Psalms 86
1. Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
2. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
3. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
4. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
6. Give ear, O Lord, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
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. Shew 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.
Have you ever said to someone.....”Can I bend your ear ?”
This infers that you need to have the attention of that person. Here in this Psalm the writer expresses a desire to bend the ear of God ! Bow down thine ear, O LORD hear me: for I am poor and needy. Do you need to bend God’s ear tonight ? Is there something you need to tell him ? Some request that u have of him....some sin that u need to confess......how can we bend the ear of God.....let’s find out by looking at this Psalm together.
I. Notice The Author
a. See His Superiority
This is King David. The shepherd boy who was chosen to be the supreme ruler over Israel.
b. See His Substance.
He is not lacking in provisions.....nor supplies. He is the King and has a vast domain at his disposal.
c. See His Servants.
This man as King has servants that await his beckoning call.
In spite of who he is, and what he has....what he desires more than anything else is to bend the ear of God.....he want’s to have an audience with God.
II. Notice The Approach.
In bending the ear of God.....our approach to him is vitally important.
In listening to some tv preachers.....they seem to forget who’s the servant, and who is God.........in their prayers they demand God to do things as though he is to listen to their every whim ! Notice David’s approach to the Lord......this is how we need to come before the Lord.
a. I am dependent.
The King is dependent upon the King of Kings......He who has attendants calls upon the LORD asking for his attention.....”Bow down thine ear, O LORD hear me:” When we come to the Lord in prayer....are we willing to give our all completely to him or in the back of our mind, are we still holding out that our own way might work ? We must come to the Lord acknowledging our dependence upon him.
b. I am depressed. Poor meaning depressed. Depression is something that most all people deal with at one time or another. With some it may seem like just “the blues”. And with some it may be a chronic problem. Satan wants to fiddle with our mind because it processed information. If Satan can get us to have faulty thinking, he will cause us to live flawed lives. Satan loathes to blind the mind to keep us from hearing the truth of the gospel......to see our need for God.
c. I am destitute. Needy meaning destitute like a beggar. Do you consider yourself poor ?
1. I was so poor when I was growing up that when someone asked me what I was doing when I was kicking a can down the street....I said.....”I’m moving.”
2. Burglars once broke into our house, and left some money.
3. Our t.v had two channels....on and off.
4. We ate cereal with a fork....so we could save milk !
5. We were so poor that when I told my dad the garbage man was coming he said......”good..tell him to leave two cans !”
Ugh !
In our just completed series from the Sermon on the Mount we looked at “Blessed are the poor in spirit”...in that verse we discovered that Jesus was speaking of those, and to those who were spiritually bankrupt....spiritually poverty stricken......spiritually destitute !
Do you realize this evening that without Jesus Christ, and apart from his righteousness....we are spiritually bankrupt ? David approached God....laying it all out before the Lord....saying I am nothing......I have nothing.....Lord I am destitute without you......I’m broke without you.
III. Notice The Appeal.
a. He appeals for preservation. V. 2
Preserve, guard, put a hedge around me.
b. He appeals for pity. V.3
Be merciful....have pity.
c. He appeals for provision. V.4
Rejoice the soul of thy servant.....brighten up, cheer up thy servant.
d. He appeals for principle. V.11
Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
IV. Notice The Acknowledgment.
Vs. 5
a. God is favorable. V. 5 “good”
V. 10 “great”
b. God is forgiving.
c. God is full.
d. God is focused. V.7
If God had a refrigerator......your picture would be onit !
V. Notice The Acclamation. Vs. 12-13
a. He praises the Lord with the heart. V.12
“I will praise thee, O Lord my God with all my heart:.......”
b. He praises the Lord with honor.
“ I will glorify thy name forevermore.” V.12
c. He praises the Lord for help.
“......thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.” V.13
