Psalm 86 (NKJV)

Prayer for Mercy, with Meditation on the Excellencies of the LORD

A Prayer of David.

1 Bow down Your ear, O LORD, hear me;
For I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am holy;
You are my God;
Save Your servant who trusts in You!
3 Be merciful to me, O Lord,
For I cry to You all day long.
4 Rejoice the soul of Your servant,
For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.

• Lord, attend to me. Let Your face turn to me and see my situation.
  • Provide for me in my poverty.
  • Preserve my life that You created.
  • Save me, O LORD, Your servant, in Your mercy.
  • Restore joy to my spirit and soul.
  • I lift myself up to You, O righteous and good God.
  • Forgive me in Your mercy!

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
And attend to the voice of my supplications.
7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon You,
For You will answer me.

8 Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Your works.
9 All nations whom 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.

• Lord, listen to me and hear my prayer.
  • I call on You for help and I need to know that You hear me.
  • I am in trouble, and no one else can help me like You.
  • There is no other god but You, O God!
  • I worship You, just like all the nations will one day bow before You.
  • But I glorify You now, even when I do not see the blessings.
  • You are great, You alone are God.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
13 For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14 O God, the proud have risen against me,
And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
And have not set You before them.
15 But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.

• Teach me, O LORD, Your ways.
  • Your truth is my desire. I need to hear Your voice.
  • Keep my heart pure, constantly hearing from You and obeying Your word.
  • I praise You with all that is within me, nothing held back, O God.
  • Your mercy overwhelms me when I think of the depths to which You came to save me.
  • You would come to the very pit of hell to save me. You did just that when You died on the cross.
  • You give me grace, mercy, truth, and compassion that surpasses all others.
  • Thank You for Your great grace!

16 Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your maidservant.
17 Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

• Lord, have mercy on me.
  • Give me strength and do not destroy me.
  • Save me from my enemies, and from myself.
  • Save my children and later generations.
  • Let me see Your hand at work in my life daily.
  • Let it shine to those around me that need to see it and believe.
  • Let Your grace, Your help, and You comfort sustain me and cry out as a witness to others.