Teach Me Your Way
Psalm 86 summary: what it means
Psalm 86 is a prayer from someone poor and needy who asks God to hear, preserve, have mercy and bring joy. The requests come quickly and each one carries a reason: I call to you all day, I trust in you, you are good and ready to forgive. In the day of trouble the speaker expects an answer. Then the prayer lifts into praise: there is no one like God, and all the nations he made will worship him.
At verse 11 comes a request to be taught God's way and given an undivided heart. After thanks for deliverance from the lowest Sheol, the trouble returns: proud and violent men seek the speaker's life. The answer is God's character, merciful, gracious and slow to anger. The psalm ends asking for a sign of goodness that the enemies will see.
Psalm 86: Teach Me Your Way
World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-86
Psalm 86 commentary: explained verse by verse
Hear, LORD, and answer me,for I am poor and needy.
Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
The prayer opens with a plain request to be heard and answered, and gives a plain reason: I am poor and needy. The speaker offers no achievement, only need. The KJV reads bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me, a picture of God leaning down to listen.
Also read Psalm 72:12-14, Psalm 10:14, Luke 4:18, Isaiah 37:17
Preserve my soul, for I am godly.You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.
Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
The speaker asks God to preserve their soul and gives two reasons: I am godly, and I trust in you. Servant is the speaker's word for themself throughout the psalm.
Also read John 12:26, John 10:27-29, Psalm 119:124-125, Romans 15:12-13
Be merciful to me, Lord,for I call to you all day long.
Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
The request for mercy is tied to persistence. The speaker has called to God all day long.
Also read Psalm 56:1, Luke 11:8-13, Ephesians 6:18, Psalm 88:9
Bring joy to the soul of your servant,for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.
Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
The speaker asks God to bring joy to their soul, because they lift that soul up to him. The prayer offers God the very thing it asks him to make glad.
Also read Isaiah 65:18, Isaiah 66:13-14, Psalm 143:8, Isaiah 61:3
For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
This is the psalm's first description of God. He is good, ready to forgive and abundant in loving kindness to all who call on him, which is why calling is worth doing.
Also read Psalm 103:8, Psalm 130:4, Micah 7:18, Nehemiah 9:17
Hear, LORD, my prayer.Listen to the voice of my petitions.
Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
After five verses of reasons, the psalm returns to its opening request and says verse 1 again in new words: hear my prayer, listen to the voice of my petitions. The repetition shows a prayer that keeps asking rather than asking once. The KJV has give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer.
Also read Psalm 130:2, Psalm 17:1, Psalm 55:1, Psalm 5:1-2
In the day of my trouble I will call on you,for you will answer me.
In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
The speaker expects an answer. In the day of trouble they will call, because God will answer, a confidence stated before any answer has come.
Also read Jonah 2:2, Psalm 17:6, Hebrews 5:7, Psalm 142:3
There is no one like you among the gods, Lord,nor any deeds like your deeds.
Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
The prayer turns to praise. There is no one like God among the gods, and no deeds like his.
Also read Deuteronomy 4:34, Psalm 136:4, Isaiah 40:18, Psalm 89:6
All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord.They shall glorify your name.
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
The praise widens to the whole world. All the nations God has made will come, worship before him and glorify his name.
Also read Isaiah 59:19, Zechariah 14:9, Romans 15:9, Psalm 67:7
For you are great, and do wondrous things.You are God alone.
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
The reason is given: God is great, does wondrous things and is God alone. This verse closes the first burst of praise.
Also read Romans 15:18-19, Deuteronomy 6:3-4, Daniel 6:26-27, Isaiah 37:16
Teach me your way, LORD.I will walk in your truth.Make my heart undivided to fear your name.
Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
Here the speaker asks to be taught God's way, promises to walk in his truth and asks for an undivided heart to fear his name. The KJV reads: unite my heart to fear thy name.
Also read 2 Corinthians 11:3, Acts 2:46, Psalm 5:8, John 6:45-46
I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart.I will glorify your name forever more.
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
An undivided heart leads to whole-hearted praise. The speaker promises to praise God with the whole heart and glorify his name forever.
Also read 1 Chronicles 29:20, 1 Chronicles 29:13, Deuteronomy 6:5, Romans 15:6
For your loving kindness is great toward me.You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.
For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
The speaker gives a reason for praise from their own life. God's loving kindness has been great toward them, and he has delivered their soul from the lowest Sheol.
Also read Jonah 2:3-6, Psalm 56:13, Job 33:22, Psalm 16:10
God, the proud have risen up against me.A company of violent men have sought after my soul,and they don’t hold regard for you before them.
O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
The trouble returns. The proud have risen up, violent men are seeking the speaker's life, and they have no regard for God.
Also read Psalm 119:85, Psalm 10:4, Psalm 10:11, Acts 4:27-28
But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God,slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Against the violent men of verse 14, the speaker sets God's character: merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth. The KJV reads: full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Also read Psalm 145:8, Psalm 86:5, Romans 5:20-21, Nehemiah 9:17
Turn to me, and have mercy on me!Give your strength to your servant.Save the son of your servant.
O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
The requests become urgent again: turn to me, have mercy, give strength, save. The speaker calls themself the son of God's servant, stressing that they belong to him.
Also read Colossians 1:11, Psalm 25:16, Psalm 90:13, Isaiah 45:24
Show me a sign of your goodness,that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed,because you, LORD, have helped me, and comforted me.
Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.
The psalm ends asking for a visible sign of God's goodness. The point is that the speaker's enemies will see it and be shamed, because the LORD has helped and comforted them.
Also read Psalm 71:20-21, Psalm 109:29, Psalm 74:9, 1 Corinthians 5:5
A prayer from Psalm 86
Hear me, LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul, and save your servant who trusts in you. I call to you all day long. You are good and ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all who call on you. In the day of my trouble I will call on you. Teach me your way, and I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name. When proud people rise against me, you are still merciful and gracious, slow to anger. Turn to me, give your strength to your servant, and show me a sign of your goodness. Amen.
Psalm 86 Bible study questions
- In verse 1, what reason does the speaker give for asking God to answer, and what does that reason show about how he sees himself?
- Verse 15 describes God as merciful, gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness; which of these ideas already appeared in verse 5?
- Verse 11 asks for an undivided heart; what tends to divide your attention or loyalty, and what would undivided look like for you?
- The psalm moves between requests and praise from start to finish; why might someone praise God in the middle of asking for help?
- Psalm 103:8 uses almost the same words as Psalm 86:15; how does reading the two verses side by side affect how you read each one?
Questions about Psalm 86
What does Psalm 86 mean?
It is a personal prayer for help from someone poor, needy and threatened by violent men. It rests its requests on God's character as good, forgiving and merciful, and asks for an undivided heart.
Who wrote Psalm 86?
The heading attributes it to David: "A Prayer by David". The text does not say when it was written.
What does Psalm 86:11 say in the KJV?
"Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name." The WEB has "Make my heart undivided to fear your name."
What does Psalm 86:15 say in the KJV?
"But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth."
What does Psalm 86:17 mean?
The speaker asks God for a visible sign of his goodness, so that those who hate them will see that the LORD has helped and comforted them, and be ashamed.
What does Psalm 86:7 mean?
It expresses confidence in prayer: in the day of trouble the speaker will call on God, because God will answer.
Psalm 86 KJV: the King James Version
Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.1
Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.2
Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.3
Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.4
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.5
Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.6
In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.7
Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.8
All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.9
For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.10
Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.11
I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.12
For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.13
O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.14
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.15
O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.16
Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.17
Psalm 86 in Hebrew
The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.
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1 תְּפִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד הַטֵּֽה־יְהוָ֣ה אָזְנְךָ֣ עֲנֵ֑נִי כִּֽי־עָנִ֖י וְאֶבְי֣וֹן אָֽנִי׃
2 שָֽׁמְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁי֮ כִּֽי־חָסִ֪יד אָ֥נִי הוֹשַׁ֣ע עַ֭בְדְּךָ אַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֑י הַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
3 חָנֵּ֥נִי אֲדֹנָ֑י כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֶ֝קְרָ֗א כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃
4 שַׂ֭מֵּחַ נֶ֣פֶשׁ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י אֵלֶ֥יךָ אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י נַפְשִׁ֥י אֶשָּֽׂא׃
5 כִּֽי־אַתָּ֣ה אֲ֭דֹנָי ט֣וֹב וְסַלָּ֑ח וְרַב־חֶ֝֗סֶד לְכָל־קֹרְאֶֽיךָ׃
6 הַאֲזִ֣ינָה יְ֭הוָה תְּפִלָּתִ֑י וְ֝הַקְשִׁ֗יבָה בְּק֣וֹל תַּחֲנוּנוֹתָֽי׃
7 בְּי֣וֹם צָ֭רָתִ֥י אֶקְרָאֶ֗ךָּ כִּ֣י תַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
8 אֵין־כָּמ֖וֹךָ בָאֱלֹהִ֥ים ׀ אֲדֹנָ֗י וְאֵ֣ין כְּֽמַעֲשֶֽׂיךָ׃
9 כָּל־גּוֹיִ֤ם ׀ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִׂ֗יתָ יָב֤וֹאוּ ׀ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ לְפָנֶ֣יךָ אֲדֹנָ֑י וִֽיכַבְּד֣וּ לִשְׁמֶֽךָ׃
10 כִּֽי־גָד֣וֹל אַ֭תָּה וְעֹשֵׂ֣ה נִפְלָא֑וֹת אַתָּ֖ה אֱלֹהִ֣ים לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃
11 ה֘וֹרֵ֤נִי יְהוָ֨ה ׀ דַּרְכֶּ֗ךָ אֲהַלֵּ֥ךְ בַּאֲמִתֶּ֑ךָ יַחֵ֥ד לְ֝בָבִ֗י לְיִרְאָ֥ה שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
12 אוֹדְךָ֤ ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י אֱ֭לֹהַי בְּכָל־לְבָבִ֑י וַאֲכַבְּדָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ לְעוֹלָֽם׃
13 כִּֽי־חַ֭סְדְּךָ גָּד֣וֹל עָלָ֑י וְהִצַּ֥לְתָּ נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י מִשְּׁא֥וֹל תַּחְתִּיָּֽה׃
14 אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ זֵ֘דִ֤ים קָֽמוּ־עָלַ֗י וַעֲדַ֣ת עָ֭רִיצִים בִּקְשׁ֣וּ נַפְשִׁ֑י וְלֹ֖א שָׂמ֣וּךָ לְנֶגְדָּֽם׃
15 וְאַתָּ֣ה אֲ֭דֹנָי אֵל־רַח֣וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַ֝פַּ֗יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃
16 פְּנֵ֥ה אֵלַ֗י וְחָ֫נֵּ֥נִי תְּנָֽה־עֻזְּךָ֥ לְעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝הוֹשִׁ֗יעָה לְבֶן־אֲמָתֶֽךָ׃
17 עֲשֵֽׂה־עִמִּ֥י א֗וֹת לְט֫וֹבָ֥ה וְיִרְא֣וּ שֹׂנְאַ֣י וְיֵבֹ֑שׁוּ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה יְ֝הוָ֗ה עֲזַרְתַּ֥נִי וְנִחַמְתָּֽנִי׃
Psalm 86 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible
The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 85 there.
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1 A prayer for David himself. Incline thy ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am needy and poor.
2 Preserve my soul, for I am holy: save thy servant, O my God, that trusteth in thee.
3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I have cried to thee all the day.
4 Give joy to the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul.
5 For thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild: and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee.
6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer: and attend to the voice of my petition.
7 I have called upon thee in the day of my trouble: because thou hast heard me.
8 There is none among the gods like unto thee, O Lord: and there is none according to thy works.
9 All the nations thou hast made shall come and adore before thee, O Lord: and they shall glorify thy name.
10 For thou art great and dost wonderful things: thou art God alone.
11 Conduct me, O Lord, in thy way, and I will walk in thy truth: let my heart rejoice that it may fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God: with my whole heart, and I will glorify thy name for ever:
13 For thy mercy is great towards me: and thou hast delivered my soul out of the lower hell.
14 O God, the wicked are risen up against me, and the assembly of the mighty have sought my soul: and they have not set thee before their eyes.
15 And thou, O Lord, art a God of compassion, and merciful, patient, and of much mercy, and true.
16 O look upon me, and have mercy on me: give thy command to thy servant, and save the son of thy handmaid.
17 Shew me a token for good: that they who hate me may see, and be confounded, because thou, O Lord, hast helped me and hast comforted me.
Psalm 86 in Latin
The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 85.
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1 Oratio ipsi David. Inclina, Domine, aurem tuam et exaudi me, quoniam inops et pauper sum ego.
2 Custodi animam meam, quoniam sanctus sum; salvum fac servum tuum, Deus meus, sperantem in te.
3 Miserere mei, Domine, quoniam ad te clamavi tota die;
4 lætifica animam servi tui, quoniam ad te, Domine, animam meam levavi.
5 Quoniam tu, Domine, suavis et mitis, et multæ misericordiæ omnibus invocantibus te.
6 Auribus percipe, Domine, orationem meam, et intende voci deprecationis meæ.
7 In die tribulationis meæ clamavi ad te, quia exaudisti me.
8 Non est similis tui in diis, Domine, et non est secundum opera tua.
9 Omnes gentes quascumque fecisti venient, et adorabunt coram te, Domine, et glorificabunt nomen tuum.
10 Quoniam magnus es tu, et faciens mirabilia; tu es Deus solus.
11 Deduc me, Domine, in via tua, et ingrediar in veritate tua; lætetur cor meum, ut timeat nomen tuum.
12 Confitebor tibi, Domine Deus meus, in toto corde meo, et glorificabo nomen tuum in æternum:
13 quia misericordia tua magna est super me, et eruisti animam meam ex inferno inferiori.
14 Deus, iniqui insurrexerunt super me, et synagoga potentium quæsierunt animam meam: et non proposuerunt te in conspectu suo.
15 Et tu, Domine Deus, miserator et misericors; patiens, et multæ misericordiæ, et verax.
16 Respice in me, et miserere mei; da imperium tuum puero tuo, et salvum fac filium ancillæ tuæ.
17 Fac mecum signum in bonum, ut videant qui oderunt me, et confundantur: quoniam tu, Domine, adjuvisti me, et consolatus es me.
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Psalm 86 at a glance
| Verses | 17 |
| Heading in the text | A Prayer by David. |
| Attributed to | The heading attributes it to David: "A Prayer by David". |
| Type | Prayer |
| Number in Greek and Latin Bibles | Psalm 85 |
Read Psalm 86 when you are facing
trusting godguidanceenemiescomfort
Psalm 86 in other translations
This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 86 in those translations at Bible Gateway.
Where Psalm 86 belongs
Psalms of DavidBook 3 of the Psalms
How this page was made
The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.
Sources
- Text: World English Bible and King James Version, both public domain, from ebible.org source
- Hebrew text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Douay-Rheims: Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Latin text: Clementine Vulgate, public domain, from ebible.org source
- Numbering: Greek and Latin psalm numbering, Wikipedia, Psalms source