Psalms 86

11. We glorify God by praising of him; doxology or praise is a God-exalting work (Psalm 50:23): whoso offers praise glorifies me. The Hebrew word Bara to create, and Barak to praise, are little different, because the end of creation is to praise God: David was called the sweet s…

God visits iniquity only to the third and fourth generation (Exodus 20:5), but he shows mercy to a thousand generations. The Lord has treasures of mercy lying by, therefore he is said to be plenteous in mercy (Psalm 86:5), and rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4). The vial of God's wra…

But how many do call on God, who do not believe in him? they ask for pardon, but unbelief whispers, their sins are greater than can be forgiven. Thus to pray and not believe, is to take God's name in vain, and is a high dishonoring of God, as if he were not such a God as the wor…

Do what the Word commands. Obedience is an excellent way of commenting upon the Bible (Psalm 86:11): "I will walk in your truth." Let the Word be the sundial by which you set your life.

(Psalm 57:10) For your mercy is great to the heavens, and your truth to the clouds. A God of truth; (Psalm 86:15) — Plenteous in truth. God is [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], the Truth.

A Christian having a command to pray, and a promise, he is resolved to follow God with prayer and not give over; as Peter he knocked, yet the door was not opened, but he continued knocking, and at last it was opened (Acts 12:16). So a Christian prays and prays, but has no answer…

And when the Lord would shave off the pride of a nation, he is said to hire a razor, as if he had none of his own (Isaiah 7:20): "He shall shave with a razor that is hired." He is slow to anger (Psalm 103:8), but ready to forgive (Psalm 86:5). Position 3. There is no condition b…

The promise encourages us, and God's Spirit enables us. A master gives his servant work to do, but he cannot give him strength to work; but God as he cuts us out work, so he gives us strength (Psalm 86:16): Give your strength to your servant. God not only gives us a crown when w…

"Go and proclaim these words and say, Return, you backsliding Israel, says the Lord, and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful." God's mercy is a tender mercy, the Hebrew word for mercy, Rakem, signifies bowels — God's mercy is full of sympathy, He is of…

This condition is more fearful than the estate and condition of any creature in the world besides: for when God forsakes a man; all that he does, is hastening himself to his own destruction. David knew this well, and therefore he prays, Oh, knit my heart unto thee, that I may fe…

Put a match to a heap of gunpowder, on a sudden it will be all on a flame; and as long as we add matter to the fire, it burns: so by nature we are most ready to sin, so soon as the least occasion is given. David had experience of this when he prayed, Knit my heart to you, O Lord…

It was the fear of hypocrisy invading the heart that made David cry, 'Let my heart be sound in your statutes that I be not ashamed' (Psalm 119:80). It was the sad experience he had of the divisions and distractions of his own heart in the service of God that made him pour out th…

For sure the same expression of all nations (Isaiah 40:16) are taken for all and every one of mankind. (Psalm 86:9) All nations, whom you have made, shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. (Isaiah 66:23) And it shall come to pass, that from one ne…

Let us lift up our hearts with our hands to God in the heavens, so (Psalm 25:1). To you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul, and (Psalm 86:4) Rejoice the soul of your servant, for to you do I lift up my soul, so (Psalm 143:8) cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift…

And here it is attributed to Christ by way of excellence, to the end we might know that by this mark he is separated from all other men. Neither is there any doubt but the Prophet had respect to that famous prophecy which was so often in the mouths of all; I will be his Father,…

And there are two excellent uses of Providence in subserviency to the word. (1.) Providences as they follow Promises and prayer are Evidences of God's faithfulness in their Accomplishment. When David languished under a disease, and his Enemies began to triumph in the hopes of hi…

David had set his affections to the house of his God, and therefore his thoughts were vehemently carried out after those things, that made him offer so much, and offer so willingly. The same man of God prays (Psalm 86:11), "Unite my heart to fear your Name" — the word imports a…

And it would be ill with us, if God should forgive us no better than we forgive one another. God is matchless in all his perfections; there is no work like his (Psalm 86:8). As God is matchless in other things, so in pardoning mercy.

2. Let us pray for this Fear of God, which is the Root of all Holiness, and the Mother of all Wisdom. Psalm 86:11. Vnite my Heart to Fear your Name; the Lord has Promised to put his Fear in our Heart, Jeremiah 32:40.

And (Psalm 27:11): Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of my enemies. And (Psalm 86:11): Teach me your way, O Lord, I will walk in your truth: unite my heart to fear your name. These places show that he addressed himself to God that he might not follo…

You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust gives us a fresh claim, or new interest (Psalm 86:2). O my God, save your servant that trusts in you.

3. The studying of God's Name increases our reverence and fear (Psalm 111:9). Holy and reverend is your Name (Psalm 86:11). Unite my heart to the fear of your Name.

Now what is it to sanctify God in our hearts, but to fear his majesty, and greatness, and goodness; (Isaiah 8:13) "Sanctify the Lord God of Hosts in your hearts, and make him your fear." Therefore David desires God to call in his straggling thoughts, and scattered affections; (P…

So (Lamentations 3:25): The Lord is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. So (Psalm 86:5): For you, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon you. For this kind of goodness, a qualification is necessary in the…

Partly, because by these, he seems to own them, and confirm them in the privilege of his peculiar care, and that they have an interest in his favor; which by sad afflictions seemed to be annulled, and made void: but hereby God gives proof of his favor to them. Psalm 86:17. "Show…

What shall we say? It is God, who is (as his name is (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 10:18; Psalm 86:15), and as he was yesterday, he is today) the God of grace and patience (Romans 15:5), and rich in it (Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 1:13-16). Indeed, we are all living monuments and…

Argument 5: That which God will one day cause every man to confess to the glory of God is certainly a truth, for God will own no lie for his glory. But God will one day cause every man to confess Jesus, by virtue of his death and ransom given, to be the Lord, even to the glory o…

If we turn to God, he will turn to us; he will turn his anger from us, and his face to us. It was Davids prayer, (Psalm 86:16). O turn to me, and have mercy upon me.

Therefore when we say that faith must rest upon free promise, we do not deny but that the faithful do every way embrace and receive the word of God, but we appoint the promise of mercy to be the proper mark of faith. Even as the faithful ought indeed to acknowledge God to be the…

It is base, selfish ends and self-interests that, like a great many ditches cut out of the bank of a river, draw away the stream out of its proper channel and make its waters fail. But if the heart is united for God, as the expression is in Psalm 86:11, then we may say of such a…

Upon this ground Hezekiah pleaded with God, when he heard the sentence of death (Isaiah 38:3), Remember now, O Lord, I beseech you, how I have walked before you in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in your sight. And David puts his faith upon this…