Psalm 86:16 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant.

NIV: 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.

NASB: Turn to me, and be gracious to me; Grant Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your maidservant.

CSB: Turn to me and be gracious to me. Give your strength to your servant; save the son of your female servant.

NLT: Look down and have mercy on me. Give your strength to your servant; save me, the son of your servant.

KJV: O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.

NKJV: Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your maidservant.

Psalm 86:14–17 closes this prayer with a more specific appeal about the psalmist's trouble. As with other Davidic psalms, this includes mortal threats from enemies (Psalm 35:4; 70:2). Following the pattern of this prayer, the writer includes references to other psalms (Psalm 54:3) and Old Testament history (Exodus 34:6). The prayer ends with an appeal to God for both salvation and assurance.

Three sections form this prayer, which repeats statements from David's psalms and famous portions of the Old Testament. The first section asks for God's rescue during some hardship or danger. The second segment praises the Lord for His divine nature and His prior efforts on the psalmist's behalf. The last section returns to an appeal for salvation in the face of murderous enemies. Throughout this prayer are references to God using multiple terms, including the Hebrew word Adōnā'y, or Adonai, which literally means "Master."

This is the only passage attributed to David in this large segment, often called "Book Three" of the Psalms. It contains multiple quotes and allusions to David's other psalms (Psalms 22:28; 25:4; 31:2; 40:17; 54:3) as well as important Old Testament expressions (Exodus 15:11; 34:6; Deuteronomy 3:24). Most commentators suggest this was not written by David himself; this suggests the text is "of David" since it repeats portions of his words and echoes his views.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/21/2024 1:58:58 PM