Psalms
Chapter 86
This is a prayer of David asking God for help while proud and violent men are trying to kill him. He asks God to listen, to teach him, and to show mercy, and he praises God as the only God, kind and slow to anger. The psalm moves back and forth between asking for rescue and praising the God he trusts.
Plain reading written for preteens. Clear and complete, at about a fifth grade reading level.
Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
1LORD, lean down and listen to me. Answer me, because I am poor and I need help.
2Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
2Keep me safe, because I belong to you and stay true to you. You are my God. Save me. I am your servant, and I trust you.
"I am holy" here does not mean the writer thinks he is perfect. The word means he is loyal to God and stays faithful to him.
3Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
3Be kind to me, Lord. I call out to you all day long.
4Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
4Make your servant glad again. I lift up my whole self to you, Lord.
5For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
5You, Lord, are good, and you are quick to forgive. Your love is deep for everyone who calls to you.
6Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
6LORD, listen to my prayer. Pay attention to my cry for help.
7In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
7When trouble comes, I will call to you, because I know you will answer me.
8Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
8Lord, not one of the gods people worship is like you. No one has done works like yours.
9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
9Every nation you made will come and bow down before you, Lord. They will honor your name.
10For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
10You are great, and you do wonderful things. You alone are God.
11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
11Teach me your way, LORD, and I will live by your truth. Make my heart whole, so I honor your name.
12I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
12I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God. I will honor your name forever.
13For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
13Your love for me is great. You pulled me up from the deepest place of the dead.
"The lowest hell" translates the Hebrew word Sheol, which meant the grave, the place of the dead. It is not a place of punishment here.
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.
14God, proud men have turned against me. A crowd of cruel men wants to kill me. They give you no thought at all.
15But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
15But you, Lord, are a God full of pity and kindness. You are slow to get angry, and full of steady love and truth.
16O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
16Turn to me and be kind to me. Give your strength to me, your servant. I am the son of your servant woman. Save me.
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.
17Give me a sign that you are good to me. Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed, because you, LORD, helped me and comforted me.
"Holpen" is an old spelling of "helped."
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