Psalm 86: 5-6, 9-10, 15-16

Parts of an individual lament are singled out for this week’s responsorial psalm: a prayer to be heard by God, expressions of praise, and a plea for mercy.

You, O LORD, are good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call upon you. 

The passage opens by first extolling God with confidence, which is followed by a fervent plea.

God is described as abounding in hesed (“kindness”), the kind of steadfast love associated with the covenant.

Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my pleading.

Note the parallel construction of the entreaty, which intensifies it:

Hearken….. to my prayer
Attend….. to the sound of my pleading

All the nations you have made shall come and worship you, O LORD, and glorify your name.

The plea transitions into a joyful expression of praise. God, as the Creator of all, is acknowledged and revered by people from every nation.

For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;

The wondrous deeds being extolled are not specified, but the Hebrew word used (pālā’) implies extraordinary accomplishments that would be impossible for man, such as cosmic events or historical achievements. Or perhaps given the previous mention of God as Creator, this could allude to the marvels of creation itself.

you alone are God.

There is no other god; the LORD has no rivals.

You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity. 

The structure of this third section echoes the first: acclamation followed by a plea.

The acclamation employs the self-revelation of God in his encounter with Moses on Mount Sinai: compassionate (rahûm) and gracious (hannûn), slow to anger and filled with lovingkindness (hesed). This comes directly from Exodus 34:6, when God demonstrated forgiveness and renewed the covenant with the people even after their sin of worshiping the golden calf.

Turn toward me, and have pity on me; give your strength to your servant.

By entreating God to “turn toward” him, the author seeks the favor and blessings that come from being in God’s presence. At the forefront of these blessings is mercy, a distinctive aspect of the covenant relationship. By identifying himself as a servant (‘ebed) of God, the author reaffirms the language of the covenant, expressing confidence in God’s faithfulness to His promises.

While the nations may bow before the God of Israel, acknowledging him as the sole Creator, the psalmist himself also offers homage because, despite his own sinfulness, he relies on God’s unwavering commitment to the covenant.