Today’s passage: Psalm 86
Helpful thoughts:
- Whenever trouble comes, we have at least two options. One is always to try to figure it out ourselves…and worry. The other option is to take it to our almighty, faithful loving Father in prayer.
- If David didn’t believe the things he was praying about God, this prayer would not have done much to calm his own heart. Sometimes we say words like these in prayer in hopes they will “work” in taking away our hardships, when in reality, part of the working of this kind of prayer is to put us at rest in Him.
- Verse 2 could be tricky to interpret correctly. David called himself “godly” or “holy” as part of his appeal for God’s intervention. This was not an appeal to how great David was…he didn’t think God owed it to him as a favor.
- David is “holy” in that God has consecrated him, or set him apart from others. The word “holy” means set apart, unlike the rest. God sanctifies His people this way when he places us in Christ!
- So, verse 2 could be understood this way, Preserve my life, because I am Yours (Set apart); and You are mine (My God);save your servant who trusts in You.
- When David prays, “Unite my heart to fear your name,” he is praying for victory over double-mindedness. This is the same struggle shared by the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:13-25. It’s also the same as the beatitude of Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart.”
Questions to consider:
- Why is it important that David requested things like the uniting of his heart (Single-mindedness) from God as opposed to telling God that he was going to work really hard on making that happen himself? What does a right understanding of grace do for our humility and our praise as we see growth in our walk with Christ?
- Do you think the sign David is asking for in verse 17 is a sign like Gideon asked for (The dry or wet ground and fleece)? Or, was David asking for victory over these foes which would be a sign of encouragement to him and of warning to those who would oppose the Lord’s chosen king of Israel?
- Given the last four verses of this psalm, what events and concerns may have been the leading objects of David’s struggle to be of one mind? How was this prayer itself a battle for his mind, and a winning strategy at that? What concerns tend to pull your attention away from your Lord and Savior? What promises has He made that you could appeal to Him in prayer today?