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
New American Standard Bible
Pleading and Trust.
A Prayer of David.
86 (A)Incline Your ear, Lord, and answer me;
For I am (B)afflicted and needy.
2 (C)Protect my [a]soul, for I am (D)godly;
You my God, save Your servant who (E)trusts in You.
3 Be (F)gracious to me, Lord,
For (G)I call upon You all day long.
4 Make the soul of Your servant joyful,
For to You, Lord, (H)I lift up my soul.
5 For You, Lord, are (I)good, and (J)ready to forgive,
And (K)abundant in mercy to all who call upon You.
6 (L)Listen, Lord, to my prayer;
And give Your attention to the sound of my pleading!
7 On (M)the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For (N)You will answer me.
8 There is (O)no one like You among the gods, Lord,
Nor are there any works (P)like Yours.
9 (Q)All nations whom You have made will come and worship before You, Lord,
And they will glorify Your name.
10 For You are (R)great, and You (S)do [b]wondrous deeds;
You alone (T)are God.
11 (U)Teach me Your way, Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
(V)Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will (W)give thanks to You, Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forever.
13 For Your graciousness toward me is great,
And You have (X)saved my soul from the [c]depths of [d]Sheol.
14 God, arrogant men have (Y)risen up against me,
And a gang of violent men have sought my [e]life,
And they have not set You before them.
15 But You, Lord, are a (Z)compassionate and gracious God,
Slow to anger and abundant in mercy and [f]truth.
16 (AA)Turn to me, and be gracious to me;
(AB)Grant Your strength to Your servant,
And save the (AC)son of Your maidservant.
17 (AD)Show me a sign of good,
That those who hate me may (AE)see it and be ashamed,
Because You, Lord, (AF)have helped me and comforted me.
Footnotes
- Psalm 86:2 Or life
- Psalm 86:10 Or miracles
- Psalm 86:13 Lit lowest Sheol
- Psalm 86:13 I.e., the netherworld
- Psalm 86:14 Lit soul
- Psalm 86:15 Or faithfulness
Psalm 86
King James Version
86 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
6 Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
9 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.
Psalm 86
New King James Version
Prayer for Mercy, with Meditation on the Excellencies of the Lord
A Prayer of David.
86 Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me;
For I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my [a]life, for I am holy;
You are my God;
Save Your servant who trusts in You!
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
For I cry to You all day long.
4 [b]Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
(A)For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For (B)You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me.
8 (C)Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Your works.
9 All nations whom You have made
Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And shall glorify Your name.
10 For You are great, and (D)do wondrous things;
(E)You alone are God.
11 (F)Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
[c]Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of [d]Sheol.
14 O God, the proud have risen against me,
And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
And have not set You before them.
15 But (G)You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.
16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Footnotes
- Psalm 86:2 Lit. soul
- Psalm 86:4 Make glad
- Psalm 86:11 Give me singleness of heart
- Psalm 86:13 The abode of the dead
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
