Psalms 86 – Bible with Free Grace study notes

1Hear, Yahweh, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

2Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You, my God, save your servant who trusts in you.

3Be merciful to me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.

4Bring joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

Free Grace note · AI-assisted

God is ready to forgive all who call, not only the worthy

David does not say God forgives the deserving; he says God is good, ready to forgive, abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you. The reach is as wide as calling. Some fear that coming to God requires first cleaning yourself up enough to qualify. David destroys that fear by opening the psalm as poor and needy, verse 1, and by resting entirely on God's character, not his own record. This is the pattern the whole Bible confirms: everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, Romans 10:13. The condition is not worthiness but calling, and calling is simply the empty hand of faith reaching out. If you can ask, you qualify. That is what ready to forgive means.

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6Hear, Yahweh, my prayer. Listen to the voice of my petitions.

7In the day of my trouble I will call on you, for you will answer me.

8There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds.

9All nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord. They shall glorify your name.

10For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone.

11Teach me your way, Yahweh. I will walk in your truth. Make my heart undivided to fear your name.

Free Grace note · AI-assisted

An undivided heart is the fruit of grace, not the price of it

David prays, make my heart undivided to fear your name. It would be easy to misread this as a condition for being accepted by God. But look where the prayer sits: after verse 5 has already declared God ready to forgive, and after verse 13 which grounds everything in God's loving kindness already delivering David from the lowest Sheol. The undivided heart is what David wants because he is already God's servant, not what he offers to become one. This is the healthy order the growing believer learns. First the gift, freely received; then the longing to love God wholly, freely growing. Discipleship, a heart undivided, is the costly road we walk as those already saved, never the toll we pay to get in.

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12I will praise you, Lord my God, with my whole heart. I will glorify your name forever more.

13For your loving kindness is great toward me. You have delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol.

14God, the proud have risen up against me. A company of violent men have sought after my soul, and they don’t hold regard for you before them.

15But you, Lord, are a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth.

16Turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give your strength to your servant. Save the son of your handmaid.

17Show me a sign of your goodness, that those who hate me may see it, and be shamed, because you, Yahweh, have helped me, and comforted me.

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