Player needs JavaScript turned on.

Psalm 86 Worksheet

After the majority of Psalms being by David in Books 1 (Psalms 1-41) and 2 (Psalms 42-72), this is the _________________ Psalm by David in Book 3 (Psalm 73-89).

This Psalm is very personal and touching, with _____________% of the verses being directly spoken to God. The Psalm is filled with 15 verbs in which David is asking God to act in his life.

As we read the Psalm, look for a change around verse 7 in the way David approaches God.

 

The earnest pleas of God’s man trying to do God’s ____________                                        V. 1-5

Notice in these first five verses David makes 8 pleas to God while citing 5 present needs and/or commitments to the Lord.

Since David has just said he is poor and needy, David saying he is holy in verse 2 should not be viewed as a claim to being without sin, but “set apart” for God. David trusts God and views himself as God’s ___________________.

The word for merciful in verse 3 is the Hebrew word Hanan (H2603a), which occurs 72 times in the Old Testament, 41 of which are in the wisdom books. It means to show favor, be gracious, even pity.

In Philippians 4:4 Paul commands believers to “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice!” That’s hard to accept when the circumstances of life weigh on us. I love the poetic way David asks for God’s ___________________ in this as he says “Rejoice the soul of your servant.” I have found the only way to really let that happen is to what the second part of verse 4 says, look away from our circumstances and “lift up” our souls.

David ______________________ to himself in verse 5 – He knows God is good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in Hesed. David knows God will hear and act for the best not so much because of who David is but because of who God is!

 

The earnest pledge of God’s man who wants God to be ____________________                    V. 6-13

What is different in David’s approach in verse 7?

He now says “I will,” pledging to continue to serve God. Verses 1-5 contained 5 things David presently does, whereas verses 6-13 have 4 things David “_______________ do.”

David gushes with praise and __________________________ in God in verse s 8-10

I WILL pray to you because you are the greatest; You WILL answer because there is none like You; the nations WILL come and worship You!

David ________________________ the Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 and the Great Multitude of Revelation 5:9-10 and 7:9-10!

 

Verse 11 is a wonderful mixture of prayer and pledge. And what a _________________________ phrase – unite my heart to revere your name.

O God, unite the Tabernacle’s heart to revere Your name in 100% of what we say and do!

Again, David finishes the section by grounding His requests more in who God is than who he is.

What group of Jews take their name from a sister word of the word Hesed?

_____________________ Jews, expressing their love for God and His commands.

 

David’s final pleas are based on the upholding of God’s _____________                          V. 14-17

Like the first section (that had 8 requests in 5 verses), this last section has 5 requests in 4 verses.

Verse 14 reminds us we are to pray to God to _______________________ against the counsels and actions of the wicked.

Verse 15 again goes over some of the great truths about God. David is praying back what God taught ______________________ about His name in Exodus 34, and what Solomon will later use in his prayer dedicating the Temple in 2 Chr. 6.

David ends by gently asking God to give him a good sign that God is still at work in his life. David isn’t asking this of God to help him believe and trust (like the unbelieving Pharisees in Matthew 12:38), but just for a little _________________________. Perhaps we could pray it this way, “God, today in some way please remind me of why I trust you and love you so much!”