Psalms

Psalms 86: God forgives and unites the heart

Begin in prayer

Before we hear David's prayer for mercy and an undivided heart, let us consider the desires that pull us away from God. Ask the merciful Lord for an undivided heart through Christ, so we may walk in His truth.

He will again have compassion on us. He will tread our iniquities under foot; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

Micah 7:19

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word, and help us to see Christ. Show us that the Lord is ready to forgive and can give His people an undivided heart to fear His name. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

David brings his poverty and need before the Lord, asking for preservation, mercy and joy. His confidence rests on the God who is good, ready to forgive and rich in loving kindness to those who call. Looking beyond his trouble, he sees all nations coming to worship the One whose wonders show that He alone is God. He asks to be taught God's way and given an undivided heart to fear His name. Remembering deliverance from the depths, he brings the present threat of proud and violent men before the merciful and gracious Lord. The prayer ends by seeking strength and a sign of goodness that will shame his enemies and show God's help and comfort.

As you read Psalms 86, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God is merciful to those who call, and He gives His servants an undivided heart to walk in truth.

David calls himself godly as a servant who belongs to God, while his repeated plea for mercy rules out any claim of sinless merit. His poverty gives urgency to the prayer, and God's readiness to forgive gives him confidence to keep calling. The Lord's unmatched deeds widen David's hope beyond rescue to the nations He made coming to glorify His name. Asking for an undivided heart recognises that he needs God to join his desires in one faithful fear and worship. His promise of whole hearted praise follows that request, placing devotion after the grace that makes the heart whole. Deliverance from the lowest depths recalls rescue from deadly danger, giving remembered mercy a place in his present appeal. The proud men disregard God, while David reaches for the character God declared to Moses, merciful, gracious and slow to anger. Calling himself the son of God's servant uses a household bond of belonging as he asks his Master for strength. The requested sign is help that enemies can see, answering their hatred with evidence of the goodness that has comforted him.

How does Psalm 86 show us that God is merciful to those who call, and He gives His servants an undivided heart to walk in truth?

God's readiness to forgive gives the needy confidence to pray.

David pleads poverty and asks for mercy through the day. He knows the Lord is good and rich in kindness to those who call. That character gives a troubled servant reason to keep bringing his need before Him.

God gives the undivided heart that can walk in His truth.

David confesses that God alone is great and worthy of every nation's worship. Then he asks to be taught and made whole in heart. The praise he promises depends on God gathering his divided desires into reverent trust.

God's remembered goodness supports the prayer for help today.

David has known deliverance from deadly danger and now faces violent men. He brings their disregard for God before the merciful and faithful Lord. The sign he seeks would show his enemies the help and comfort God has given.

Memorise

For you, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive; abundant in loving kindness to all those who call on you.

Psalm 86:5

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what divided desire am I asking Jesus to bring under His rule?

David asks, “Make my heart undivided to fear your name.” He knows the Lord is ready to forgive and good to those who call. Even his promised praise depends on the mercy that joins a divided heart.

We have all given our hearts to sinful desires that deserve God's anger. Jesus bore the punishment for His people's sins and gave His life to bring them pardon. The Father raised Him to life. His saving work paid in full for His people's sin, and the merciful God hears them when they call.

Turn from your divided loyalties and trust Jesus for mercy. All who come to Him receive forgiveness. Ask Him to gather your desires under His Word and teach you to walk in His truth. The gracious Lord receives His people's troubles and their divided hearts, giving those trusting Jesus reason to keep praying for His help.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the Lord is ready to forgive and can give His people an undivided heart to fear His name. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for His readiness to forgive and ask Him for a heart united in reverent trust. Bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

If you will ask anything in my name, I will do it.

John 14:14

Merciful Lord, please forgive our divided desires and bring us to Jesus for pardon. Thank You for the saving work He has completed. Teach Your people to walk in Your truth and give us hearts united in reverent trust. Hear those facing hatred and violence, and show them the goodness that helps and comforts Your servants. Amen.