After a long gap, near the end of Book III, a Psalm of David is once again included in the Book of Psalms. While some Psalms are specifically known as prayer Psalms, such as the Ninetieth Psalm, which is the prayer of Moses, people often use all the Psalms as a tool for prayer. In particular, this Psalm reflects David’s consistent practice of praying to God, which is why it is regarded as a Prayer Psalm. This Psalm aligns with David’s life regardless of any specific period because the prayers it contains are relevant to every aspect of his life. Likewise, it resonates with our own life situations today.
Guard My Life
Hear me, LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in you. – Psalms 86:1-4 (NIV)
David’s life was constantly under threat, and without God’s grace and protection, he could have died prematurely, joining his forefathers early in life. However, God preserved David’s life to fulfill His greater purpose—first by making David a king and then by maintaining the lineage of Judah to eventually send His Son through that line. David’s life demonstrated that he was worthy of God’s protection and salvation. Yet, David remained aware of his earthly vulnerabilities and the constant danger from his enemies. Even though David’s prayers focused on protection in this life, he was, without realizing it, also seeking God’s protection for his soul. We often ask God for protection in our daily lives, but the deeper question remains: Do we seek Him to protect the salvation He has freely given us?
Although David believed he was worthy of God’s saving grace, he still recognized his deep need for God and saw himself as poor despite the material blessings he had. Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, taught, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Despite having his worldly wants met, David still felt the need for God’s saving hand. Often, when our material wants are satisfied, we forget about our deeper spiritual needs. We tend to take pride in our earthly success and wealth, failing to see ourselves as poor. We define poverty in terms of financial lack, but sometimes those who are materially poor are spiritually rich because they possess the presence of God. Conversely, the rich may be spiritually poor if they lack God in their lives.
True and lasting joy can only come from God; everything else offers only temporary satisfaction. To affirm this truth, Jesus went on to say that those who mourn will be comforted by God and, in turn, will experience true joy, the one David was asking for.
LORD Forgives
You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, LORD;
listen to my cry for mercy.
When I am in distress, I call to you,
because you answer me. – Psalms 86:5-7 (NIV)
David viewed God from a completely different perspective compared to most of his contemporaries, who saw God primarily as a harsh and punishing figure. Even today, many believers are taught to fear God rather than to understand and cherish His love. Fear often leads to mistakes, but love inspires us to act with confidence and do things perfectly (1 John 4:18). Unlike others, David boldly proclaimed the goodness and love of God to those around him.
In today’s context, many people tend to keep the love of God for themselves while spreading the fear of God to others. While everyone desires to experience God’s love personally, they often wish for God to be strict and judgmental toward others. This fear-based mindset prevents people from having the confidence to call on God when they are in need. However, the author of Hebrews encourages believers to approach God with confidence, casting aside fear and doubt (Hebrews 4:16).
David, strengthened by God’s grace, which is available to all of us, had the confidence to call on God whenever he felt the need. He addressed God as forgiving, good, and abounding in love. Shouldn’t we approach God with the same confidence and trust in His love and mercy?
There Is None Like You
Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord;
they will bring glory to your name.
For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God. – Psalms 86:8-10 (NIV)
David compared God with other gods, declaring that God is beyond comparison. To understand this fully, we need to consider the concept of gods in the context of the Old Testament. In ancient times, people kept household gods and appointed priests to perform rituals for them. These gods were often used as intermediaries to reach out to the one true Living God. However, even after being liberated from slavery by God, the Israelites replaced Him with a golden calf, thereby disobeying His commandments. Similarly, we often create our own “gods” or idols in our minds while living in this fallen world. The question is: Do we use these idols—such as wealth, religion, sacraments, or even the Scriptures—as a means to connect with the Living God, or do we become fixated on these idols themselves?
A well-known worship song declares, “There is none like You.” This phrase reflects our recognition and experience of God’s incomparable worthiness over other gods. Interestingly, a husband could not make such a statement without implying he had considered other options before committing to his wife, as it would be highly inappropriate. So, how do we justify assessing God’s worthiness by our standards? Is it because He has made us worthy to call Him “Abba, Father”? Do we fully comprehend the weight of such declarations when we offer them to God, or could we unknowingly expose our own lack of sincerity? Yet, it is somewhat reasonable to acknowledge that our search for salvation and peace may have led us to other sources before encountering the true and living God.
God already knows everything before it is revealed, but He desires that we confess our shortcomings not out of ignorance but with a clear and honest heart. God does not seek our praise for His benefit; rather, He desires to reward us with the best gift—eternal life.
There is no doubt that none is like God, and He performs marvelous deeds, not to prove Himself as the one true God, because He needs no proof. Proof is required in a courtroom, but God is the ultimate Judge—who could possibly demand proof from Him? These comparisons and wondrous deeds are not for God’s validation but for our understanding. However, if we rely solely on these signs and miracles to recognize God’s worthiness, we risk missing the bigger picture. We may end up admiring the signs themselves rather than truly entering into His Kingdom.
Teach Me Your Way
Teach me your way, LORD,
that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
you have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead. – Psalms 86:11-13 (NIV)
This highlights the positive aspect of prayer. When we don’t know how to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes on our behalf (Romans 8:26). When David, perhaps unknowingly, compared God with other gods and attributed His wondrous deeds as the foundation of his faith, the Holy Spirit led him to a deeper understanding of God’s faithfulness and encouraged him to rely on it. Through the Spirit’s guidance, David prayed for an undivided heart, so that he wouldn’t repeatedly turn to other sources to grasp God’s faithfulness.
God invites us with open arms to learn His statutes and understand His faithfulness in a fallen world where everyone has lost His glory. Paul addresses this truth in his letter to the Romans: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23–24). While many focus on the truth of verse 23, the Holy Spirit encouraged David to trust in what God had already prepared for him. With the help of the Spirit, David declared that God would deliver him from the realm of the dead—the place of evildoers. If David could experience this assurance even before God’s redemption plan was fully revealed, how much more should we, who have seen the fulfillment of that plan through Christ, be confident in our deliverance from the wages of sin?
Save Me, Because I Serve You
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
show your strength in behalf of your servant;
save me, because I serve you
just as my mother did. – Psalms 86:15-16 (NIV)
At the beginning of this prayer Psalm, we see that David, unlike his contemporaries, believed that the Lord is compassionate, loving, and faithful, slow to anger and patient in His judgment. No human can match this kind of restraint; history shows that from the very beginning, mankind has often resorted to violence at the slightest provocation. But David understood that even when God is angry, He takes time before acting on His anger. David used this window of grace to plead for mercy. Many people, however, give up in such situations, fearing that they have drifted too far from God and never attempt to return.
When the Holy Spirit leads us in prayer, we can experience a state of spiritual trance, and David likely experienced this when the Spirit pleaded on his behalf for an undivided heart. Once this state passed, David seems to have regained his senses and recognized that being saved by God was a privilege because he was serving Him. This reflects a common modern mindset where people believe that because they serve God, they have the right to ask for whatever they desire. Many also assume that since they serve God, He is obligated to protect them in a special way—guarding them with angels and shielding them from harm. The devil used a similar tactic when tempting Jesus, but Jesus refused to fall into that trap.
Sadly, today, some servants of God see themselves as privileged citizens rather than humble servants. Instead of serving God with sincerity and humility, they often showcase His grace with glamour and a sense of entitlement. Jesus Himself said, “I came not to be served but to serve,” and His mission was not to perform miracles but to transform lives by surrendering His life to the will of the Father.
David also referenced his mother’s service to God to appeal to Him for favor. Interestingly, Scripture does not provide historical details about David’s mother or even her name. David may have mentioned this to resonate with those who claim to be servants of God based on their family legacy. How many of us still rely on the faithfulness of our ancestors—whether they were bishops, moderators, or other respected leaders—as a source of spiritual credit? Do we take pride in their accomplishments while forgetting that God will judge us based on our own lives, not the legacy of our ancestors?
Sign of God’s Goodness
Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, or you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me. – Psalms 86:17 (NIV)
At the end of his prayer, David asked God for a sign to show his enemies that God’s favor was with him. But do we really need God to prove His favor to others, or should we instead help them understand that God’s favor is also available to them if they choose to accept it? Constantly seeking signs from God may not be pleasing to Him. Rather than repeatedly proving His faithfulness, God has made His children a sign for the world to witness, as revealed through the prophet Isaiah:
“Here am I, and the children the LORD has given me. We are signs and symbols in Israel from the LORD Almighty, who dwells on Mount Zion” – Isaiah 8:18(NIV).
The psalmist either sought a visible sign before his enemies or the personal comfort and help that would bring him joy, ultimately making him a sign for others.
God, help us to reflect Your light by living lives filled with Your Spirit and truth, so that those who see us may glorify You with all their hearts and minds. Amen.
The Jordan Valley 
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