July 22nd 2021 – Psalm 86
"A Prayer of David.
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 for ever.
13 For great is your steadfast love towards 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."
Psalm 86
In the second stanza (6-13) the Psalmist, having got his eyes and his thoughts lifted to God, becomes arrested and gripped by what he sees in Him, and in spite of himself is drawn more and more to the Power presiding in the Name of God, drawing him away from his self-preoccupation to contemplate the Divine majesty. This is how God answers prayer - and He answers us first, before He answers our petitions. This is a very impor- tant consideration: the necessity is always to get a proper perspective on the situation. Let God be God: then speak of one's need. As Maclaren puts it, 'The thought of God's sovereign power carries the Psalmist beyond remembrance of his immediate outward needs, and stirs higher desires in him. Hence spring the beautiful and spiritual petitions in 11, which seek for clearer insight into God's will concerning the Psalmist's conduct, breathe aspirations after a 'walk' in that God-appointed way and in 'Thy truth', and culminate in one of the sweetest and deepest prayers of the Psalter 'unite my heart to fear Thy Name''. One can almost see prayer being answered as something happens to the Psalmist and in him, as he seeks a more spiritual life with God. There is nothing like pressure and 'being up against it' for sifting the soul, and exposing to us our divided loyalties. The Psalmist has become conscious that his heart had become more divided than he had realised, hence the prayer 'unite my heart...'.
And now, in 14-17, he is in a proper frame of mind to speak of his problems. They are very real (14), but now they are set against the background of the God whom he has supplicated to help him, and this is enough to draw their sting. This is what makes the prayer in 16 so meaningful, a prayer full of faith and trust, and pleading the right things. Happy is the man who comes this way in his time of need.
July 21st 2021 – Psalm 86
“A Prayer of David. 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…
July 20th 2021 – Psalm 86
“A Prayer of David. 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…
July 19th 2021 – Psalm 85
“To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. Lord, you were favourable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your…
July 18th 2021 – Psalm 85
“To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. Lord, you were favourable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your…
July 17th 2021 – Psalm 85
“To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. Lord, you were favourable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.2 You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah3 You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your…
July 16th 2021 – Psalm 84
“To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord;my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living…
July 15th 2021 – Psalm 84
“To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord;my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living…
July 14th 2021 – Psalm 84
“To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts!2 My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord;my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living…
July 13th 2021 – Psalm 83
“A Song. A Psalm of Asaph. O God, do not keep silence; do not hold your peace or be still, O God!2 For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads.3 They lay crafty plans against your people; they…