Psalm 86

Psalm 86

Pray & Trust

I.                    Only the One true and great God can meet our great needs; so we must confess our need to Him and His sovereign and exclusive greatness to provide all things (Vv. 1-10)

a.       We’re not certain of the exact details and difficulties which compelled David to compose this psalm, but no matter the difficulties we face in life, they all reveal the same truth, and all require the same response. All of life’s difficulties serve to reveal our great need for someone to strengthen, sustain, and ultimately deliver us and grow us in our trials. So, all of life’s difficulties must move us to heartfelt prayer. But we must understand the true nature of effective prayer. In this psalm, David gives us an example of proper and effective prayer, which always begins with confessing our great needs to the only One true and great God who can meet them. He confesses that he is afflicted, needy, in need of salvation, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. However, instead of simply stating his need and expressing trust in God to meet it, David goes on to express why God should answer his prayers. He says God should answer because he’s a godly man. David is not suggesting that he’s so ultra-holy and perfect that God is obliged to answer his requests. He’s expressing the reality that he belongs to God in a covenant relationship established by Him. He is expressing his devotion and service to God, and praying back God’s promises that as His faithful yet imperfect servant, God has promised to care for him. In expressing the reasons for God’s response, David prays back and identifies God’s revelation of Himself as “Yahweh”, “Elohim”, and “Adonai, or the covenant making and promise keeping God, the all-powerful Creator and Sustainer, and the all sovereign Master and Lord who is in complete control of all things. Even more than that, he describes God as good, forgiving, and abounding in mercy and grace to all who call to Him. So David calls on God to respond according to His revealed nature and promises, and he’s confident God will hear his requests, answer him, and bring gladness to him in his affliction. There are very few original lines in this prayerful psalm. It is mostly a compilation of previous psalms and Scripture which is lifted back up to God in faithful expectation that He’ll honor His Word. Praying Scripture back to God convicts and encourages our souls as we’re faithfully recalling who God is and His promises. The reality of God’s abundant mercy, grace, and love, and His sovereign power over all nations, people, and circumstances, are made fresh and new in our hearts and minds when pray Scripture back to Him. We continually experience His abundant and exclusive power and goodness in our lives, as we reflect on His nature and character. There’s no one like God! It is in the full promises and work of Christ on the cross prayed back to God which He strengthens us and brings us comfort, peace, and victory in all circumstances! (Vv. 1-10; Exod. 15:11; 2 Sam. 7:12-16, 21-23; Ps. 50:15; Isa. 2:1-4; 9:6-7; 11:1-16; Matt. 5:3-7; 7:7-11; Luke 22:19-20; John 3:16; 10:10; Acts 17:24-31; Phil. 2:9-11; 1 Thess. 5:17; 1 Tim. 1:15; Heb. 10:14-18; Jas. 5:16; 1 John 5:11-15; Rev. 15:3-4)

II.                 Only the One true and great God can meet our great needs; so we must have fully devoted and thankful hearts which trust God fully and proclaim His glory (Vv. 11-17)

a.   Remembering God’s great revelation of Himself and His great promises to us in Scripture, and praying those promises back to Him, compels us to respond with devotion and thanksgiving to God. David asks God to unify his heart in the single purpose of walking in His will and truth. Like David we’re reminded that only the One true and great God can meet our great needs and rescue us from our great enemies of sin and death, and God’s actions on our behalf to save us are purely a function His amazing mercy, grace, and love. David finally reveals that he was facing men who despised God and desired to kill him, but in the face of this imminent danger, he’s confident in God and trusts Him to work for His glory and David’s good. He simply asks God to be who He says He is, and do what He promises to do! If God does that, He will be glorified, David will be comforted, and their enemies will be shamed, but also hopefully humbled by the utter greatness and grace of God to repentance and faith! The goal of David’s prayer is not that he would see relief from his circumstances, but that he would more fully see and know God’s glory, and the world would see and know God’s glory revealed through His faithful servant! That is the essence of faithful and effective prayer. (Vv. 11-17; Exod. 33:18; 34:6-7; Numb. 14:18; Deut. 6:4-5; 10:12; Neh. 9:17; Ps. 24:1-6; 50:14; 51:10-17; 103:8; 116:16-18; 119:88, 103-112; 143:11-12; 145:8; Jer. 33:3; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Matt. 5:8-16; 22:37-38; Luke 18:9-14; 22:42; John 6:37; Rom. 11:36-12:2; 1 Thess. 5:18; 1 Tim. 1:5; 2 Tim. 4:6-8; Heb. 10:19-25; Jas. 1:5-8; 4:7-10; 1 Pet. 2:9-12; 5:6-11)