Psalm 86 - David's Prayer for Mercy and an Undivided Heart

David's plea as one both poor and needy, and confident he will be heard.

Psalms 86: A Prayer of David, Poor and Needy

Unlike the surrounding psalms of Korah, Psalm 86 is labeled simply 'A Prayer of David,' opening with the honest admission 'I am poor and needy.' It follows Psalms 85 with a more personal, first-person voice asking to be taught God's way.


The title of the sixte and eiytetithe salm. `The salm of the song of the sones of Chore. The foundementis therof ben in hooli hillis;

the Lord loueth the yatis of Sion, more than alle the tabernaclis of Jacob.

Thou citee of God, with outen ende; gloriouse thingis ben seide of thee.

I schal be myndeful of Raab, and Babiloyne; knowynge me. Lo! aliens, and Tyre, and the puple of Ethiopiens; thei weren there.

Whether a man schal seie to Sion, And a man is born ther ynne; and that man altherhiyeste foundide it?

The Lord schal telle in the scripturis of puplis; and of these princis, that weren ther ynne.

As the dwellyng `of alle that ben glad; is in thee.

David's confidence rests on the character described in <a href="/bible/wycliffe/psalms/chapter-86/5">Psalms 86:5</a>, that the Lord is 'ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy,' a promise later echoed in <a href="/bible/wycliffe/jeremiah/chapter-32/38">Jeremiah 32:38-39</a>. The prayer ends asking for a visible token of God's help against his accusers.