Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 86:17

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 86:17. Show me a token for good — עשה עמי אוה aseh immi oth, "Make with me a sign." Fix the honourabie mark of thy name upon me, that I may be known to be thy servant. There seems to be an allusion here to the marking of a slave, to ascertain whose property he was. The Anglo-Saxon, [A. S.] on [A. S.], "do with me a token in good.' Old Psalter: Do with me signe in gude. From [A. S.] tacn we have our word token, which signifies a sign, mark, or remembrancer of something beyond itself; a pledge that something, then specified, shall be done or given. Give me, from the influence of thy Spirit in my heart, a pledge that the blessings which I now ask shall be given in due time. But he wished for such a sign as his enemies might see; that they might know God to be his helper, and be confounded when they sought his destruction.

ANALYSIS OF THE EIGHTY-SIXTH PSALM

This Psalm is a continued prayer, and may be divided into four parts: -

I. The first part is a petition for safety, drawn from his own person, Psalms 86:1-4.

II. The second, a quickening of the same petition, drawn from the person and nature of God, Psalms 86:5-13.

III. The third, taken from the quality of his adversaries, Psalms 86:14.

IV. The fourth, a conjunction of all these three; the first, Psalms 86:15; the second, Psalms 86:16; the third, Psalms 86:17.

I. The reasons of his petition, drawn from himself.

1. "Bow down thine ear." Reason: "I am poor and needy," Psalms 86:1.

2. "Preserve my soul." Reason: "I am holy," or merciful, Psalms 86:2.

3. "Save thy servant." Reason: "He puts his trust in thee," Psalms 86:3.

4. "Be merciful unto me." Reason: "I cry unto thee daily," Psalms 86:4.

5. "Rejoice the soul of thy servant." Reason: "For unto thee do I lift up my soul," Psalms 86:4.

II. A quickening of the petition, drawn from the nature of God.

1. "For thou, Lord, art good," c., Psalms 86:5-6.

2. "I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me," Psalms 86:7.

3. "There is none like unto thee," Psalms 86:8.

4. "Nor any works like unto thy works," Psalms 86:8. This shall be amply proved: for

5. "All nations," now worshipping idols, "shall be converted to thee," Psalms 86:9.

6. "Because thou art great, and doest wondrous things," Psalms 86:10.

On this reason, that there is none like God, -

1. He begs to be governed by his word and Spirit, Psalms 86:11.

2. Promises to praise him for his great mercy, Psalms 86:12-13.

III. He presses another argument taken from his enemies.

1. They were proud: "The proud are risen against me."

2. They were powerful: "The assemblies of violent men."

3. They were ungodly: "They did not set thee before them," Psalms 86:14.

IV. He amplifies his former argument.

1. From the nature of God: "Thou art full of compassion," &c., Psalms 86:15.

2. From his own condition: "Turn unto me and have mercy upon me," Psalms 86:16.

3. From the quality of his adversaries: "Show me a token - that they which hate me may be ashamed," Psalms 86:17.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 85-86 The steadfast love of God

Israel had again suffered God’s punishment in being defeated by its enemies. The psalmist reminds God that when this happened in the past, God forgave his people and poured out his blessings on them afresh (85:1-3). Would he not, therefore, in the present crisis do the same once more (4-7)? The psalmist thinks longingly of the spiritual paradise that results when people are living in a right relation with their God. Steadfast love flows down from God and is met by covenant faithfulness from his people (8-11). And as people respond to God’s unfailing goodness, the land will enter a new era of fruitfulness, bringing fresh benefits to God’s people (12-13).

Psalms 86:0 is similar to many psalms that David wrote in his times of distress. Knowing that God is on the side of those who are treated unjustly, the psalmist calls confidently for his help. He trusts in God’s steadfast love (86:1-7). God is supreme. Both creation and history show that he is the only true God (8-10). Therefore, the psalmist desires to know him better, obey him more faithfully and praise him more constantly (11-13). On the basis of God’s close relation with him, he appeals to God to give him strength to escape those who are trying to kill him (14-17).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

GOD'S PRIOR MERCIES ENCOURAGEMENT TO SEEK HIM

"Teach me thy way, O Jehovah; I will walk in thy truth: Unite my heart to fear thy name. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with my whole heart; And I will glorify thy name forevermore. For great is thy lovingkindness toward me; And thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest Sheol. O God, the proud are risen up against me, And a company of violent men have sought after my soul, And have not set thee before them. But thou, O Lord, art a God merciful and gracious. Slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. Oh turn unto me, and have mercy upon me Give thy strength unto thy servant, And save the son of thy handmaid. Show me a token for good, That they who hate me may see it, and be put to shame, Because thou, Jehovah, has helped me and comforted me."

"Teach me thy way… I will walk in thy truth" "David is here praying for God to help him form the right habits."Derek Kidner, op. cit., p. 312. Anchor Bible renders this verse: "Teach me your way, that I may walk faithful to you alone."Mitchell Dahood in The Anchor Bible, Vol. II, p. 291.

"Great is thy lovingkindness toward me" We have often commented upon David's frequent use of this term in psalms that are admittedly his; and we find the term in this psalm no less than three times in Psalms 86:5; Psalms 86:13; Psalms 86:15.

"The proud… a company of violent men… who set not thee before them" The evil men described here were proud (arrogant), violent (ruthless), unbelievers who took not God into their thoughts.

"But thou, O lord, art a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness" This verse is a quotation verbatim from Exodus 34:6 b.

"Save the son of thy handmaid" Delitzsch explained this "The psalmist calls himself the `son of thy handmaid,' as having been born into his personal relation to God, as a servant, a relation that came to him by birth. How beautifully does the word "Lord" come in here for the seventh time. He is even from his mother's womb the servant of the Sovereign Lord, from whose omnipotence he can therefore look for a miracle on his behalf."F. Delitzsch, op. cit., p. 16.

"Show me a token… that they who hate me may see and be put to shame" The Anchor Bible's translation of this is

Work a miracle for me, O Good One, That mine enemies might see and be humiliated.Mitchell Dahood in The Anchor Bible, op. cit., p. 192.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Shew me a token for good ... - Hebrew, “Make me a sign for good;” that is, Do that for me in my trouble which will be an evidence that thou dost favor me, and wilt save me. Let there be such a manifest interposition in my behalf that others may see it, and may be convinced that thou art God, and that thou art the Protector and Friend of those who put their trust in thee. We need not suppose that the psalmist refers here to a miracle in his behalf. Any interposition which would save him from the hands of his enemies - which would defeat their purposes - which would rescue him when there seemed to be no help, would be such an evidence that they could not doubt that he was the friend of God. Thus they would be made “ashamed” of their purposes; that is, they would be disappointed and confounded; and there would be furnished a new proof that God was the protector of all who put their trust in him.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

The last verse contains an additional confirmation of the statement, that he was in a manner forsaken of God. He would not have desired to be favored with some token of the divine favor, had he not been on all sides driven to despair, and had not the divine favor been hidden from him to try his patience. It was a proof of no ordinary steadfastness to maintain the conflict with this temptation, and to do this so successfully, as not to cease to descry light in the midst of darkness. He desires that his enemies may be put to shame, because they assailed his simplicity with mockery and scoffing, as if he had acted a foolish part by trusting in God. The miserable and distressing condition in which the Church was placed after the Babylonish captivity, might be apt to sink the minds of the godly into despondency; and, accordingly, the Holy Spirit here promises her restoration in a wonderful and incredible manner, so that nothing would be more desirable than to be reckoned among the number of her members.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 86:1-17 we have another psalm of David. David said,

Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that is trusting in you. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto you daily. Rejoice the soul of your servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee ( Psalms 86:1-5 ).

This particular psalm is an interesting psalm in that practically every every verse is taken from another psalm someplace. So actually the psalmist here, number one, David shows his excellent knowledge of all of the other psalms, because he is just taking verses from so many different psalms. And you can find practically every one of these a quotation from another psalm. So David is taking from all these psalms and just sort of putting together a psalm that he draws from all of the other psalms. "For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; plenteous in mercy unto all those that call upon Thee."

Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord, [Adonai, not Jehovah here]; neither are there any works like unto thy works. All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Adonai; and shall glorify thy name. For thou art great, and you do wondrous things: thou art God alone. Teach me thy way, O Jehovah; I will walk in your truth: unite my heart to fear thy name ( Psalms 86:6-11 ).

One of the problems I think that we, all of us, experience is the divided heart. Here David is praying, "God, just unite my heart towards Thee." We have a divided heart. Part of us is towards God, and part of it is towards our flesh. And I'm divided by the desires of my flesh and my desires for God. David is saying, "Lord, I don't want a divided heart. Unite my heart towards Thee." I think that's an excellent prayer.

I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for ever. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of the violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them. But thou, O Adonai, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, and longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, save the son of your handmaid. Show me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because you, Jehovah, have helped me, and comforted me ( Psalms 86:12-17 ).

Now in verse Psalms 86:5 , "For thou, O Lord, art good, and ready to forgive." So he's declaring here the nature of God in the psalm. And he declares that God is good and God is ready to forgive, that He is plenteous in mercy. In verse Psalms 86:10 , he declares, "For Thou art great, and You do wondrous things: You are the only God." So verse Psalms 86:15 , "But Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, gracious, longsuffering, plenteous in mercy and truth."

So it's interesting, verses Psalms 86:5 , Psalms 86:10 , and Psalms 86:15 , he declares the character of God, aspects of God's character. And so to catch... it's woven through, but then he declares the character of God and then he responds to it with his request. "Lord, You are merciful. O God, have mercy on me, you know. And Lord, You do wonderful things. You only are God. Therefore, teach me Your ways. Lord, You're a God full of compassion. You're gracious. You're longsuffering. You have plenty in mercy and truth. O God, turn to me and have mercy upon me. And and let me experience your grace. A token for good and so forth." So the character of God and then my response to the character of God.

Now when I come to God, it is important that I understand the character of God. If I do not know that God is merciful, then it's difficult for me to ask for mercy. If I do not realize that God is gracious, then it's difficult for me to ask for grace. But knowing the character of God gives me then the confidence in coming to God. It helps me when I come to God to understand the nature of God. Now we so often have misunderstood the nature of God. Thou are the God of wrath and vengeance. Thou are the God of justice. And we look at the one aspect of God's nature, but that's to those that hate Him. That's to those that are opposed to Him. But to those that love Him, to those that call upon Him, He is merciful. He's longsuffering. He's gracious. He's tender. He's kind. He's good. And so Lord, I call upon Thee. Show me a token for good and all. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 86

On the basis of God’s goodness, David asked the Lord to demonstrate His strength by opposing the proud who exalted themselves against him. This is the only psalm ascribed to David in Book 3 (Psalms 73-89). It is an individual lament psalm that speaks out of a situation of disorientation. It is a virtual mosaic of other psalms, and its quotations are almost verbatim.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

3. A request for strength 86:14-17

David’s actual complaint appears in Psalms 86:14. Rebels against God and His anointed king were harassing David. He contrasted their characters with God’s. Specifically, David needed strength of all kinds to deal with these opponents. The sign he requested would have been some physical, tangible proof that God was supporting His servant. God’s deliverance would constitute such a sign.

This is a prayer for help from a very mature believer. David’s understanding of God resulted in his taking a humble place of submission to His Lord. His confidence during his trial was strong because he knew how great and loyal God is. Rather than exhibiting panic in the face of danger, David demonstrated peace, confidence, and even joy.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Show me a token for good,.... Not only one by which he might know that his sins were pardoned, and his person accepted with God, and that he should be saved; but one visible to others, even to his enemies, by which they might know that God was on his side, and would verily do him good: Kimchi interprets it of the kingdom; and his being raised to the throne of Israel was a token of the Lord's goodness to him, and showed that he had a delight in him, and meant to do him good:

that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed; of their envy of him, their combinations and conspiracies against him, and of all their efforts to distress him, to hinder him of the kingdom, or deprive him of it, or make him uncomfortable in it:

because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me; he comforted him by helping him against his enemies, and out of his troubles; and, by doing both, showed him a token for good, and filled his enemies with shame and confusion.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.   9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.   10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.   11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.   12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.   13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.   14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.   15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.   16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.   17 show me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.

      David is here going on in his prayer.

      I. He gives glory to God; for we ought in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory, to him, with the most humble and reverent adorations. 1. As a being of unparalleled perfection, such a one that there is none like him nor any to be compared with him, Psalms 86:8; Psalms 86:8. Among the gods, the false gods, whom the heathens worshipped, the angels, the kings of the earth, among them all, there is none like unto thee, O Lord! none so wise, so mighty, so good; neither are there any works like unto thy works, which is an undeniable proof that there is none like him; his own works praise him, and the best way we have of praising him is by acknowledging that there is none like him. 2. As the fountain of all being and the centre of all praise (Psalms 86:9; Psalms 86:9): "Thou hast made all nations, made them all of one blood; they all derive their being from thee, and have a constant dependence on thee, and therefore they shall come and worship before thee and glorify thy name." This was in part fulfilled in the multitude of proselytes to the Jewish religion in the days of David and Solomon, but was to have its full accomplishment in the days of the Messiah, when some out of every kingdom and nation should be effectually brought in to praise God, Revelation 7:9. It was by Christ that God made all nations, for without him was not any thing made that was made, and therefore through Christ, and by the power of his gospel and grace, all nations shall be brought to worship before God,Isaiah 66:23. 3. As a being infinitely great (Psalms 86:10; Psalms 86:10): "Therefore all nations shall worship before thee, because as King of nations thou art great, thy sovereignty absolute and incontestable, thy majesty terrible and insupportable, thy power universal and irresistible, thy riches vast and inexhaustible, thy dominion boundless and unquestionable; and, for the proof of this, thou doest wondrous things, which all nations admire, and whence they might easily infer that thou art God alone, not only none like thee, but none besides thee." Let us always entertain great thoughts of this great God, and be filled with holy admiration of this God who doeth wonders; and let him alone have our hearts who is God alone. 4. As a being infinitely good. Man is bad, very wicked and vile (Psalms 86:14; Psalms 86:14); no mercy is to be expected from him; but thou, O Lord! art a God full of compassion, and gracious,Psalms 86:15; Psalms 86:15. This is that attribute by which he proclaims his name, and by which we are therefore to proclaim it, Exodus 34:6; Exodus 34:7. It is his goodness that is over all his works, and therefore should fill all our praises; and this is our comfort, in reference to the wickedness of the world we live in, that, however it be, God is good. Men are barbarous, but God is gracious; men are false, but God is faithful. God is not only compassionate, but full of compassion, and in him mercy rejoiceth against judgment. He is long-suffering towards us, though we forfeit his favour and provoke him to anger, and he is plenteous in mercy and truth, as faithful in performing as he was free in promising. 5. As a kind friend and bountiful benefactor to him. We ought to praise God as good in himself, but we do it most feelingly when we observe how good he has been to us. This therefore the psalmist dwells upon with most pleasure, Psalms 86:12; Psalms 86:13. He had said (Psalms 86:9; Psalms 86:9), All nations shall praise thee, O Lord! and glorify thy name. It is some satisfaction to a good man to think that others shall praise and glorify God, but it is his greatest care and pleasure to do it himself. "Whatever others do" (says David), "I will praise thee, O Lord my God! not only as the Lord, but as my God; and I will do it with all my heart; I will be ready to do it and cordial in it; I will do it with cheerfulness and liveliness, with a sincere regard to thy honour; for I will glorify thy name, not for a time, but for evermore. I will do it as long as I live, and hope to be doing it to eternity." With good reason does he resolve to be thus particular in praising God, because God had shown him particular favours: For great is thy mercy towards me. The fountain of mercy is inexhaustibly full; the streams of mercy are inestimably rich. When we speak of God's mercy to us, it becomes us thus to magnify it: Great is thy mercy towards me. Of the greatness of God's mercy he gives this instance, Thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell, from death, from so great a death, as St. Paul (2 Corinthians 1:10), from eternal death, so even some of the Jewish writers understand it. David knew he deserved to be cast off for ever into the lowest hell for his sin in the matter of Uriah; but Nathan assured him that the Lord had taken away his sin, and by that word he was delivered from the lowest hell, and herein God's mercy was great towards him. Even the best saints owe it, not to their own merit, but to the mercy of God, that they are saved from the lowest hell; and the consideration of that should greatly enlarge their hearts in praising the mercy of God, which they are obliged to glorify for evermore. So glorious; so gracious, a rescue from everlasting misery, justly requires the return of everlasting praise.

      II. He prays earnestly for mercy and grace from God. He complains of the restless and implacable malice of his enemies against him (Psalms 86:14; Psalms 86:14): "Lord, be thou for me; for there are many against me." He then takes notice of their character; they were proud men that looked with disdain upon poor David. (Many are made persecutors by their pride.) They were violent men, that would carry all before them by force, right or wrong. They were terrible formidable men (so some), that did what they could to frighten all about them. He notices their number: There were assemblies of them; they were men in authority and met in councils and courts, or men for conversation, and met in clubs; but, being assembled, they were the more capable of doing mischief. He notices their enmity to him: "They rise up against me in open rebellion; they not only plot, but they put their plots in execution as far as they can; and the design is not only to depose me, but to destroy me: they seek after my life, to slay me; after my soul, to damn me, if it lay in their power." And, lastly, He notices their distance and estrangement from God, which were at the bottom of their enmity to David: "They have not set thee before them; and what good can be expected from those that have no fear of God before their eyes? Lord, appear against them, for they are thy enemies as well as mine." His petitions are,

      1. For the operations of God's grace in him, Psalms 86:11; Psalms 86:11. He prays that God would give him, (1.) An understanding heart, that he would inform and instruct him concerning his duty: "Teach me thy way, O Lord! the way that thou hast appointed me to walk in; when I am in doubt concerning it, make it plain to me what I should do; let me hear the voice saying, This is the way," Isaiah 30:21. David was well taught in the things of God, and yet was sensible he needed further instruction, and many a time could not trust his own judgment: Teach me thy way; I will walk in thy truth. One would think it should be, Teach me thy truth, and I will walk in thy way; but it comes all to one; it is the way of truth that God teaches and that we must choose to walk in, Psalms 119:30. Christ is the way and the truth, and we must both learn Christ and walk in him. We cannot walk in God's way and truth unless he teach us; and, if we expect he should teach us, we must resolve to be governed by his teachings, Isaiah 2:3. (2.) An upright heart: "Unite my heart to fear thy name. Make me sincere in religion. A hypocrite has a double heart; let mine be single and entire for God, not divided between him and the world, not straggling from him." Our hearts are apt to wander and hang loose; their powers and faculties wander after a thousand foreign things; we have therefore need of God's grace to unite them, that we may serve God with all that is within us, and all little enough to be employed in his service. "Let my heart be fixed for God, and firm and faithful to him, and fervent in serving him; that is a united heart."

      2. For the tokens of God's favour to him, Psalms 86:16; Psalms 86:17. Three things he here prays for:-- (1.) That God would speak peace and comfort to him: "O turn unto me, as to one thou lovest and hast a kind and tender concern for. My enemies turn against me, my friends turn from me; Lord, do thou turn to me and have mercy upon me; it will be a comfort to me to know that thou pitiest me." (2.) That God would work deliverance for him, and set him in safety: "Give me thy strength; put strength into me, that I may help myself, and put forth thy strength for me, that I may be saved out of the hands of those that seek my ruin." He pleads relation: "I am thy servant; I am so by birth, as the son of thy handmaid, born in thy house, and therefore thou art my rightful owner and proprietor, from whom I may expect protection. I am thine; save me." The children of godly parents, who were betimes dedicated to the Lord, may plead it with him; if they come under the discipline of his family, they are entitled to the privileges of it. (3.) That God would put a reputation on him: "Show me a token for good; make it to appear to others as well as to myself that thou art doing me good, and designing further good for me. Let me have some unquestionable illustrious instances of thy favour to me, that those who hate me may see it, and be ashamed of their enmity to me, as they will have reason to be when they perceive that thou, Lord, hast helped me and comforted me, and that therefore they have been striving against God, opposing one whom he owns, and that they have been striving in vain to ruin and vex one whom God himself has undertaken to help and comfort." The joy of the saints shall be the shame of their persecutors.