Mercy in Our Day of Trouble
Psalm 86
“Notice how abundantly and masterly [David in Psalm 86] praises God and refers to his goodness, loyalty, and power in order to warm up his faith and heat up his prayer. We should do the same.”
~ Martin Luther
Main Idea: We can have confidence and comfort in our day of trouble because of God’s mercy toward us in Christ.
I. Pleading for Mercy (86:1-7)
David cries out with 15 “pleas” in this Psalm. Rather than presuming that the Lord owes him anything, David cries out as a “poor and needy” man in need of mercy and help. He humbly takes up the low place, allowing the Lord to reveal if his own sins or transgressions have contributed to his day of trouble.
Psalm 139:23-24: Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
As he grounds his pleas in the Lord’s revealed character and nature, David is confident that the Lord will “answer him” in his day of trouble, and in his plea for grace. In our days of trouble, we are invited to:
Pray with persistence; Luke 18:1: “[we] ought always to pray and not lose heart.”
Pray with honest humility; Luke 18:13: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
II. Praising the Lord (86:8-13)
David makes no “pleas” in this section, but instead turns to praise and adoration of the Lord. His reminders of God’s character and nature broaden his horizon and perspective beyond himself and to the:
God’s glory in the heavens (86:8)
God’s sovereignty over the nations of the earth (86:9; cf. Rev. 15:3-4)
God’s deliverance from the depths of Sheol and the grave (86:13)
David asks for a “united heart” in the midst of his day of trouble, that he might walk faithfully in the fear of the Lord without a double heart (cf. Ps. 1; Matt. 5:8; Jas. 4:8). Psalm 86 invites us to consider how the Lord might be sovereignly using our troubles to reveal our divided hearts and desires, and to lift our eyes to God’s sovereign purposes in our life.
As we give thanks - even in trouble - we are reminded of God’s covenantal “steadfast love” toward us - even beyond “Sheol” and the grave itself.
Romans 8:38–39: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
III. Strengthening our Faith (86:14-17)
As David returns to the circumstances of his trouble, he remembers God’s character as revealed in his word to his people.
Exodus 34:6: The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness…
John 1:14, 16: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth… For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
“God does not dispense his mercy from a slender store which perchance may be so impoverished as to give out altogether, but out of a cornucopia he pours forth the infinite riches of his mercy: his goodness flows forth in abounding streams towards those who pray and in adoring worship make mention of his name.”
~ Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David
As David asks for a “sign of God’s favor” - he returns to the place where God preeminently revealed himself in the Exodus and in Mt. Sinai. As God’s people this side of the finished work of Christ, we have the signs of a bloody cross and an empty tomb to know God’s favor and love toward us. One day all who stand against the Lord will be “put to shame” (Col. 2:15); until that day comes, we can have confidence and we can receive comfort in Christ Jesus.
