Tap any verse number for what that verse means.
1Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
2Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
3Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
4Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
6Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
8Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
10For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
14O 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.
15But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
17Shew 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.
Understand This
Psalm 86, explained
What Psalm 86 is saying
A deeply personal prayer of David, Psalm 86 is distinctive for its heavy reliance on phrases from earlier Scripture—nearly every line echoes Exodus, Deuteronomy, or earlier psalms—creating a mosaic of biblical prayer. The psalm's theological center is the declaration drawn from Exodus 34:6: 'You, O Lord, are a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.' The request for an 'undivided heart' (yached levavi) is theologically significant.
The background behind it
The psalm's extensive quotation and adaptation of earlier texts suggests a liturgical prayer assembled from Israel's prayer tradition. Its attribution to David and its personal intensity indicate genuine individual petition, though its composite character has led some scholars to view it as representative communal prayer.
Themes running underneath
The psalm builds its theology through accumulated scriptural echo—each phrase carries the weight of its original context. The request for an 'undivided heart' acknowledges the human tendency toward divided loyalty and sees wholehearted devotion as a divine gift rather than human achievement. The affirmation of God's uniqueness among the gods reflects developing monotheistic theology.
Why it still matters
Psalm 86 models praying Scripture—letting the words of earlier revelation shape present petition. The prayer for an undivided heart remains profoundly relevant for believers navigating competing loyalties and fragmented spiritual attention.
Scripture text: King James Version — public domain.