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英文原文
This psalm is entitled "a prayer of David;" probably it was not penned upon any particular occasion, but was a prayer he often used himself, and recommended to others for their use, especially in a day of affliction. Many think that David penned this prayer as a type of Christ, "who in the days of his flesh offered up strong cries," Heb 5:7. David, in this prayer (according to the nature of that duty), I. Gives glory to God, Ps 86:8-10,12,13. II. Seeks for grace and favour from God, that God would hear his prayers (Ps 86:1,6,7), preserve and save him, and be merciful to him (Ps 86:2,3,16), that he would give him joy, and grace, and strength, and put honour upon him, Ps 86:4,11,17. He pleads God's goodness (Ps 86:5,15) and the malice of his enemies, Ps 86:14. In singing this we must, as David did, lift up our souls to God with application.
1-7
Humble Petitions
谦卑的恳求
大卫的祈祷。
¹ 耶和华啊，求你侧耳应允我，因我困苦穷乏。
² 求你保存我的灵魂，因我是虔诚人；你我的神啊，求你拯救这倚靠你的仆人。
³ 主啊，求你怜恤我，因我终日求告你。
⁴ 主啊，求你使仆人心里欢喜，因为我的心仰望你。
⁵ 主啊，你本为善，乐意饶恕人，有丰盛的慈爱，赐给凡求告你的人。
⁶ 耶和华啊，求你听我的祷告，留心听我恳求的声音。
⁷ 我在患难之日要求告你，因为你必应允我。
本诗以大卫的祈祷为题发表；并非大卫将他一切祷告都歌唱，只是在某些歌中插入祷告；因为诗篇可容纳任何敬虔热诚之情的表达。但值得注意的是，本诗的话何等平实，与某些其他诗篇相比，其中多么少有诗意的飞腾或比喻；因为才情的华饰并非祷告合宜的装饰。我们在此可留意，
一、他向神所献上的恳求。祷告偶尔也许会讲道，但最合宜的（正如这祷告中）是每一段都指向神，因为祷告的本质正如此处所描述（诗 86:4）：主啊，我的心仰望你，正如他诗 25:1 所说。在祷告的一切部分中，灵魂必须凭信心与圣洁愿望的翅膀上升，被举向神，以迎他恩典的交通，并怀着从他领受大事的高度期待。1. 他求神恩慈地垂听他的祷告（诗 86:1）：耶和华啊，求你侧耳应允我。 神听我们祷告之时，恰当地说，是他侧耳听我们；因为神肯留意像我们这样卑微的受造者、又留意像我们这样有缺欠的祷告，乃是可佩的俯就。他再次重申（诗 86:6）：「耶和华啊，求你听我的祷告」——施恩的耳，虽是低语，虽是结结巴巴；留心听我恳求的声音。 不是神需要借我们所能说的话来激发他的情意；但我们如此表达对他恩眷的渴望。大卫的子孙却以确据和喜乐说这话（约 11:41,42），父啊，我感谢你，因为你已经听我；我也知道你常常听我。 2. 他求神将他置于他特别的保护之下，如此作他拯救的来源（诗 86:2）：保存我的灵魂；拯救你的仆人。 大卫的灵魂就是事奉神的仆人；因为唯有以灵事奉他的，才蒙悦纳。大卫所关心的，是他的灵魂；我们若将这话解作他肉身的生命，便教导我们：最好的自保，乃是将自己交托神保守，借信心与祷告使造我们的主成为保全我们的主。但这话也可解作他属灵的生命——与身体有别的灵魂的生命：「保存我的灵魂脱离那对灵魂而言惟一邪恶危险的事，就是脱离罪；保存我的灵魂，如此拯救我。」凡神所要拯救的，他必保守，并必保守到他的天国。3. 他求神以怜悯慈悲的眼看他（诗 86:3）：主啊，求你怜恤我！ 神赦免我们的罪、救我们脱离患难，都是怜悯；这两样都包括在这祷告里：神啊，开恩可怜我。「人不行怜悯；我们自己也不配蒙怜悯；但主啊，为怜悯的缘故，怜恤我。」4. 他求神用里面的安慰充满他（诗 86:4）：使仆人心里欢喜。 惟独神能将喜乐放在心里，使灵魂欢喜；那时，也惟独那时，喜乐才得满足；正如事奉神的人有本分欢欢喜喜地事奉他，照样他们的特权是在信中充满喜乐平安，他们也可凭信心求，不但求神保存他们的灵魂，更求神使他们的灵魂欢喜；而靠主而得的喜乐是他们的力量。请留意，他求使我的灵魂欢喜之时，加上：因为我的心仰望你。 我们何时保持与神的相交，何时便可指望从神得安慰；祷告是属灵喜乐的奶娘。
二、他用以为这些恳求作后盾的论据。1. 他以自己与神的关系、并在他里面的利益作 plea（恳求）：「你是我的神——我已奉献自己归你，并倚靠你；我是你的仆人（诗 86:2）——在你之下，因此仰望你的保护。」2. 他以自己的困境为论据：「应允我，因我困苦穷乏」——所以我需要你的帮助，所以无人肯听我。神是穷人的王，他的荣耀就是拯救穷乏人的灵魂；那在灵里贫穷——看见自己空虚、缺乏的人——在万恩之神面前最蒙欢迎。3. 他以神对一切寻求他之人的善意作论据（诗 86:5）：「我以渴慕与期待仰望你；因为你本为善」；乞丐除了到那善家主的门前，还能往哪里去呢？神本性的良善，是我们亲近他的一切鼓励。他的良善显于两件事——赐与与赦免。（1）他是赦罪的神；他不但能赦免，更乐意赦免——比我们悔改更乐意赦免。我说，我要承认，你就赦免了（诗 32:5）。（2）他是听祷告的神；他有丰盛的怜悯——极其丰满、极其自由，既富足又慷慨，赐给一切求告他的人；他有充足可供给他们一切所需，又极其开手地赐下供给。4. 他以神在他里面所行的善工作论据——借此使他有资格领受他恩眷的凭据。神圣恩典在他里面成就了三件事，他视为一切美善的凭据：——（1）与神相像（诗 86:2）：我是虔诚人，所以保存我的灵魂；因为圣灵所成圣的，他必保守。他不是说这话以骄傲虚荣，而是怀着谦卑感谢归给神。我是你所恩待的人（旁注如此读），是你为自己分别出来的人。神若在我们里面动了恩典善工，我们当承认那时是蒙爱的时候。那时我在他眼中如蒙恩的人；神所接纳为蒙恩的，他也必接纳为受保护的。他的一切圣徒都在你手中（申 33:3）。请留意：我是困苦穷乏的（诗 86:1），却是虔诚人（诗 86:2）——虔诚却又困苦穷乏，在世上贫穷，在信上富足。那在自己最大贫穷中保持自己纯洁的，可确信神必保守他们的安慰，必保守他们的灵魂。（2）对神的信靠：拯救这倚靠你的仆人。 那虔诚的人仍不当倚靠自己，不当倚靠自己的义，唯独倚靠神和他的恩典。那倚靠神的，可指望从他得拯救。（3）与神相交的性情。他盼望神应允他的祷告，因神已使他有心祷告。〔1〕恒切祷告：我终日求告你，整日如此（诗 86:3）。我们本分就是常常祷告、不住地祷告、恒切祷告；那么我们若在别的时候、在一切时候都尽这本分，便有指望在患难之时所献的祷告蒙垂听。若患难临到时祷告的轮子正在转动，不必那时才开始转，这是大得安慰的。〔2〕内里向神祷告——仰望你（诗 86:4）。我们若在祷告中放出灵魂去迎神，那时便可指望神以怜悯迎我们。〔3〕他在患难中向神格外恳切（诗 86:7）：「我在患难之日」，无论别人如何行，「我要求告你」，将我的事交托你；因为你必听允我，我必不徒然寻找，不像那些喊着*「巴力啊，求你应允我们」*却没有声音、没有谁应允的人（王上 18:29）。
英文原文
Humble Petitions
A Prayer of David.
¹ Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
² Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
³ Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
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.
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.
This psalm was published under the title of a prayer of David; not as if David sung all his prayers, but into some of his songs he inserted prayers; for a psalm will admit the expressions of any pious and devout affections. But it is observable how very plain the language of this psalm is, and how little there is in it of poetic flights or figures, in comparison with some other psalms; for the flourishes of wit are not the proper ornaments of prayer. Now here we may observe,
I. The petitions he puts up to God. It is true, prayer accidentally may preach, but it is most fit that (as it is in this prayer) every passage should be directed to God, for such is the nature of prayer as it is here described (Ps 86:4): Unto thee, O Lord! do I lift up my soul, as he had said Ps 25:1. In all the parts of prayer the soul must ascend upon the wings of faith and holy desire, and be lifted up to God, to meet the communications of his grace, and in an expectation raised very high of great things from him. 1. He begs that God would give a gracious audience to his prayers (Ps 86:1): Bow down thy ear, O Lord! hear me. When God hears our prayers it is fitly said that he bows down his ear to them, for it is admirable condescension in God that he is pleased to take notice of such mean creatures as we are and such defective prayers as ours are. He repeats this again (Ps 86:6): "Give ear, O Lord! unto my prayer, a favourable ear, though it be whispered, though it be stammered; attend to the voice of my supplications." Not that God needs to have his affection stirred up by any thing that we can say; but thus we must express our desire of his favour. The Son of David spoke it with assurance and pleasure (Joh 11:41,42), Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me; and I know that thou hearest me always. 2. He begs that God would take him under his special protection, and so be the author of his salvation (Ps 86:2): Preserve my soul; save thy servant. It was David's soul that was God's servant; for those only serve God acceptably that serve him with their spirits. David's concern is about his soul; if we understand it of his natural life, it teaches us that the best self-preservation is to commit ourselves to God's keeping and by faith and prayer to make our Creator our preserver. But it may be understood of his spiritual life, the life of the soul as distinct from the body: "Preserve my soul from that one evil and dangerous thing to souls, even from sin; preserve my soul, and so save me." All those whom God will save he preserves, and will preserve them to his heavenly kingdom. 3. He begs that God would look upon him with an eye of pity and compassion (Ps 86:3): Be merciful to me, O Lord! It is mercy in God to pardon our sins and to help us out of our distresses; both these are included in this prayer, God be merciful to me. "Men show no mercy; we ourselves deserve no mercy, but, Lord, for mercy-sake, be merciful unto me." 4. He begs that God would fill him with inward comfort (Ps 86:4): Rejoice the soul of thy servant. It is God only that can put gladness into the heart and make the soul to rejoice, and then, and not till then, the joy is full; and, as it is the duty of those who are God's servants to serve him with gladness, so it is their privilege to be filled with joy and peace in believing, and they may in faith pray, not only that God will preserve their souls, but that he will rejoice their souls, and the joy of the Lord will be their strength. Observe, When he prays, Rejoice my soul, he adds, For unto thee do I lift up my soul. Then we may expect comfort from God when we take care to keep up our communion with God: prayer is the nurse of spiritual joy.
II. The pleas with which he enforces these petitions. 1. He pleads his relation to God and interest in him: "Thou art my God, to whom I have devoted myself, and on whom I depend, and I am thy servant (Ps 86:2), in subjection to thee, and therefore looking for protection from thee." 2. He pleads his distress: "Hear me, for I am poor and needy, therefore I want thy help, therefore none else will hear me." God is the poor man's King, whose glory it is to save the souls of the needy; those who are poor in spirit, who see themselves empty and necessitous, are most welcome to the God of all grace. 3. He pleads God's good will towards all that seek him (Ps 86:5): "To thee do I lift up my soul in desire and expectation; for thou, Lord, art good;" and whither should beggars go but to the door of the good house-keeper? The goodness of God's nature is a great encouragement to us in all our addresses to him. His goodness appears in two things, giving and forgiving. (1.) He is a sin-pardoning God; not only he can forgive, but he is ready to forgive, more ready to forgive than we are to repent. I said, I will confess, and thou forgavest, Ps 32:5. (2.) He is a prayer-hearing God; he is plenteous in mercy, very full, and very free, both rich and liberal unto all those that call upon him; he has wherewithal to supply all their needs and is openhanded in granting that supply. 4. He pleads God's good work in himself, by which he had qualified him for the tokens of his favour. Three things were wrought in him by divine grace, which he looked upon as earnests of all good:—(1.) A conformity to God (Ps 86:2): I am holy, therefore preserve my soul; for those whom the Spirit sanctifies he will preserve. He does not say this in pride and vain glory, but with humble thankfulness to God. I am one whom thou favourest (so the margin reads it), whom thou hast set apart for thyself. If God has begun a good work of grace in us, we must own that the time was a time of love. Then was I in his eyes as one that found favour, and whom God hath taken into his favour he will take under his protection. All his saints are in thy hand, De 33:3. Observe, I am needy (Ps 86:1), yet I am holy (Ps 86:2), holy and yet needy, poor in the world, but rich in faith. Those who preserve their purity in their greatest poverty may assure themselves that God will preserve their comforts, will preserve their souls. (2.) A confidence in God: Save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Those that are holy must nevertheless not trust in themselves, nor in their own righteousness, but only in God and his grace. Those that trust in God may expect salvation from him. (3.) A disposition to communion with God. He hopes God will answer his prayers, because he had inclined him to pray. [1.] To be constant in prayer: I cry unto thee daily, and all the day, Ps 86:3. It is thus our duty to pray always, without ceasing, and to continue instant in prayer; and then we may hope to have our prayers heard which we make in the time of trouble, if we have made conscience of the duty at other times, at all times. It is comfortable if an affliction finds the wheels of prayer a-going, and that they are not then to be set a-going. [2.] To be inward with God in prayer, to lift up his soul to him, Ps 86:4. Then we may hope that God will meet us with his mercies, when we in our prayers send forth our souls as it were to meet him. [3.] To be in a special manner earnest with God in prayer when he was in affliction (Ps 86:7): "In the day of my trouble, whatever others do, I will call upon thee, and commit my case to thee, for thou wilt hear and answer me, and I shall not seek in vain, as those did who cried, O Baal! hear us; but there was no voice, nor any that regarded," 1Ki 18:29.
8-17
Petitions and Praises; Prayer for Mercy and Grace
祈求与赞美；求怜悯与恩典的祷告
⁸ 主啊，诸神之中没有可比你的；你的作为也无可比拟。
⁹ 主啊，你所造的万民都要来在你面前敬拜，并荣耀你的名。
¹⁰ 因你本为大，且行奇妙的事；惟独你是 神。
¹¹ 耶和华啊，求将你的道指教我，我要行在你的真理中；求你使我专心敬畏你的名。
¹² 主我的 神啊，我要一心称赞你，我要荣耀你的名，直到永远。
¹³ 因为你向我发的慈爱是大的；你救了我的灵魂，免入极深的阴间。
¹⁴ 神啊，骄傲的人起来攻击我，又有一群强暴的人寻索我的命；他们不将你放在眼中。
¹⁵ 但主啊，你是有怜悯、有恩典的 神，不轻易发怒，并有丰盛的慈爱和诚实。
¹⁶ 求你向我转脸，怜悯我；将你的力量赐给仆人，拯救你婢女的儿子。
¹⁷ 求你向我显出恩待我的凭据，叫恨我的人看见便羞愧，因为你耶和华帮助我、安慰我。
大卫在此继续他的祷告。
一、他将荣耀归给 神；因为我们在祷告中应当赞美他，将国度、权柄、荣耀都归给他，并以最谦卑、最敬畏的心俯伏敬拜。1. 赞美他是无可比拟、尽善尽美的那一位——再没有像他的，也没有能与相比的（诗86:8）。「诸神之中」，就是外邦人所拜的假神、众天使、地上的君王，在他们一切之中，「主啊，没有可比你的！」没有像他这样有智慧、这样有大能、这样良善的；「你的作为也无可比拟」，这是无可辩驳的证据，证明没有像他的；他自己的作为赞美他，而我们赞美他最好的方式，就是承认再没有像他的。2. 赞美他是万有的源头，也是一切赞美的中心（诗86:9）：「你所造的万民」，都是从一本而造；他们的存在都源于你，并且时刻倚靠你，因此「他们都要来在你面前敬拜，并荣耀你的名」。这在大卫和所罗门的日子，因许多外邦人归入犹太教而部分应验，但要在弥赛亚的日子完全应验，那时每一个国度、每一个民族中都有人被有效地领来赞美 神（启7:9）。 神是借着基督造了万民，因为凡被造的，没有一样不是借着他造的，因此万民也要借着基督，并借他福音与恩典的大能，被领来「在 神面前敬拜」（赛66:23）。3. 赞美他是无限伟大的一位（诗86:10）：「所以万民都要在你面前敬拜」，因为作为万国的主，「你本为大」，你的主权是绝对、无可置疑的，你的威严可畏、不能抗拒，你的权能普世、无可抵挡，你的丰富浩大、无可穷尽，你的统治无边、不容质询；为证明这一点，「你行奇妙的事」，为万民所赞叹，他们由此易于推断「惟独你是 神」，不仅没有像你的，更没有在你之外的。愿我们常常对这位伟大的 神存宏大的思想，对这位行奇事的 神存圣洁的惊叹；惟独他是 神，就当让他的心独得我们的心。4. 赞美他是无限良善的一位。人是坏的，极其邪恶可鄙（诗86:14）；不能指望从他得怜悯；「但主啊！你是有怜悯、有恩典的 神」（诗86:15）。这是 神所用以宣告他名的属性，也是我们因此当用以宣告他名的属性（出34:6-7）。他的良善遍及他一切作为之上，因此也当充满我们一切的赞美；而我们在所处的邪恶世界中所得的安慰就在于此：无论如何， 神是良善的。人残忍， 神却满有恩典；人虚谎， 神却信实。 神不仅是有怜悯的，更是「满了怜悯」，并且在他「怜悯向审判夸胜」。他对我们是恒久忍耐，尽管我们失去他的恩惠、惹动他的怒气，他仍「有丰盛的慈爱和诚实」，在应许上慷慨，在成全上同样信实。5. 赞美他是对自己亲如朋友、厚赐恩惠的恩主。我们当因 神本为善而赞美他，但当我们留意他向我们是何等善之时，就赞美得最为深切。因此诗人最乐于在此多加停留（诗86:12-13）。他先前曾说（诗86:9）：「主啊，万民都要赞美你，荣耀你的名。」想到别人也要赞美荣耀 神，这对一个敬虔人是某种安慰；但他最大的关切与喜乐，乃是自己亲手行这事。「无论别人如何行」（大卫说），「主我的 神啊，我要称赞你！」不仅以他为主，更以他为我的 神；并且我要一心这样行；我要随时预备这样行，并出自肺腑；我要以喜乐与活泼之心这样行，怀着对你荣耀的真诚关切；因为「我要荣耀你的名」，不是一时，乃是直到永远。我要在活着之时这样行，并盼望到永恒中仍这样行。他这样定意详尽地赞美 神，理由极其充分，因为 神向他显了格外的恩惠：「因为你向我发的慈爱是大的。」怜悯的源头无可穷尽地丰盛；怜悯的活水无可估量地丰富。当我们提到 神向我们的怜悯，就当如此放大：「你向我发的慈爱是大的。」关于 神怜悯的伟大，他给出这个例证：「你救了我的灵魂，免入极深的阴间」，救我脱离死亡，脱离「这样大的死」（如保罗所言，林后1:10），脱离永死——甚至有些犹太作者也是这样理解。大卫知道，因他在乌利亚之事上的罪，他本该被永远丢弃在极深的阴间里；但拿单向他保证，耶和华已经「除掉他的罪」，借着那句话，他便从极深的阴间被救出来，在此 神向他的怜悯是大的。即使最好的圣徒，之所以能从极深的阴间被救拔，也不是因自己的功劳，而是因 神的怜悯；思念及此，就当大大扩充他们的心去赞美 神的怜悯，他们也因此有义务永远荣耀 神。如此荣耀、如此满有恩典的拯救，将人从永远的痛苦中救拔出来，理所当然要求人以永远的赞美来回报。
二、他恳切地求 神赐下怜悯与恩典。他控诉仇敌对他不住、不解的恨（诗86:14）：「主啊，求你为我起来，因为有许多人来攻击我。」于是他留意他们的品性：他们是「骄傲的人」，以轻蔑的眼光看待可怜的大卫。（许多人因骄傲而成了逼迫者。）他们是「强暴的人」，不论是非，只凭蛮力横行。他们是「可畏可怕的人」（有人如此解），尽力恐吓周围一切的人。他留意他们的数目：「有一群」他们；他们是有权柄的人，聚集在议会和法庭中；或是交游之人，聚集在团伙里；但既已聚集，就更足以作恶。他留意他们对他的敌意：「他们起来攻击我」，公然背叛；他们不仅图谋，更竭力执行所谋；其目的不仅是废黜我，更是要除灭我：「他们寻索我的命，要杀我；寻索我的灵魂」，若在他们权内，「要害我」。最后，他留意他们与 神的疏远与隔绝，这正是他们仇恨大卫的根源：「他们不将你放在眼中」；那么，对那些眼中没有 神之敬畏的人，还能指望什么善事呢？「主啊，求你起来攻击他们，因为他们既是我的仇敌，也是你的仇敌。」他的祈求如下：
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求 神的恩典在他里面运行（诗86:11）。他求 神赐他：（1）一个聪明的心，求 神指教并光照他当尽的本分：「耶和华啊，求将你的道指教我！」就是你所指定我当行的道；当我在其上疑惑之时，求你向我显明我当怎样行；让我听见有声音说：「这是正路」（赛30:21）。大卫在 神的事上受过良好的教导，却仍觉得自己需要进一步的指教，并且许多时候不能信靠自己的判断：「求将你的道指教我；我要行在你的真理中。」有人或以为应当是「求指教我你的真理，我便行在你的道中」；但两者其实相同； 神所教导、我们当选择行在其上的，乃是真理之道（诗119:30）。基督就是那道路和真理，我们既要学习基督，也要行在他里面。除非 神指教我们，否则我们不能行在 神的道和真理中；我们若盼望他指教我们，就必须决心顺服他的教导（赛2:3）。（2）一个正直的心：「求你使我专心敬畏你的名。」使我在信仰上真诚。假冒为善的人心怀二意；愿我的心单纯、完整地归于 神，不在他与世界之间分心，也不偏离他。我们的心易于游荡、松懈；心的诸般能力与官能会游荡追逐千万外来之事；因此我们需要 神的恩典来使之统一，好叫我们能以全人全力事奉 神，而即便如此也还嫌不足。「愿我的心为 神坚定，向他忠诚信实，并以热心事奉他；这就是合一的心。」
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求 神向他施恩的凭据（诗86:16-17）。他在这里求三件事：——（1）求 神对他说平安安慰的话：「求你向我转脸」，转向你所爱、所深切顾念的那一位。我的仇敌转脸攻击我，我的朋友转脸离开我；主啊，求你转向我，怜悯我；知道你怜恤我，就是我莫大的安慰。（2）求 神为他施行拯救，使他安然无虑：「将你的力量赐给仆人」；将力量赐给我，使我能自助；又将你的力量为我施展，使我从寻索我命的人手中被救出。他以关系作为凭据：「我是你的仆人」；我生来就是仆人，是「你婢女的儿子」，生在你的家中，因此你是我正当的主人，是所有权之所在，我可指望从你得着保护。「我是属你的，求你救我。」敬虔父母所生、并在幼年就献给主的儿女，也可以此为凭据向主祈求；他们若归在主家的管教之下，就有权享受主家的特权。（3）求 神为他建立名声：「求你向我显出恩待我的凭据」；使这事向别人显明，如同向我自己显明一样——你正待我好，并计划要待我更好。求你赐我一些无可置疑、光辉显著的恩惠凭据，「叫恨我的人看见便羞愧」他们对我的敌意，因为当他们察觉「你耶和华帮助我、安慰我」时，就有理由如此羞愧——他们竟然与 神相争，抵挡他所承认的人，并且要毁坏、烦扰一个 神亲自承担要帮助和安慰的人，终归徒然。「圣徒的喜乐，必成为逼迫他们之人的羞愧。」
英文原文
Petitions and Praises; Prayer for Mercy and Grace
⁸ Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
⁹ All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
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.
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 show 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.
David is here going on in his prayer.
I. He gives glory to God; for we ought in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory, to him, with the most humble and reverent adorations. 1. As a being of unparalleled perfection, such a one that there is none like him nor any to be compared with him, Ps 86:8. Among the gods, the false gods, whom the heathens worshipped, the angels, the kings of the earth, among them all, there is none like unto thee, O Lord! none so wise, so mighty, so good; neither are there any works like unto thy works, which is an undeniable proof that there is none like him; his own works praise him, and the best way we have of praising him is by acknowledging that there is none like him. 2. As the fountain of all being and the centre of all praise (Ps 86:9): "Thou hast made all nations, made them all of one blood; they all derive their being from thee, and have a constant dependence on thee, and therefore they shall come and worship before thee and glorify thy name." This was in part fulfilled in the multitude of proselytes to the Jewish religion in the days of David and Solomon, but was to have its full accomplishment in the days of the Messiah, when some out of every kingdom and nation should be effectually brought in to praise God, Re 7:9. It was by Christ that God made all nations, for without him was not any thing made that was made, and therefore through Christ, and by the power of his gospel and grace, all nations shall be brought to worship before God, Isa 66:23. 3. As a being infinitely great (Ps 86:10): "Therefore all nations shall worship before thee, because as King of nations thou art great, thy sovereignty absolute and incontestable, thy majesty terrible and insupportable, thy power universal and irresistible, thy riches vast and inexhaustible, thy dominion boundless and unquestionable; and, for the proof of this, thou doest wondrous things, which all nations admire, and whence they might easily infer that thou art God alone, not only none like thee, but none besides thee." Let us always entertain great thoughts of this great God, and be filled with holy admiration of this God who doeth wonders; and let him alone have our hearts who is God alone. 4. As a being infinitely good. Man is bad, very wicked and vile (Ps 86:14); no mercy is to be expected from him; but thou, O Lord! art a God full of compassion, and gracious, Ps 86:15. This is that attribute by which he proclaims his name, and by which we are therefore to proclaim it, Ex 34:6,7. It is his goodness that is over all his works, and therefore should fill all our praises; and this is our comfort, in reference to the wickedness of the world we live in, that, however it be, God is good. Men are barbarous, but God is gracious; men are false, but God is faithful. God is not only compassionate, but full of compassion, and in him mercy rejoiceth against judgment. He is long-suffering towards us, though we forfeit his favour and provoke him to anger, and he is plenteous in mercy and truth, as faithful in performing as he was free in promising. 5. As a kind friend and bountiful benefactor to him. We ought to praise God as good in himself, but we do it most feelingly when we observe how good he has been to us. This therefore the psalmist dwells upon with most pleasure, Ps 86:12,13. He had said (Ps 86:9), All nations shall praise thee, O Lord! and glorify thy name. It is some satisfaction to a good man to think that others shall praise and glorify God, but it is his greatest care and pleasure to do it himself. "Whatever others do" (says David), "I will praise thee, O Lord my God! not only as the Lord, but as my God; and I will do it with all my heart; I will be ready to do it and cordial in it; I will do it with cheerfulness and liveliness, with a sincere regard to thy honour; for I will glorify thy name, not for a time, but for evermore. I will do it as long as I live, and hope to be doing it to eternity." With good reason does he resolve to be thus particular in praising God, because God had shown him particular favours: For great is thy mercy towards me. The fountain of mercy is inexhaustibly full; the streams of mercy are inestimably rich. When we speak of God's mercy to us, it becomes us thus to magnify it: Great is thy mercy towards me. Of the greatness of God's mercy he gives this instance, Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell, from death, from so great a death, as St. Paul (2Co 1:10), from eternal death, so even some of the Jewish writers understand it. David knew he deserved to be cast off for ever into the lowest hell for his sin in the matter of Uriah; but Nathan assured him that the Lord had taken away his sin, and by that word he was delivered from the lowest hell, and herein God's mercy was great towards him. Even the best saints owe it, not to their own merit, but to the mercy of God, that they are saved from the lowest hell; and the consideration of that should greatly enlarge their hearts in praising the mercy of God, which they are obliged to glorify for evermore. So glorious; so gracious, a rescue from everlasting misery, justly requires the return of everlasting praise.
II. He prays earnestly for mercy and grace from God. He complains of the restless and implacable malice of his enemies against him (Ps 86:14): "Lord, be thou for me; for there are many against me." He then takes notice of their character; they were proud men that looked with disdain upon poor David. (Many are made persecutors by their pride.) They were violent men, that would carry all before them by force, right or wrong. They were terrible formidable men (so some), that did what they could to frighten all about them. He notices their number: There were assemblies of them; they were men in authority and met in councils and courts, or men for conversation, and met in clubs; but, being assembled, they were the more capable of doing mischief. He notices their enmity to him: "They rise up against me in open rebellion; they not only plot, but they put their plots in execution as far as they can; and the design is not only to depose me, but to destroy me: they seek after my life, to slay me; after my soul, to damn me, if it lay in their power." And, lastly, He notices their distance and estrangement from God, which were at the bottom of their enmity to David: "They have not set thee before them; and what good can be expected from those that have no fear of God before their eyes? Lord, appear against them, for they are thy enemies as well as mine." His petitions are,
1. For the operations of God's grace in him, Ps 86:11. He prays that God would give him, (1.) An understanding heart, that he would inform and instruct him concerning his duty: "Teach me thy way, O Lord! the way that thou hast appointed me to walk in; when I am in doubt concerning it, make it plain to me what I should do; let me hear the voice saying, This is the way," Isa 30:21. David was well taught in the things of God, and yet was sensible he needed further instruction, and many a time could not trust his own judgment: Teach me thy way; I will walk in thy truth. One would think it should be, Teach me thy truth, and I will walk in thy way; but it comes all to one; it is the way of truth that God teaches and that we must choose to walk in, Ps 119:30. Christ is the way and the truth, and we must both learn Christ and walk in him. We cannot walk in God's way and truth unless he teach us; and, if we expect he should teach us, we must resolve to be governed by his teachings, Isa 2:3. (2.) An upright heart: "Unite my heart to fear thy name. Make me sincere in religion. A hypocrite has a double heart; let mine be single and entire for God, not divided between him and the world, not straggling from him." Our hearts are apt to wander and hang loose; their powers and faculties wander after a thousand foreign things; we have therefore need of God's grace to unite them, that we may serve God with all that is within us, and all little enough to be employed in his service. "Let my heart be fixed for God, and firm and faithful to him, and fervent in serving him; that is a united heart."
2. For the tokens of God's favour to him, Ps 86:16,17. Three things he here prays for:—(1.) That God would speak peace and comfort to him: "O turn unto me, as to one thou lovest and hast a kind and tender concern for. My enemies turn against me, my friends turn from me; Lord, do thou turn to me and have mercy upon me; it will be a comfort to me to know that thou pitiest me." (2.) That God would work deliverance for him, and set him in safety: "Give me thy strength; put strength into me, that I may help myself, and put forth thy strength for me, that I may be saved out of the hands of those that seek my ruin." He pleads relation: "I am thy servant; I am so by birth, as the son of thy handmaid, born in thy house, and therefore thou art my rightful owner and proprietor, from whom I may expect protection. I am thine; save me." The children of godly parents, who were betimes dedicated to the Lord, may plead it with him; if they come under the discipline of his family, they are entitled to the privileges of it. (3.) That God would put a reputation on him: "Show me a token for good; make it to appear to others as well as to myself that thou art doing me good, and designing further good for me. Let me have some unquestionable illustrious instances of thy favour to me, that those who hate me may see it, and be ashamed of their enmity to me, as they will have reason to be when they perceive that thou, Lord, hast helped me and comforted me, and that therefore they have been striving against God, opposing one whom he owns, and that they have been striving in vain to ruin and vex one whom God himself has undertaken to help and comfort." The joy of the saints shall be the shame of their persecutors.
本篇题为「大卫的祈祷」;大概不是因任何特别场合而作,而是他经常自用、又推荐他人使用的祷告,尤其在患难之日。许多人认为大卫这祷告是作基督的预表——基督「在肉体的时候,大声哀哭,流泪祷告」(来5:7)。大卫在这祷告中(照那本分的性质):一、将荣耀归给神(诗86:8-10,12,13);二、向神求恩惠与恩眷——求神听他的祷告(诗86:1,6,7),保守护救他、怜悯他(诗86:2,3,16),赐他喜乐、恩典、力量,并赐尊荣给他(诗86:4,11,17)。他以神的良善(诗86:5,15)与仇敌的恶意(诗86:14)作为祈求的缘由。我们唱这首诗时当效法大卫,以切身的运用将心举到神面前。