INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 86 A PRAYER OF DAVID. The title is the same with the Seventeenth Psalm, and the subject of it is much alike: it was written by David, when in distress, and his life was sought after; very likely when he was persecuted by Saul, and fled from him; so Aben Ezra, Jarchi, and Kimch... [ Continue Reading ]
BOW DOWN THINE EAR, O LORD, HEAR ME,.... This is spoken of God after the manner of men, who, when they listen and attentively hearken to what is said to them, stoop and bow the head, and incline the ear; and it denotes condescension in the Lord, who humbles himself as to look upon men, so to bow dow... [ Continue Reading ]
PRESERVE MY SOUL,.... Or life, which Saul sought after; and this prayer was heard: David was often remarkably preserved by the Lord from his attempts upon him; and so was the soul or life of Christ preserved in his infancy from Herod's malice; in the wilderness from wild beasts, and from perishing w... [ Continue Reading ]
BE MERCIFUL UNTO ME, O LORD,.... In my distressed and miserable condition, being an object of mercy, pity, and compassion; this petition is used by Christ in Psalms 41:10 FOR I CRY UNTO THEE DAILY; or "all the day"; every day, and several times in a day, Psalms 55:17 constant and importunate prayer... [ Continue Reading ]
REJOICE THE SOUL OF THY SERVANT,.... With the discoveries of love, of pardoning grace, and mercy, before made sad with sin or sufferings; and with the light of God's countenance, before troubled with the hidings of his face: this may be applied to Christ, in sorrowful circumstances, who was made ful... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU, LORD, ART GOOD,.... Essentially and independently good, from whom every good and perfect gift comes; good in himself, and good to others; good to all, in a providential way; and good to his own special people in a way of grace: this is asserted by Christ, Matthew 19:17 AND READY TO FORGIV... [ Continue Reading ]
GIVE EAR, O LORD, UNTO MY PRAYER,.... As this psalm is called, in the title of it; his own prayer, and not another's, not one composed for him, but what was composed by him; this petition is repeated, as to the sense of it, from Psalms 86:1 to show his importunity to be heard: AND ATTEND TO THE VOI... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE DAY OF MY TROUBLE I WILL CALL UPON THEE,.... David had his troubles, both inward and outward, before and after he came to the throne, in private and public life; and every good man has his troubles; and there are some particular times or days of trouble; which trouble arises from different ca... [ Continue Reading ]
AMONG THE GODS THERE IS NONE LIKE UNTO THEE, O LORD,.... Among the angels of heaven, as the Targum, in the king's Bible; see Matthew 24:36, and who are sometimes called gods, and among whom there is none like to the Lord; see Psalms 97:7 or among civil magistrates, he being King of kings, and Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL NATIONS WHOM THOU HAST MADE,.... All nations, or the inhabitants of all nations, are made by the Lord, and of the blood of one man, Acts 17:26, and which as it shows the obligation of all men to come and worship, as is said should be; so likewise that the Lord, who has made them, is able to make... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU ART GREAT,.... In his nature, and the perfections of it; in his power, wisdom, truth, faithfulness, love, grace, and mercy; and in all his persons; the Father is great, greater than all; the Son is the great God, and our Saviour; and the Spirit, which is in his people, is greater than he th... [ Continue Reading ]
TEACH ME THY WAY, O LORD,.... The methods of thy grace, which thou hast taken, and dost take, in the salvation of men, in the contrivance, impetration, and application of it; or the way which thou hast marked out for thy people to walk in, the way of thy commandments: each of these the psalmist had... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL PRAISE THEE, O LORD MY GOD, WITH ALL MY HEART,.... And under that consideration, that he was his God, and which itself is sufficient matter of praise; this makes him amiable, and such he is, love itself: this is a blessing of pure grace, and is the foundation of all other blessings, and conti... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR GREAT IS THY MERCY TOWARD ME,.... Both in things temporal and spiritual; an instance of which follows: AND THOU HAST DELIVERED MY SOUL FROM THE LOWEST HELL; from a very distressed and disconsolate condition, being almost in despair, under a deep sense of sin, and a fearful apprehension of the w... [ Continue Reading ]
O GOD, THE PROUD ARE RISEN AGAINST ME,.... As all men naturally are, and as all are without the grace of God; and because they are, they deal in proud wrath: as, through the pride of their heart, they seek not after God; so, through the same, they persecute his people, treating them with the utmost... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU, O LORD, ART A GOD FULL OF COMPASSION,.... Or merciful t, in the most affectionate and tender manner, as a parent to its child, or particularly as a mother to the son of her womb; and is rich and plenteous in his mercy, and freely bestows it; and this was the support of the psalmist under h... [ Continue Reading ]
O TURN UNTO ME, AND HAVE MERCY UPON ME,.... For it seems the Lord had turned away from him, and had hid his face, and withheld the manifestation of his grace and mercy from him, and had not yielded him the help and assistance he expected; and therefore entreats that he would turn again to him, and s... [ Continue Reading ]
SHOW ME A TOKEN FOR GOOD,.... Not only one by which he might know that his sins were pardoned, and his person accepted with God, and that he should be saved; but one visible to others, even to his enemies, by which they might know that God was on his side, and would verily do him good: Kimchi interp... [ Continue Reading ]