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A Prayer for Help[a]

86 Listen to me, Lord, and answer me,
    for I am helpless and weak.
Save me from death, because I am loyal to you;
    save me, for I am your servant and I trust in you.

You are my God, so be merciful to me;
    I pray to you all day long.
Make your servant glad, O Lord,
    because my prayers go up to you.
You are good to us and forgiving,
    full of constant love for all who pray to you.

Listen, Lord, to my prayer;
    hear my cries for help.
I call to you in times of trouble,
    because you answer my prayers.

There is no god like you, O Lord,
    not one has done what you have done.
(A)All the nations that you have created
    will come and bow down to you;
    they will praise your greatness.
10 You are mighty and do wonderful things;
    you alone are God.

11 Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do,
    and I will obey you faithfully;
    teach me to serve you with complete devotion.
12 I will praise you with all my heart, O Lord my God;
    I will proclaim your greatness forever.
13 How great is your constant love for me!
    You have saved me from the grave itself.
14 Proud people are coming against me, O God;
    a cruel gang is trying to kill me—
    people who pay no attention to you.
15 But you, O Lord, are a merciful and loving God,
    always patient, always kind and faithful.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
    strengthen me and save me,
    because I serve you just as my mother did.
17 Show me proof of your goodness, Lord;
    those who hate me will be ashamed
    when they see that you have given me comfort and help.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 86:1 HEBREW TITLE: A prayer by David.

A Psalm of Supplication and Trust.

A Prayer of David.

86 Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
For I am distressed and needy [I long for Your help].

Protect my life (soul), for I am godly and faithful;
O You my God, save Your servant, who trusts in You [believing in You and relying on You, confidently committing everything to You].

Be gracious and merciful to me, O Lord,
For to You I cry out all the day long.

Make Your servant rejoice,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul [all that I am—in prayer].

For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive [our sins, sending them away, completely letting them go forever and ever];
And abundant in lovingkindness and overflowing in mercy to all those who call upon You.

Hear, O Lord, my prayer;
And listen attentively to the voice of my supplications (specific requests)!

In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me.

There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord,
Nor are there any works [of wonder and majesty] like Yours.

All nations whom You have made shall come and kneel down in worship before You, O Lord,
And they shall glorify Your name.
10 
For You are great and do wondrous works!
You alone are God.

11 
Teach me Your way, O Lord,
I will walk and live in Your truth;
Direct my heart to fear Your name [with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder].(A)
12 
I will give thanks and praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
And will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 
For great is Your lovingkindness and graciousness toward me;
And You have rescued my life from the depths of Sheol [from death].

14 
O God, arrogant and insolent men have risen up against me;
A band of violent men have sought my life,
And they have not set You before them.
15 
But You, O Lord, are a God [who protects and is] merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.
16 
Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
Grant Your strength [Your might and the power to resist temptation] to Your servant,
And save the son of Your handmaid.
17 
Show me a sign of [Your] goodwill,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, O Lord, helped and comforted me.

86 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.

11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.

15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.

17 Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.