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Psalm 86 (ESV)

Great Is Your Steadfast Love

A Prayer of David.

1 Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
² Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
³ Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
⁴ Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
⁵ For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
⁶ Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my plea for grace.
⁷ In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
for you answer me.

⁸ There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,
nor are there any works like yours.
⁹ All the nations you have made shall come
and worship before you, O Lord,
and shall glorify your name.
¹⁰ For you are great and do wondrous things;
you alone are God.
¹¹ Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
¹² I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
¹³ For great is your steadfast love toward me;
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

¹⁴ O God, insolent men have risen up against me;
a band of ruthless men seeks my life,
and they do not set you before them.
¹⁵ But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant,
and save the son of your maidservant.
¹⁷ Show me a sign of your favour,
that those who hate me may see and be put to shame
because you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

REFLECTION:

1. David (who wrote this psalm) acknowledged to God that he needed mercy and looked only to God for salvation and joy. Having experienced God’s love, he prayed freely to Him alone for marvelous deeds.
2. David asked to know God more fully: “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”(v11) He focused completely on God and responded to God’s great love with a wholehearted effort to glorify the Lord.
3. Do you have an undivided heart? What divides your heart? How many “pieces” of heart do you carry inside? What can restore your internal unity?

PRAYER:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.

HYMN:

Psalm 86 – www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9Aiqrcphkc