Fighter Verses

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. ⁶Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. ⁷In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. —Psalm 86:5-7

The book of Psalms is a collection of poetry, songs, and prayers of the Jewish people. In the songs, you will often find repetition of phrases of worship and praise, and descriptions of God’s glorious attributes, often using figures of speech. But Psalm 86 is a prayer, and the language is plain “…how little there is in it of poetic flights or figures in comparison to other psalms; for the flourishes of wit are not the proper ornaments of prayer.” (Matthew Henry’s Commentary)

This prayer of David is earnest, straightforward, with repeated pleas to God:
Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me (vs.1a, vs.6); I am poor and needy (vs.1b); preserve my life, save your servant who trusts in you (vs.2); be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you I cry all the day (vs.3, vs.16); gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul (vs. 4)—

For you, O LORD, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. (vs.5)

Who else would David turn to in his time of need? Only the Lord. He alone has always been with us, gracious, good, forgiving sin, keeping covenant in His abundant love to the one who is poor in spirit. David knows the Lord. He has experienced His grace and here declares that He is good and forgiving. You can hear David’s humility in these words. He is trusting in God’s grace to be heard, just as we trust in Christ’s blood shed for us that we might come before the throne of grace. David has come to receive grace and deliverance from his enemies. He is not going anywhere else but to the Lord with his request —“Give ear…listen to my plea…I call upon you.” He is not seeking help from any other source. And he trusts the Lord’s listening, attentive ear, assured by His covenant love and promises that his prayer is heard and he will receive what is best from the Lord’s hand.

What about you? When faced with trials, where do you turn? Someone once said, “Before you go to the phone, come to the Throne.” We must each grow in our dependence upon the Lord and keep Him first in our hearts and minds—at all times praying to Him about everything.

For Reflection:

• Are you poor and needy? Yes? Remember the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Take every need and confess every sin to your heavenly Father in prayer. Those who trust in Him have His ear and His favor.
• When you pray, are you plainly making your request to God, or do your drifting thoughts or many words cause you to lose focus and fervency? How might adopting the example of David’s prayer help you to pray effectually?
• Trust in God’s character and attributes—His faithfulness, goodness, love and forgiveness towards us, and His grace that gladdens our souls, all shine bright in Psalm 86. Describe the role that prayer has in fueling your trust and joy in God’s character.

Suggested Resource: Big, Bold, Biblical Prayers for the Next Generation

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Truth78 publishes curriculum, devotional books, children’s books (including More Than a Story), church & parenting resources (including Zealous: 7 Commitments for the Discipleship of the Next Generations), Scripture memory tools and other resources designed to equip your home and church for leading children and youth to treasure God.

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. 6Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. 7In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. –Psalm 86:5-7 In his book A Praying Life Paul Miller […]

David alludes to the Exodus 34:6 in the confession that God is “good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 86:5). This takes us back to the holy event when God “drove the stake in the ground” about his identity. The LORD proclaimed his name. Essential to who he is—and unique from every competitor— is […]

There is a reason why, as believers, we must always be motivated to come to God in our need. The psalmist says it in these words: ” For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving ” (Psalm 86:5). Because of the goodness of God, we are confident that we will always receive the best from […]