Psalm Chapter 86

 

A Prayer of David.

  • Psalm 86:1 Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

I doubt that David was poor in material goods. I'm pretty sure that what he means here is that he is in need of the presence and strength that only God can give. If we are not filled with and walking in the Spirit of God, we are poor and needy. All riches, honor and material possessions cannot fill the gap in an empty soul that is void of God in his or her life.

  • Psalm 86:2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

We actually become holy when we let God cleanse our sins through faith in Jesus. Yet after receiving Jesus our Christ we must preserve our soul by continually walking with the Lord. He will never leave and forsake us but we have the freewill to forsake Him if we choose. However, we are crazy to do so.

  • Psalm 86:3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

We are a people always making mistakes and messing up. We need God's mercy daily. Be thankful God doesn't give us what we deserve or we would be in big trouble.

  • Psalm 86:4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
  • 5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

He is ready to forgive.

  • 2Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The above verse speaks of the future coming of Jesus and how in the latter days many would start to doubt His coming, mocking and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming?" 2 Peter 3:9 is  Peter's answer to those that mock. He is coming at a set time but perhaps He waits as long as He can to see more come to repentance.

In the book of Genesis the story of Abraham is about how God promised Abraham a large territory. He would not let Abraham conquer the people and drive them out at that time. The reason is that their iniquity had not yet gotten to the place where they couldn't be saved. When a country or nation gets to the place that iniquity is full and there is no chance of repentance, then that is when the judgment of God will fall and they will be wiped out.

We read in history of past civilizations being wiped and another taking it's place by war. Later that civilization gets wiped out by another tribe. What we don't realize is that God allowed it to happen because His hand of protection is not there. If a nation or large group of people turn from God and do abominable things like sacrificing live children in the fire to worship idols, then God turns away. Abortion is a form of child sacrifice also. We need to take heed and wake up. God sees all these things we have allowed.

God went to Abraham on another occasion and told him that the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was going to be visited. Abraham interceded on behalf of Sodom knowing that his nephew Lot and his family dwelt there.

God promised not to destroy it if there were at least 10 righteous people in Sodom. The angels of the Lord could not find 10 so in God's mercy the angels thrust out Lot, his wife and two daughters telling them to flee and not look back.

Lot's wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt. Sodom had gotten so bad that they were past saving. There is a time when God's spirit stops dealing with a person or group of people and that is when judgment comes. Yet in all this, God prefers to save. That is why He sent His own Son, Jesus to save all who would receive Him.

The law shows us what sin is but our own will power can not help us to keep all the law in all points. Jesus came to pay the price that comes from breaking the law of God. He died in the flesh but He didn't break the law so His death counted for us. By believing in what Jesus did for us, we can not only be forgiven for all past sins but have the Holy Spirit living within us to keep us from becoming a slave to future sins. If we do sin there is a way out.

  • 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

  • Psalm 86:6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
  • 7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
  • 8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.

Actually there are no other real gods. The gods are false gods in the minds and imaginations of mankind. Some idols have a spirit of evil surrounding them but it is not the idol itself but demon spirits of deception that accompany them. Why do you think some nations sacrificed their own children to idols? It was the demonic spirit around them that deceived the people into thinking the so-called gods desired them to sacrifice their children in that manner.

  • Psalm 86:9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

There is a day coming when all nations shall worship the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

  • Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.

Matthew 25 tells of the judgment of all nations. Those that fed the hungry that were God's people and sheltered the strangers who were God's people were blessed.

If you are good to a righteous person, you will receive a righteous man's reward. There is a blessing to those that help God's people and a curse to those that persecute them. God's people are those that trust in Him. We are also to love the nation of Israel for God has a plan for them even though they are cut off because of their rejection of Jesus Christ. They will be brought back during the future tribulation period.

Here is what the Old Testament says about the blessing and curse. This applies to the actual nation of Israel.

  • Genesis 12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

The seed of Abraham that will bless all the earth is Jesus the Messiah.

  • Psalm 86:10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
  • 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

This should be our constant prayer. We need God and need to be taught His ways.

  • Psalm 86:12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
  • 13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
  • 14 O 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.
  • 15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
  • 16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
  • 17 Shew 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.

Be very careful with the emotion of hate. We are to love our enemies, not hate them. We are to trust God for vengeance and not take vengeance ourselves. We are not to hate anyone but bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the whole world being wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

We must hate what sin does to mankind without hating the poor soul caught up in sin. We must be willing to reach in the mud and save a soul without walking in the sin ourselves and becoming slaves to the same sin that Jesus forgives and delivers us from.

This sometimes can be difficult if we attempt to go in our own strength. That is why God gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit which enables us to walk in the Spirit and not be unevenly yoked with unbelievers. So God's Holy Spirit can give us power to overcome sin and also power to confront sin and have compassion on sinners.

We see though that in the book of Revelations mankind had gotten to the point that they no longer repented of sin even though they knew God was judging them. Instead of repenting they cursed God. This happens when iniquity is full without any restraint or willingness to repent. Let us come to Jesus now before we get to the point of no return. God would much rather save than destroy. DC

Psalm 87

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