Psalm 86
TITLE. A Prayer of David. We have here one of the five psalms entitled Tephillahs or prayers. This psalm consists of praise as well as prayer, but it is in all parts so directly addressed to God that it is most fitly called "a prayer." A prayer is nonetheless but all the more prayer because veins of praise run through it. This psalm would seem to have been especially known as David's prayer; even as the ninetieth is "the prayer of Moses." David composed it, and no doubt often expressed himself in similar language; both the matter and the wording are suitable to his varied circumstances and expressive of the different characteristics of his mind. In many respects, it resembles Ps 17:1-15, which bears the same title, but in other aspects, it is very different; the prayers of a good man have a family likeness, but they vary as much as they agree. We may learn from the present psalm that the great saints of old were accustomed to pray very much in the same fashion as we do; believers of all ages are of one genus. The name of God occurs very frequently in this psalm, sometimes it is Jehovah, but more commonly Adonai, which it is believed by many learned scholars was written by the Jewish transcribers instead of the sublimer title because their superstitious dread led them to do so: we, laboring under no such tormenting fear, rejoice in Jehovah, our God. It is singular that those who were so afraid of their God, that they dared not write his name, had yet so little godly fear, that they dared to alter his word.
DIVISION. The psalm is irregular in its construction but may be divided into three portions, each ending with a note of gratitude or confidence: we shall therefore read from Ps 86:1-7, and then, (after another pause at the end of Ps 86:13), we will continue to the end.
Verse 5. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive. Good at giving and forgiving; supplying us with his good, and removing our evil. Here was the great reason why the Psalmist looked to the Lord alone for his joy, because every joy-creating attribute is to be found in perfection in Jehovah alone. Some men who would be considered good are so self-exultingly indignant at the injuries done to them by others, that they cannot forgive; but we may rest assured that the better a being is, the more willing he is to forgive, and the better and highest of all is ever ready to blot out the transgressions of his creatures. And plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. God does not dispense his mercy from a slender store which perchance may be so impoverished as to give out altogether, but out of a cornucopia he pours forth the infinite riches of his mercy: his goodness flows forth in abounding streams towards those who pray and in adoring worship make mention of his name. David seems to have stood in the cleft of the rock with Moses, and to have heard the name of the Lord proclaimed even as the great lawgiver did, for in two places in this psalm he almost quotes verbatim the passage in Ex 34:6—"The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth."
Singing Psalms
#Outreach: That the world may know
#Prayer Focus: Pray for Our Prodigals
#Praise the Lord
Please follow my blog Guam Christian Blog
Please follow my blog Guam Views Blog
Podcast: https://anchor.fm/bruce-dinsman
Bruce's Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bruce.dinsman
Featured book: https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Service-4-Bruce-Dinsman-ebook/dp/B07W64BCD1
Twitter: @bad671
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dinsmanbruce/
Younow: https://www.younow.com/BruceDinsman
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/bdinsman/pin
#Parler #ParlerUS @pacislappraisal
No comments:
Post a Comment