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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 86:8-17

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, Ps. 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,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 86:11

Teach me thy way, O Lord ,.... The methods of thy grace, which thou hast taken, and dost take, in the salvation of men, in the contrivance, impetration, and application of it; or the way which thou hast marked out for thy people to walk in, the way of thy commandments: each of these the psalmist had knowledge of before; but he desires to be more and more instructed therein, as every good man does; see Psalm 25:4 . I will walk in thy truth ; in Christ, the truth of types, and by whom... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 86:11

Teach me thy way - Instruct me in the steps I should take; for without thy teaching I must go astray. Unite my heart - לבבי יחד yached lebabi , join all the purposes, resolutions, and affections of my heart together, to fear and to glorify thy name. This is a most important prayer. A divided heart is a great curse; scattered affections are a miserable plague. When the heart is not at unity with itself, the work of religion cannot go on. Indecision of mind and division of affections... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 86:11

Verse 11 11.Show me thy ways, O Jehovah! David now rises higher, praying that he may be governed by the spirit of sound understanding, in order to his living a holy life, and that he may be strengthened in his endeavors thereto by the spirit of fortitude. He tacitly contrasts the ways of God with all the counsels which he could derive from carnal reason. In submitting himself to God, and in imploring Him to be his guide, he confesses that the only possible way by which we can be enabled to live... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 86:1-17

Metrically, it seems to divide itself, like Psalms 85:1-13 ; into three strophes, two shorter, and one longer, the former being of five verses each, and the latter of seven. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 86:11

Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth (comp. Psalms 25:4 ; Psalms 27:11 ; Psalms 119:33 ). Man cannot know "the way of the Lord," unless he is taught of God. The inward anointing of the Spirit is needful to teach us what God would really have us do ( 1 John 2:27 ). It is only when we are thus taught that we can "walk in his truth." Unite my heart to fear thy Name. So Symmachus, who has ἕνωσον ; Canon Cook, Dr. Kay, Hupfeld, Professor Alexander, and the Revised... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 86:11

A comprehensive prayer. "Unite my heart to fear thy Name," etc. This rich and elevated psalm is well called in the title "a prayer," rather than "a psalm." It is more devout than poetical. Its distinctive character is the remarkable union of intense personal feeling with large views of God's character and relation to mankind ( Psalms 86:9 ). This has led critics to speak of it as "liturgical," overlooking the deep strain of personal feeling, leading the psalmist even ( Psalms 86:16 )... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 86:11

True religion, and what it calls for. I. THE ESSENCE OF ALL TRUE RELIGION IS THE FEAR OF GOD . "To fear thy Name," says the psalmist, and so saying he sets forth the central nature of real religion. But this fear II. THERE CAN BE NO SUCH RELIGION UNLESS THE HEART BE IN IT . Intellect may be there, Reason give her assent. Approval may be expressed—it often is. Deep feeling experienced, this not unusual; but unless the heart, the will—for... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 86:11

The desire to be whole-hearted. This verse contains a prayer "against distraction and division of heart, of course with the desire of its being knit as a whole to God." Perowne expresses the idea skilfully, "Suffer my heart no longer to scatter itself upon a multiplicity of objects, to be drawn hither and thither by a thousand different aims; but turn all its powers, all its affections, in one direction, collect them in one focus, make them all one in thee." Our Lord impressed the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 86:11

Single-heartedness. "Unite my heart to fear thy Name." I. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRAYER ? 1 . It is prayer against double-mindedness. "The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh," etc. Two masters in the house whom we alternately serve—the heavenly and the earthly. Two steering the boat of our lives. 2 . For wholeness or entireness of mind in the service of God. That the divided heart may be made one. That the conflicting aims should... read more

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