Psalms 86:16

O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. GIVE THY STRENGTH UNTO THY SERVANT, AND SAVE THE SON OF THINE HANDMAID. As the servant's duty is to serve his master, so the master's part is to defend the servant. The phrase "the son of thine handmaid" points to the Antitype, Messiah, the Son of that meek servant of God who said () "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord....

16._Look to me, and have pity upon me. _Here the Psalmist makes a more distinct application to himself of what he had said concerning the divine mercy and goodness. As God is merciful, he assures himself that his welfare will be the object of the divine care. The second verb in the verse, חנן, _chanan, _which I have rendered _have pity, _signifies _to gratify, to do one a pleasure; _and is intended to convey the idea, that the succor which God affords to his people proceeds from his free goodness. (491) Finally, the Psalmist concludes, that the only way in which he can be preserved is by the divine aid, which he seeks to obtain by prayer; and thus he confesses his utter destitution of any strength of his own. In applying to himself the appellation of _God’s servant, and the son of his handmaid, _he does not boast of his own services, but urges as a plea,

8-17 Our God alone possesses almighty power and infinite love. Christ is the way and the truth. And the believing soul will be more desirous to be taught the way and the truth. And the believing soul will be more desirous to be taught the way and the truth of God, in order to walk therein, than to be delivered out of earthly distress. Those who set not the Lord before them, seek after believers' souls; but the compassion, mercy, and truth of God, will be their refuge and consolation. And those whose parents were the servants of the Lord, may urge this as a plea why he should hear and help them. In considering David's experience, and that of the believer, we must not lose sight of Him, who though he was rich, for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich...

Verse Psalms 86:16. _O TURN UNTO ME_] He represents himself as following after God; but he cannot overtake him; and then he plays that he would _turn_ and meet him through pity; or give him _strength_ that he might be able to hold on his race. _GIVE THY STRENGTH UNTO THY SERVANT_] The _Vulgate_ renders, Da imperium tuum puero tuo, "Give thy empire to thy child." The old _Psalter_. _Gyf empyre to thi barne, and make safe the son of thi_ _hand mayden_. _Thi barne _- thy tender child. [A. S.] or [A. S.], Anglo-Saxon; _thy knave_; signifying either a _serving man_ or a _male_ _child_. As many _servants_ were found to be purloiners of their masters' property, hence the word [A. S.], and [A. S.], and _knave_, became the title of an unprincipled servant. The term _fur_, which signifies a thie

O TURN UNTO ME, AND HAVE MERCY UPON ME - Look upon me; as if God were now turned away, and were unmindful of his danger, his needs, and his pleading. The expression is equivalent to those in which he prays that God would incline his ear to him. See Psalms 86:1, Psalms 86:6, and the notes at Psalms 5:1. GIVE THY STRENGTH UNTO THY SERVANT - Give such strength as proceeds from thee, and such as will accomplish what thou alone canst effect. Enable me to act as if clothed with divine power. The ground of the plea here is, that he was the “servant” of God, and he might, therefore, hope for God’s interposition. And save the son o

EXPOSITION THIS is the prayer of an afflicted and humble soul in a time of persecution (Psalms 86:14), intermixed with outbursts of praise (Psalms 86:5, Psalms 86:8, Psalms 86:15) and thankfulness (Psalms 86:12, Psalms 86:13). It is assigned in the title to David, and contains nothing, either in matter or style, to make the ascription unlikely. Still, most modern critics regard the psalm as probably of a later date, and consider it the work

O TURN UNTO ME, AND HAVE MERCY UPON ME,.... For it seems the Lord had turned away from him, and had hid his face, and withheld the manifestation of his grace and mercy from him, and had not yielded him the help and assistance he expected; and therefore entreats that he would turn again to him, and show him his face and favour, and be merciful to him: GIVE THY STRENGTH UNTO THY SERVANT; spiritual strength, strength in his soul, to exercise grace, perform duty, bear the cross, and stand up against all enemies, and hold out to the end: this is God's gift; and the psalmist pleads his relation to him as his servant, not merely by creation, but by grace; this is interpreted by the Jews of the King Messiah u: AND SAVE THE SON OF THINE HANDMAID; out of the hands of those that were risen up against him; see Psalms 119:94. Some think this has a special refere

Psalms 86 A Prayer _ 1. The prayer of the poor and needy one (Psalms 86:1)_ 2. The praise of His Name (Psalms 86:10) This Psalm has for an inscription “A prayer of David.” We can hear in it the voice of the Son of David, our Lord, pleading in the place of humiliation, and also the pleadings of the remnant saints. The prophetic element enters in with Psalms 86:9. “All nations whom Thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord.” This will be the glorious result of His humiliation. Into the many and precious details of this Psalm we cannot enter. The name of the Lord (Adonai) is found seven times in this Psalm

LXXXVI. THE PRAYER OF A GODLY MAN IN AFFLICTION. This Ps. is little more than a cento from the rest of the Psalter. PSALMS 86:1. The Psalmist prays for succour, pleading God's mercy and his own piety. For piety, see Psalms 4:3. PSALMS 86:8. The incomparable greatness of God, which all nations will in the end acknowledge. PSALMS 86:11. Prayer for Divine guidance and for a token that God is on his side, not on that of his more prosperous foes. PSALMS 86:11. TO FEAR: read, to them that fear. The LXX reads

HAVE MERCY UPON. show favour, or he gracious to....