5. Blessed Are They That Mourn, Psalm 86

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Hymns: RHC 335 Keep On Believing, 247 Cleanse Me, 5 Command Thy Blessing From Above

Psalm 86

1 A Prayer of David. Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. 3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. 4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. 6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. 8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. 9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. 10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone. 11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. 12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell. 14 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. 15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. 16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. 17 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.

Blessed Are They That Mourn

 OUTLINE

(1) The Mourner’s Heart Outpoured (v 1-4, 6-7, 14)

(a) In Affliction and Want (v 1)

(b) From Attacks to remain Faithful (v 2)

(c) Trusting only in God’s Mercy (v 3)

(d) Wont of Gladness (v 4)

(e) Persecuted And in Distress (v 14)

 

(2) The Mourner’s Great God (v 5,8-10 ,15)

(a) Ready to Forgive the Repentant (v 8a)

(b) Plenteous in Mercy (v 8b)

(c) Incomparable (v 8a)

(d) Mighty in works (v 8b)

(e) Worthy of Worship (v 9a)

(f) Worthy to be Glorified (v 9b)

(g) God alone (v 10)

(h) Compassionate (v 15a)

(i) Gracious (v 15b)

(j) Longsuffering (v 15c)

(k) Truth (v15d)

 

(3) The Mourner’s Blessings Received by Faith (v 11-13,16-17)

(a) A Submissive Heart (v 11a)

(b) A God-Fearer’s Heart (v 11b)

(c) A Thankful Heart (v 12)

(d) Salvation of the Soul (v 13)

(e) God’s Mercy (v 16a)

(f) God’s Strength (v 16b)

(g) God’s Deliverance (v 16c-17a)

(h) Enemy’s Shame (v 17b)

(i) God’s Comfort (v 17c)

 

INTRODUCTION

A Christian writer observes, “In godly sorrow, a man’s heart empties itself before God, and then Christ empties His heart out to supply the needs of his poor sorrowing child. In confessing to Christ our deficiencies, He reveals to us His fullness. When we tell Jesus our sorrows, He tells us His joys. We tell him our sins, He tells us His righteousness.” Mourners are promised the blessing of God’s comfort! Indeed, they shall be comforted.

The expression of grieve and godly sorrow in the psalmist David’s heart is articulated in intense Hebrew poetry to teach us the blessedness of mourners – for they shall be comforted.

The psalmist’s God is the highlight of this psalm for it reveals various nature of God in relation to him. Notice the word “LORD” occurs 4 times emphasising the covenant-keeping nature of God. “Lord” occurs 7 times to emphasise the Lordship of God in his life. If He is really our Master, are we then walking in submission and obedience to Him? And the word “GOD” used 4 times emphasising His power contrast with false gods (v 8).

The psalmist pleads in prayer for God to teach Him to know His will. This is the first step. The heart is inclined to seek God’s will. This is contrasted with a self-willed man. He acknowledges the headship of God in his/her life. You will notice that in this psalm, the word “Lord” is used 7 times which means “master” (v 3 ,4 ,5 ,8 ,9 ,12,15).

The psalmist comes to God with a poverty of spirit – poor and needy (v 1) acknowledging His need for God’s help. This is the first step in acknowledging the headship of Christ in our lives.

Christians are to discern God’s will through prayer and His Word, Colossians 1:9 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” And pray that God’s will for the world be done, Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

A praying saint will not be lost for want of direction as he/she waits upon God for instruction.

Whether we are looking for a life-partner, a career change, a new career, a school for our children, we first begin with prayer. To pray is to commit the matter to the Lord so that He can show us the way ahead.

 

(1) The Mourner’s Heart Outpoured (v 1-4, 6-7, 14)

(a) In Affliction and Want (v 1)

(b) From Attacks to remain Faithful (v 2)

(c) Trusting only in God’s Mercy (v 3)

(d) Wont of Gladness (v 4)

(e) Persecuted And in Distress (v 14)

1 A Prayer of David. Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. 2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. 3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. 4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul…6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. 7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me…14 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.

 

Observe the tone and intensity of the words in a direct translation from the original given in bold.

1 Bow down O Lord Thine ear, answer me, for afflicted and in want am I.

2 Guard my soul for faithful am I, save Thy servant.

3 To Thee I call all the day, be gracious to me my Lord, to Thee I shall call all the day.

4 Rejoice the soul of Thy servant for to Thee I lift up my soul

6 Hear, O Lord, my prayer and attend to the voice of my supplication.

7 In the day of my need I call Thee for Thou wilt answer me.

The psalmist comes to God with a poverty of spirit. This word “poor” has the meaning of “destitution”. It describes utter poverty. Just like the prodigal son who came to himself in Luke 15:17 and the publican who went up to the temple to pray in standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”

There was the other man the Pharisee who was there at the Temple also in Luke 18:11-12 who “stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” 

Luke 18:14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Have you felt depressed and miserable after doing God’s will in your life? The psalmist felt exactly that. He could not really understand his predicament for trouble overwhelms his soul.

He is asking His God to condescend to his low estate. He needs help. He is asking God to keep him in his steadfastness. He is asking God to cheer him up. Have you felt depressed before? You can go to Him to ask God to restore peace and joy in your heart again. He is persistent in seeking no other help except God’s help – He calls all the day long. And he knew his God will answer every pray he utters. What great privilege!

 

(2) The Mourner’s Great God (v 5,8-10 ,15)

(a) Ready to Forgive the Repentant (v 8a)

(b) Plenteous in Mercy (v 8b)

(c) Incomparable (v 8a)

(d) Mighty in works (v 8b)

(e) Worthy of Worship (v 9a)

(f) Worthy to be Glorified (v 9b)

(g) God alone (v 10)

(h) Compassionate (v 15a)

(i) Gracious (v 15b)

(j) Longsuffering (v 15c)

(k) Truth (v15d)

5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee…8 Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works. 9 All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name. 10 For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone…15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

Understanding the character of God and His attributes give us godly confidence! We know that whatever difficulty we have, we can always come to Him in prayer.

When God called Moses to confront Pharaoh to free His people from slavery in Egypt, Moses asked God to who are You? God had to express Himself to Moses.

He voiced his inability to articulate who is his God! God supplied his servant a true knowledge of Him, “God is that “I am”, the Self-Existing One, the Uncaused First Cause, the Eternal One, the Self-Sufficient Who has revealed Himself to you intimately. He says to Moses, “I am the Lord God Almighty! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the A and the Z and everything in between, I am whatever you need!”

We need to know who God is so that our prayer in pleading based on the attributes of God, will find God’s answer.

Indeed, the psalmist acknowledges the power of God to resolve the problems in life and pleads for God’s intervention.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

(3) The Mourner’s Blessings Received by Faith (v 11-13,16-17)

(a) A Submissive Heart (v 11a)

(b) A God-Fearer’s Heart (v 11b)

(c) A Thankful Heart (v 12)

(d) Salvation of the Soul (v 13)

(e) God’s Mercy (v 16a)

(f) God’s Strength (v 16b)

(g) God’s Deliverance (v 16c-17a)

(h) Enemy’s Shame (v 17b)

(i) God’s Comfort (v 17c)

11 Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name. 12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore. 13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell…16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid. 17 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.

UNITE MY HEART TO FEAR THY NAME – Head knowledge must be undergirded with the determination of the heart to yield to God’s leading. The psalmist sought God’s guidance. The fear of God in the heart is the key ingredient to submission of God’s will for our lives. To understand what is encompassed in the NAME of God. God is Judge. He will judge us according to His laws or His Word.

The God-fearer is given firstly salvation of his/her soul receiving God’s mercy. Also, God’s strength and deliverance from every trouble, every enemy and most precious, he/she receive God’s comfort.

CONCLUSION

  • The Mourner’s Heart Outpoured (v 1-4,6-7 ,14)
  • The Mourner’s Great God (v 5,8-10 ,15)
  • The Mourner’s Blessings Received by Faith (v 11-13,16-17)

Amen.