Psalms Chapter 86
Showing all 17 verses for Psalms Chapter 86.
The People's Bible is written by people, for the people. Each verse below shows:
"Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. "
"Lean down and listen to me, God — I'm poor and in need."
You don't need to impress me to be heard. Come to me exactly as needy and worn out as you are — that honesty is the doorway, not a weakness to hide.
"Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. "
"Keep me safe, because I'm devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you, my God."
I don't ask you to be flawless before I'll care for you — I ask you to keep turning towards me. Trust, not perfection, is what keeps the door open between us.
"Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. "
"Have mercy on me, Lord — I cry out to you every day."
Come back every single day if you need to. I'm not tired of hearing from you — repetition isn't a bother to me, it's a relationship.
"Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. "
"Bring joy to your servant's heart, because I lift my whole self up to you, Lord."
Your joy matters to me, not just your survival. Lift up everything you are — your hopes, your low moods, your whole self — I want to meet all of it, not just your emergencies.
"For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. "
"Because you, Lord, are good, and quick to forgive, and full of mercy to everyone who calls on you."
I'm not waiting for you to mess up so I can hold it over you. I'm ready to forgive before you even finish asking — that's who I am, not a reluctant favour I dole out.
"Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. "
"Listen, LORD, to my prayer; pay attention to the sound of my pleading."
Say it again if you need to. Urgency isn't rudeness with me — keep asking until you feel heard.
"In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. "
"When trouble comes, I will call out to you — because I know you'll answer me."
Make trouble your signal to reach for me, not to run from me. I answer — maybe not instantly, maybe not how you expect, but I answer.
"Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. "
"There's no god like you, Lord; nothing anyone else has done compares to your works."
Whatever you're tempted to build your whole life around — money, status, approval — none of it holds a candle to what's real and lasting. Aim your trust at the right target.
"All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. "
"All the nations you created will come and bow before you, Lord, and honour your name."
My arms are open to everyone, whatever background, nation or history they come from. Don't build walls I never asked you to build.
"For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. "
"You are great, and you do amazing things — you alone are God."
Simplify your life by simplifying what you worship. One true centre beats a dozen scattered idols competing for your loyalty.
"Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. "
"Teach me your way, LORD; I'll follow your truth — bring my divided heart together so I can honour you wholeheartedly."
I know your heart pulls in a dozen directions at once — that's normal, that's human. Ask me to bring the pieces together rather than trying to force yourself into one shape by sheer willpower alone.
"I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. "
"I will praise you, Lord my God, with everything I have, and honour your name forever."
Real thankfulness isn't a performance you put on — it flows naturally once your heart stops being torn in two. Let integrity come first; praise follows on its own.
"For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. "
"Your mercy towards me is huge — you've pulled my life back from the depths of the grave."
Remember your own rescues, even the small ones. Gratitude gets real when you can point to an actual moment you were pulled back from the edge.
"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. "
"God, arrogant people have risen up against me, and violent gangs are after my life — people who don't even consider you at all."
When people hurt you and answer to nothing and no one, that's frightening — I see that fear. You don't have to fight fire with fire; bring the fear and anger to me honestly instead of carrying it alone.
"But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. "
"But you, Lord, are a God full of compassion and grace, patient, and overflowing with mercy and faithfulness."
Whatever cruelty you face from other people, it doesn't have to become who you are. I stay patient and merciful even when provoked — let that be the character you reach for too, not the anger shown to you.
"O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. "
"Turn to me and show me mercy; give your strength to your servant — save this child of your servant."
You belong to a story bigger than today's crisis — whatever you've inherited of faith or hope from those before you, you can lean on that too, not just your own strength.
"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. "
"Give me a visible sign of your goodness, so that the people who hate me will see it and feel ashamed — because you, LORD, have helped and comforted me."
It's alright to want to be seen to be alright, not just to feel alright in secret. I'm not offended by your wish for things to visibly turn around — just don't let proving people wrong become your whole reason for living.