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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
繁體中文
謙卑的懇求
大衛的祈禱。
¹ 耶和華啊，求你側耳應允我，因我是困苦窮乏的。
² 求你保存我的性命，因我是敬虔人。我的神啊，求你拯救這倚靠你的僕人。
³ 主啊，求你憐憫我，因我終日求告你。
⁴ 主啊，求你使僕人心裡歡喜，因為我的心向你舉起。
⁵ 主啊，你本為善，又樂意饒恕人，有豐盛的慈愛賜給凡求告你的人。
⁶ 耶和華啊，求你留心聽我的禱告，垂聽我懇求的聲音。
⁷ 我在患難之日要求告你，因為你必應允我。
本篇以大衛的祈禱為題發表；這不是說大衛把一切禱告都唱成歌，而是他把禱告插入了某些詩歌之中；因為詩篇可容納各樣敬虔熱誠的表達。然而值得留意的是，本篇的話語何等淺明，與其他某些詩篇相比，其中詩意的飛躍與比喻何其少；因為才智的華美並非禱告合宜的裝飾。此處我們可以看見，
一、 他向神所獻的懇求。誠然，禱告偶然也能講道，但最合宜的乃是（正如這禱告中）每一段都直接指向神，因為這正是禱告的本性，如此處所描述（詩86:4）：主啊，我的心向你舉起，正如他在詩25:1所說。在禱告的各部分中，靈魂都當乘著信心與聖潔願望的翅膀上升，被舉起到神那裡，去迎接他恩典的流通，並以對他要賜大事的極高期待。1. 他求神恩慈地垂聽他的禱告（詩86:1）：耶和華啊，求你側耳聽我。 當神聽我們的禱告時，說他向他們側耳是合宜的；因為神竟肯留意像我們這樣卑微的受造之物，又留意像我們這樣殘缺的禱告，這是令人驚歎的屈尊。他再重複此點（詩86:6）：耶和華啊，求你留心聽我的禱告——恩慈地聽，縱然它是低語，縱然它是結結巴巴；垂聽我懇求的聲音。 這不是說神需要我們所說的任何話來激動他的情意；而是我們必須如此表達我們對他恩惠的渴慕。大衛的子孫是以確據與喜樂說這話的（約11:41、42）：父啊，我感謝你，因為你已經聽我；我也知道你常聽我。 2. 他求神收他在他特別的保護之下，作他拯救的根源（詩86:2）：求你保存我的性命；拯救你的僕人。 大衛的靈魂就是事奉神的僕人；因為惟獨那用心靈事奉神的人，才蒙悅納。大衛所掛慮的，是他的靈魂；我們若把這理解為他天然的生命，那就教導我們：最好的自保，乃是將自己交託神保守，藉信心與禱告使我們的創造主成為我們的保護者。但這也可理解為他屬靈的生命——靈魂有別於身體的生命：「求你保存我的靈魂，脫離那對靈魂惟一邪惡危險的事——就是罪；保存我的靈魂，如此便拯救了我。」凡神所要拯救的，他必保守，並要保守他們進入他天上的國。3. 他求神以憐憫與慈悲的眼看他（詩86:3）：主啊，求你憐憫我！ 神赦免我們的罪、救我們脫離患難，這都是憐憫；這兩者都包含在這禱告中——神啊，求你憐憫我。 「人不施憐憫；我們自己也不配蒙憐憫，但主啊，為憐憫的緣故，求你憐憫我。」4. 他求神以內在的安慰充滿他（詩86:4）：求你使僕人心裡歡喜。 惟獨神能將喜樂放在心裡，使靈魂歡欣；那時，也惟到那時，喜樂才是滿足的；正如作神僕人的人當歡歡喜喜地事奉他，他們的特權也是在信中滿有喜樂平安；他們可以憑信心求，不僅求神保存他們的靈魂，更求神使他們的靈魂歡喜，而耶和華的喜樂必成為他們的力量。 請注意，當他禱告求你使我的心歡喜時，他加上：因為我的心向你舉起。 我們何時能盼望從神得安慰呢？就是當我們謹慎保持與神的相交之時：禱告是屬靈喜樂的乳母。
二、 他用以強化這些懇求的理由。1. 他以自己與神的關係、並在他裡面的分為理由：「你是我的神——我已將自己獻給你、又倚靠你；我是你的僕人（詩86:2）——順服你，因此等候你的保護。」2. 他以自己的困苦為理由：「求你聽我，因我是困苦窮乏的，所以我需要你的幫助，所以別人不肯聽我。」神是窮人的王，他的榮耀就是拯救困苦人的性命；那些靈裡貧窮——自覺空虛缺乏的人——在萬恩之神面前最受歡迎。3. 他以神向一切尋求他的人所存的善意為理由（詩86:5）：我向你舉起我的心，滿了願望與期待；因為主啊，你本為善；乞丐除了到那好施捨之家的門口，還能往何處去呢？神本性的良善，是我們一切祈求中的大鼓勵。他的良善顯於兩件事——賜予與赦免。（一）他是赦免罪惡的神；他不僅能赦免，更樂意赦免——比我們肯悔改更樂意赦免。我說：我要承認；你就赦免了（詩32:5）。（二）他是聽禱告的神；他有豐盛的慈愛——極其豐富，又極其白白——既富足又慷慨地賜給凡求告他的人；他有足夠供應他們一切所需，又慷慨地賜下供應。4. 他以神在自己裡面所作的善工為理由——這善工使他有資格領受他恩惠的憑據。有三件事是藉神恩典在他裡面作成的，他看之為一切美善的憑據：—（一）與神相似（詩86:2）：我是敬虔人，所以求你保存我的性命；因為聖靈所分別為聖的，他必保存。他說這話不是出於驕傲虛榮，而是存謙卑感恩的心向神說的。我是你所恩待的人（旁註如此譯），是你為自己所分別出來的人。神若已在我們裡面動了善工，我們就當承認那時是蒙愛的時候。那時我在他眼中如同得恩的人；神所收在恩惠中的，他必收在保護之中。他的一切聖民都在你手中（申33:3）。請注意，我是困苦窮乏的（詩86:1），然而我是敬虔人（詩86:2）——敬虔卻仍困苦，在世上貧窮，在信上富足。 那些在自己極大貧窮中仍持守純潔的人，可以確信神必保守他們的安慰，必保存他們的靈魂。（二）對神的信靠：求你拯救這倚靠你的僕人。 那些敬虔的人仍不可倚靠自己，不可倚靠自己的義，惟獨倚靠神和他的恩典。那倚靠神的，可以盼望從他得拯救。（三）與神相交的性情。他盼望神答允他的禱告，因為神已使他有心禱告。[一] 恆切禱告：我終日求告你，終日如此（詩86:3）。我們的本分正是如此——不住地禱告，恆切禱告；那麼我們在患難之時所獻的禱告，就可盼望蒙允——只要我們在別的時候、在一切時候都謹守這本分。若患難臨到時禱告的輪子正在轉動，而不必在那時才開始轉動，這便是安慰。[二] 在禱告中向神內傾：向她舉起我的心（詩86:4）。我們何時能盼望神以他的憐憫迎接我們呢？就是當我們在禱告中如同打發我們的靈魂去迎接他之時。[三] 在受苦時對神格外懇切（詩86:7）：我在患難之日，無論別人怎樣行，我必求告你，將我的案件交託你；因為你必聽允我，我必不徒然尋求，如同那些喊著巴力啊，求你應允我們！卻沒有聲音，沒有應允的人一樣（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
繁體中文
祈求與讚美；求憐憫與恩典
⁸ 主啊，諸神之中沒有可比你的；你的作為也沒有可比的。 ⁹ 主啊，你所造的萬民都要來敬拜你；他們也要榮耀你的名。 ¹⁰ 因你為大，且行奇妙的事；惟獨你是神。 ¹¹ 耶和華啊，求你將你的道指教我；我要行在你的真理中：求你使我一心敬畏你的名。 ¹² 主我的神啊，我要全心讚美你；我要榮耀你的名，直到永遠。 ¹³ 因為你向我施的慈愛是大的；你救了我的靈魂，免入極深的陰間。 ¹⁴ 神啊，驕傲人起來攻擊我，又有一群強暴的人尋索我的命；他們不將你擺在他們眼前。 ¹⁵ 主啊，你是有憐憫、有恩典的神，不輕易發怒，並有豐盛的慈愛和誠實。 ¹⁶ 求你向我轉身，憐恤我；將力量賜給僕人，救你婢女的兒子。 ¹⁷ 求你向我顯出恩待我的憑據；叫恨我的人看見便羞愧，因為你——耶和華——幫助我、安慰我。
大衛在此繼續他的禱告。
一、他將榮耀歸給神；因為我們在禱告中當讚美祂，將國度、權柄、榮耀歸給祂，並以最謙卑、最敬畏的敬拜歸給祂。1。 祂是無可比擬的完全者——這樣的一位，無人像祂，也無人能與祂相比，詩 86:8。在諸神之中——那些外邦人敬拜的假神、天使、地上的君王——在他們一切之中，沒有可比你的，主啊！ 沒有那樣智慧、那樣大能、那樣良善的；也沒有甚麼作為可比你的作為——這是「無人像祂」無可辯駁的證據；祂自己的作為讚美祂，而我們讚美祂最好的方式，便是承認無人像祂。2。 祂是萬有之源，也是一切讚美的中心（詩 86:9）：「你造了萬民」——都從一本造出；他們一切的存在都從你而來，又時刻倚靠你；所以他們要來在你面前敬拜，榮耀你的名。 這話部分應驗於大衛和所羅門時代歸化猶太教的許多改教者，但要完全應驗於彌賽亞的日子，那時每一個國家和民族中都有人被有效地領進來讚美神，啟 7:9。神是藉着基督造了萬民，因為凡被造的，沒有一樣不是藉着祂造的；所以藉着基督，並藉着祂福音與恩典的大能，萬民都要被領來在神面前敬拜，賽 66:23。3。 祂是無限偉大的一位（詩 86:10）：「所以萬民要在你面前敬拜，因為你作為萬民之王，你是為大的——你的主權絕對而無可爭辯，你的威嚴可畏而不能當，你的權能普世而不可抗拒，你的豐富浩大而不可耗盡，你的統治無邊而無可置疑；並且為證明這一點，你行了奇妙的事，為萬民所欽佩，他們也不難由此推論：惟獨你是神——不僅無人像你，更無人在你以外。」我們當永遠對這位大而可畏的神存宏大的思想，對這位行奇事的神存聖潔的欽佩；並且惟獨祂這位獨一的神當得着我們的心。4。 祂是無限良善的一位。人是壞的，極其邪惡卑劣（詩 86:14）；不要指望從人得着憐憫；但你，主啊，是有憐憫、有恩典的神，詩 86:15。這正是祂所宣告其名的屬性，也是我們所當用以宣告其名的屬性，出 34:6,7。這是覆蓋祂一切作為的良善，所以當充滿我們一切的讚美；這也是我們面對我們所活之世界的邪惡時的安慰：無論如何，神是良善的。人是野蠻的，但神是有恩典的；人是虛謊的，但神是信實的。神不僅有憐憫，更是大有憐憫，在祂裏面憐憫向審判誇勝。 祂向我們長久忍耐，縱使我們因罪失去祂的恩、惹動祂的怒氣；祂有豐盛的慈愛和誠實——在應許上何等慷慨，在履行上也同樣信實。5。 祂是他的恩友、是他的豐富賜恩者。我們當讚美神本身的良善，但當我們留意祂曾如何恩待我們之時，這讚美便最為深切。所以詩人以最大的喜樂停留在這事上，詩 86:12,13。他曾說（詩 86:9）：萬民都要讚美你，主啊！並榮耀你的名。 一個敬虔人想到別人也要讚美榮耀神，便得着某種滿足；但他最大的關切和喜樂，乃是自己如此行。大衛說：「無論別人怎樣行，主我的神啊，我要讚美你！ 不僅以你為主，更以你為我的神；並且我要全心如此行；我甘心如此，誠懇如此；我要以喜樂和活潑如此行，真誠顧念你的尊榮；因為我要榮耀你的名——不是一時，乃是直到永遠。我活着一日便要如此行，並盼望如此行直到永遠。」他如此定意詳細讚美神，是有充分理由的，因為神曾賜他特別的恩惠：因為你向我施的慈愛是大的。 憐憫的源頭取之不盡；憐憫的活水豐盛無比。當我們論到神對我們的憐憫之時，我們當如此高舉它：你向我施的慈愛是大的。 關於神憐憫的偉大，他舉出這個實例：你救了我的靈魂，免入極深的陰間——脫離死亡，脫離極大的死亡（如保羅所說，林後 1:10），脫離永遠的死亡——連一些猶太作者也如此理解。大衛知道自己在烏利亞的事上犯罪，本該被永遠丟棄在極深的陰間；但拿單向他保證：耶和華已除掉了他的罪；他憑這話便脫離了極深的陰間；在此神向他的憐憫是大的。連最好的聖徒之所以得救脫離極深的陰間，也不是因着自己的功勞，而是因着神的憐憫；這個考量當大大擴展他們的心，使他們讚美神的憐憫——他們受命要永遠榮耀的憐憫。如此榮耀、如此恩慈地蒙救脫離永遠的禍患，理所當然要求以永遠的讚美來回報。
二、他懇切地向神求憐憫和恩典。他抱怨仇敵對他無休無止、無可和解的惡意（詩 86:14）：「主啊，求你為我起來；因為攻擊我的甚多。」他於是留意他們的特徵：他們是驕傲人，以輕蔑的眼光看着卑微的大衛。（許多人因驕傲而成為逼迫者。）他們是強暴的人，無論對錯要以武力橫行一切。他們是可怕、令人喪膽的人（有人如此讀），盡其所能恐嚇周圍一切的人。他留意他們的人數：有一群他們；他們是有權柄的人，聚集在議會和法庭中；或是結交的人，聚集在俱樂部裏；但既已聚集，便更能為害。他留意他們對他的敵意：「他們起來攻擊我——公然反叛；他們不僅密謀，更盡其所能執行他們的計謀；其目的不僅是要廢黜我，更是要毀滅我：他們尋索我的命，要殺我；尋索我的靈魂，要害我下地獄——若他們有此能力的話。」末了， 他留意他們與神的疏遠和隔閡，這乃是他們敵擋大衛的根源：「他們不將你擺在他們眼前」；那些眼中不畏懼神的人，還能指望他們行甚麼善？主啊，求你起來反對他們，因為他們既是我的仇敵，也是你的仇敵。」他的祈求是：
1。 求神恩典在他裏面運行，詩 86:11。他求神賜他：（1）一個聰明的心，將他當盡的本分指教他、教訓他：「耶和華啊，求你將你的道指教我」——你所定規我當行在其間的那條道；當我對此疑惑之時，求你向我顯明我當作甚麼；讓我聽見那聲音說：「這是正路」，賽 30:21。大衛在神的事上受過良好的教導，卻仍覺得自己需要進一步的教導，並且許多時候不能信靠自己的判斷：求你將你的道指教我；我要行在你的真理中。 人或以為應當是「求你指教我你的真理，我要行在你的道中」；其實都是一樣；神所指教的乃是真理之道，我們也當選擇行在其間，詩 119:30。基督就是道路、真理，我們既要學基督，也要行在祂裏面。除非神指教我們，我們不能行在神的道和真理中；我們若指望祂指教，便當決心受祂的教導管治，賽 2:3。（2）一個正直的心：「求你使我一心敬畏你的名。 使我在信仰上真誠。假冒為善的人有雙重心；願我的心為神單一完全——不在祂與世界之間分裂，不從祂那裏飄離。」我們的心易於飄蕩、易於鬆懈；心的各種能力和官能追逐千般外物；所以我們需要神的恩典來統一它們，好叫我們用我們裏面的一切來事奉神——而這一切用來事奉祂仍嫌不夠。「願我的心為神堅定，對祂忠誠信實，事奉祂時火熱；這才是一個合一的心。」
2。 求神恩寵臨到他的憑據，詩 86:16,17。他在此求三件事：（1）求神向他說平安和安慰的話：「求你向我轉身」——轉向你我所愛、你所親切關切的人。我的仇敵背逆我，我的朋友離棄我；主啊，求你向我轉身，憐恤我；知道你憐憫我，我便得安慰。（2）求神為他施行拯救、使他安然無恙：「將你的力量賜給我——把力量賜在我裏面，使我能自助；又為我發出你的力量，使我能從尋索我性命的人手中被救出來。」他以關係為憑：「我是你的僕人；我生來就是如此——如你婢女的兒子，生在你家中，所以你是我合法的主人，我可以指望從你得着保護。我是你的，求你拯救我。」那些從小就被獻給主的敬虔父母的兒女，可以此向祂懇求；他們既在祂家的管教之下，便有權享有這家的特權。（3）求神為他建立名聲：「求你向我顯出恩待我的憑據」——使別人如我一樣看出你正在恩待我，並定意進一步恩待我。讓我得着幾個無可辯駁、光輝顯著的蒙恩實例，叫恨我的人看見便羞愧——為他們對我的敵意羞愧；當他們察覺你，主啊，已經幫助我、安慰我，他們便理當如此；因為他們其實是一直與神相爭，反對祂所承認的人；並且他們竭力要毀滅攪擾一個神自己已經着手幫助安慰的人，終歸徒然。聖徒的喜樂必成為逼迫他們之人的羞慚。
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.
本詩題為「大衛的祈禱」；大概不是為某個特殊場合而寫，而是他常常自用的禱告，又推薦別人使用，特別是在遭難的日子。許多人認為大衛寫這禱告，是作為基督的預表——基督「在肉身的時候，大聲哀哭，流淚禱告」（來五7）。
大衛在這禱告中（按照那本分的性質）：一、將榮耀歸與神（詩八六8-10,12,13）。二、向神尋求恩惠與恩典，求神垂聽他的禱告（詩八六1,6,7），保護拯救他、向他施憐憫（詩八六2,3,16），賜他喜樂、恩典與力量，並賜他尊榮（詩八六4,11,17）。他以神的良善（詩八六5,15）和敵人的惡意（詩八六14）作為憑據。
唱這詩時，我們必須像大衛一樣，舉起我們的心，專一地應用在自己身上向神呼求。