Chapter 86

David.

Still book 3.  This Psalm of David is included with the Psalms of Asaph.

2022 - It is actually introduced as a prayer of David  He's written down his prayer.  Grandmother Little's Bible had some prayers of hers written down.  One was in red ink.  She wrote it on one of those blank pages in her Bible that there seem to be so many of for no real reason.  Hmm.  Maybe we all ought to write down our prayers.

1st, A penitent calling on the God who hears, asking for God's help.

2022 - David is praying for himself.  He is asking God to look after him, to examine him and find him worth keeping alive.  He is asking God to hear his prayer.  Wouldn't a King, who heard petitions all day every day, know how to ask of his own King?  Could we have a better example of how to pray than David's own prayers?

2nd, Praise to God for there is none like Him, greatest of all, most powerful of all, most able of all.

3rd, A specific prayer for deliverance from certain enemies.  The prayer is that God will show favor to the one praying so that the enemies may see it and know that God has helped him.

This verse:

17 Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me. [Psa 86:17 ESV]

I think we all crave an affirmation like this, something to show that God really is on our side, watching over us, answering our prayers.

2021-The first 13 verses are a great prayer of thanksgiving, one that could be prayed back on any given morning.