Psalm 86:1-15
– This is the Psalm portion from
which the Introit for next Sunday is taken. The antiphon is taken from verse 6,
“Give ear, O lord, to my prayer; listen
to my plea for grace.” In our need we pray to the Lord because out of His
kindness and love our Lord answers each prayer according to His gracious
Fatherly will and according to our need.
In this psalm David asks the Lord for protection
against his enemies and expresses confidence the Lord will act. This is personal
prayer as David states his confidence in the Lord.
In Psalm 86 you’ll find a man who puts his faith in
God while crying out desperately. The psalm is filled with 15 requests—some of
them are repetitive. In all, the
requests break down into four sections. In 86:1-7, David cries out in great
need for God to hear and act on his behalf. In 86:8-10 there is a deliberate
request of praise when David declares God as the only true God—the lord of the
nations. Then in 86:11-13, David asks for God to teach him and unite his heart
to fear God so that he can glorify Him forever.
Finally in 86:14-17, David appeals to God’s mercy and grace to deliver
him.
The ultimate lesson and big picture that encompasses
the entire psalm is, our great needs should drive us to pray to the great God,
who alone can deliver us. The Lord is the only one who has control over the
world that we live in. No matter how hard we wish, the Lord is the only one who
can provide us with the strength and hope to get where we yearn to be. Once we
all learn to put God first, then everything else falls into place.
There are so many trials and tribulations within the
world; it is imperative that we pray to God for mercy. He will help
lead us away from potential sin as He guides us. The explanation to the first commandment
reminds us, “We should fear, love and trust
in God above all things.” May this be our prayer as we begin another week.
A prayer for
Psalm 86 – God of mercy, when Christ called out to you in torment, you heard him
and gave him victory over death. Fill us with the Love of your name and help us
to proclaim you before the world, that all peoples may celebrate your glory in
Jesus Christ our Lord.
For All the Saints A Prayer Book For and By the Church
Vol. 2 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau © 1995 Delhi, NY
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