Psa 86:13 | KingComments | STEP | The psalm begins and ends with distress. The emphasis is on the middle section. That part, and , describes the greatness of God, with in between the emphasis on , namely that all nations will honor God. This is also the main theme of Psalm 86 (cf. ). It is not primarily about the psalmist’s need, but about God’s glory. The question is no longer whether God will deliver – that is certain, see and – but how God will deliver. Therefore the psalmist wants teaching from the LORD: “Teach me Your way, O LORD” ( ). Now that peace has come in the heart, David longs to know the way of the LORD that will lead all nations to worship the LORD ( ; ). This includes that the LORD will strike down David’s enemies. He also wants to learn the way the LORD is going with him. It is the LORD’s way with him, not the other way around, David’s way with the LORD. When he learns the LORD’s way for him, he will walk in God’s truth, which means he will go his way in faithfulness to the LORD. Knowing the way of the LORD is not a matter of the intellect. David asks the question because he has a desire to walk His way in the light of the LORD. At the same time, he asks: “Unite my heart.” He asks for an undivided heart, a heart that is fully focused on God (cf. ; ). He knows his own weakness and vulnerability. He knows how easily he is distracted by the temptations outside and inside. That’s why he asks the LORD to make his heart strong. He asks the LORD for the strength to love Him with all his heart, with all his soul and with all his strength ( ). A united heart is the same as “one thing” that Mary and Paul chose ( ; ). With them the Lord Jesus is central, He owns their heart, the center of their existence, from where He governs their lives. This is contrasted with what James calls in his letter ‘wavering’, which literally means ‘double-minded’ ( ). There is no double-mindedness ( ), but full devotion to the Lord and His interests. David asks for a united heart “to fear Your Name”. Fearing the LORD is the evidence of a wise heart ( ). When the fear or awe of the Name of God fills the whole heart, the whole life is focused on honoring God. Then things are sought and done that glorify God. A heart completely filled with the fear of God says to Him what David does here: “I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart” ( ). Here we see that the fear of God is not anxiousness, but awe that is expressed in reverence. Nor is it a desire of a moment. David “will glorify” God’s name “forever”. It will never end. The giving thanks to God is the great privilege of the redeemed of all ages. The church may do this in a special way on the first day of the week when it gathers around the Lord Jesus. There He starts the song of praise, in which the faithful then join ( ). The occasion for the eternal thanksgiving is God’s “lovingkindness” which is “great” toward him ( ). David experienced that great lovingkindness. Here again, lovingkindness refers to the blessings that the LORD gives on the basis of His covenant. That covenant is the new covenant on the basis of the blood of Christ, which is the blood of the new covenant ( ). That is the only reason God can show His lovingkindness. For God has “delivered” his soul “from the depths of Sheol”. Deliverance from death and the realm of the dead is a personal matter. One can only partake of it personally, not as a member of a nation or a group. Whoever has a share in it will never forget to give thanks for it. It is the greatest gift a person can receive: the deliverance from death. This is not about the resurrection from the dead, but about the life that has been saved from the danger of death.

‏ Psalms 86:13

Teach Me and I Will Give Thanks to You

The psalm begins and ends with distress. The emphasis is on the middle section. That part, Psa 86:8 and Psa 86:10, describes the greatness of God, with in between the emphasis on Psa 86:9, namely that all nations will honor God. This is also the main theme of Psalm 86 (cf. Isa 45:23). It is not primarily about the psalmist’s need, but about God’s glory. The question is no longer whether God will deliver – that is certain, see Psa 86:12 and Psa 86:13 – but how God will deliver. Therefore the psalmist wants teaching from the LORD: “Teach me Your way, O LORD” (Psa 86:11).

Now that peace has come in the heart, David longs to know the way of the LORD that will lead all nations to worship the LORD (Psa 86:11; Psa 86:9). This includes that the LORD will strike down David’s enemies. He also wants to learn the way the LORD is going with him. It is the LORD’s way with him, not the other way around, David’s way with the LORD. When he learns the LORD’s way for him, he will walk in God’s truth, which means he will go his way in faithfulness to the LORD.

Knowing the way of the LORD is not a matter of the intellect. David asks the question because he has a desire to walk His way in the light of the LORD. At the same time, he asks: “Unite my heart.” He asks for an undivided heart, a heart that is fully focused on God (cf. Jer 32:39; Eze 11:19-20).

He knows his own weakness and vulnerability. He knows how easily he is distracted by the temptations outside and inside. That’s why he asks the LORD to make his heart strong. He asks the LORD for the strength to love Him with all his heart, with all his soul and with all his strength (Deu 6:5).

A united heart is the same as “one thing” that Mary and Paul chose (Lk 10:42; Phil 3:14). With them the Lord Jesus is central, He owns their heart, the center of their existence, from where He governs their lives. This is contrasted with what James calls in his letter ‘wavering’, which literally means ‘double-minded’ (Jam 1:8 ; Jam 4:8). There is no double-mindedness (1Kgs 18:21), but full devotion to the Lord and His interests.

David asks for a united heart “to fear Your Name”. Fearing the LORD is the evidence of a wise heart (Pro 1:7). When the fear or awe of the Name of God fills the whole heart, the whole life is focused on honoring God. Then things are sought and done that glorify God.

A heart completely filled with the fear of God says to Him what David does here: “I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart” (Psa 86:12). Here we see that the fear of God is not anxiousness, but awe that is expressed in reverence. Nor is it a desire of a moment. David “will glorify” God’s name “forever”. It will never end.

The giving thanks to God is the great privilege of the redeemed of all ages. The church may do this in a special way on the first day of the week when it gathers around the Lord Jesus. There He starts the song of praise, in which the faithful then join (Heb 2:12).

The occasion for the eternal thanksgiving is God’s “lovingkindness” which is “great” toward him (Psa 86:13). David experienced that great lovingkindness. Here again, lovingkindness refers to the blessings that the LORD gives on the basis of His covenant. That covenant is the new covenant on the basis of the blood of Christ, which is the blood of the new covenant (Mt 26:28). That is the only reason God can show His lovingkindness.

For God has “delivered” his soul “from the depths of Sheol”. Deliverance from death and the realm of the dead is a personal matter. One can only partake of it personally, not as a member of a nation or a group. Whoever has a share in it will never forget to give thanks for it. It is the greatest gift a person can receive: the deliverance from death. This is not about the resurrection from the dead, but about the life that has been saved from the danger of death.