Psalms 86:17

Verse Psalms 86:17. Show me a token for good] עשה עמי אוה aseh immi oth, "Make with me a sign." Fix the honourabie mark of thy name upon me, that I may be known to be thy servant. There seems to be an allusion here to the marking of a slave, to ascertain whose property he was. The Anglo-Saxon, [A. S.] on [A. S.], "do with me a token in good.' Old Psalter: Do with me signe in gude. From [A. S.] tacn we have our word token, which signifies a sign, mark, or remembrancer of something beyond itself; a pledge that something, then specified, shall be done or given. Give me, from the influence of thy Spirit in my heart, a pledge that the blessings which I now ask shall be given in due time. But he wished for such a sign as his enemies might see; that they might know God to be his helper, and be confounded when they sought his destruction.

ANALYSIS OF THE EIGHTY-SIXTH PSALM

This Psalm is a continued prayer, and may be divided into four parts: -

I. The first part is a petition for safety, drawn from his own person, Psalms 86:1.

II. The second, a quickening of the same petition, drawn from the person and nature of God, Psalms 86:5.

III. The third, taken from the quality of his adversaries, Psalms 86:14.

IV. The fourth, a conjunction of all these three; the first, Psalms 86:15; the second, Psalms 86:16; the third, Psalms 86:17.

I. The reasons of his petition, drawn from himself.

1. "Bow down thine ear." Reason: "I am poor and needy," Psalms 86:1.

2. "Preserve my soul." Reason: "I am holy," or merciful, Psalms 86:2.

3. "Save thy servant." Reason: "He puts his trust in thee," Psalms 86:3.

4. "Be merciful unto me." Reason: "I cry unto thee daily," Psalms 86:4.

5. "Rejoice the soul of thy servant." Reason: "For unto thee do I lift up my soul," Psalms 86:4.

II. A quickening of the petition, drawn from the nature of God.

1. "For thou, Lord, art good," c., Psalms 86:5.

2. "I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me," Psalms 86:7.

3. "There is none like unto thee," Psalms 86:8.

4. "Nor any works like unto thy works," Psalms 86:8. This shall be amply proved: for

5. "All nations," now worshipping idols, "shall be converted to thee," Psalms 86:9.

6. "Because thou art great, and doest wondrous things," Psalms 86:10.

On this reason, that there is none like God, -

1. He begs to be governed by his word and Spirit, Psalms 86:11.

2. Promises to praise him for his great mercy, Psalms 86:12.

III. He presses another argument taken from his enemies.

1. They were proud: "The proud are risen against me."

2. They were powerful: "The assemblies of violent men."

3. They were ungodly: "They did not set thee before them," Psalms 86:14.

IV. He amplifies his former argument.

1. From the nature of God: "Thou art full of compassion," c., Psalms 86:15.

2. From his own condition: "Turn unto me and have mercy upon me," Psalms 86:16.

3. From the quality of his adversaries: "Show me a token - that they which hate me may be ashamed," Psalms 86:17.