart,
that I may fear(V) your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;(W)
I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me(X) from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.(Y)
14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
they have no regard for you.(Z)
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious(AA) God,
slow to anger,(AB) abounding(AC) in love and faithfulness.(AD)
16 Turn to me(AE) and have mercy(AF) on me;
show your strength(AG) in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did.(AH)
17 Give me a sign(AI) of your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Tree of Life Version (TLV)
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.
World English Bible (WEB)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.