Psalm 86

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86th psalm of the Book of Psalms

title: "Psalm 86" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["texts-assigned-to-david", "psalms"] description: "86th psalm of the Book of Psalms" topic_path: "general/texts-assigned-to-david" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalm_86" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 86th psalm of the Book of Psalms ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical composition"]

FieldValue
namePsalm 86
subtitle"Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me"
other_name{{plainlist
languageHebrew (original)
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| name = Psalm 86 | subtitle = "Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me" | type = | image = | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | other_name = {{plainlist|

  • Psalm 85
  • "Inclina Domine aurem tuam" | text = | language = Hebrew (original) | written = | published = Psalm 86 is the 86th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 85. In Latin, it is known as "Inclina Domine". It is attributed to David.

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been paraphrased in hymns and set to music, including settings by Heinrich Schütz in German and Basil Harwood in Latin. Henry Purcell and Gustav Holst composed elaborate anthems in English. In Mendelssohn's Elijah, three verses from Psalm 86 are used in the narration.

A prayer of David

The psalm bears the title "A Prayer of David" (תְּפִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד; tə-p̄i-lāh lə-ḏā-wiḏ). It is one of five psalms labeled as "prayer" (tephillah), and bears a resemblance to Psalm 17, which also has this title (cf. Psalm 90, known as the "prayer of Moses"). This psalm is the only one attributed to David in Book 3 of Psalms (comprising Psalms 73 to 89). The preceding three psalms (Psalms 83-85) and Psalms 87 and 88 are attributed to the sons of Korah.

Analysis

Biblical commentator Cyril Rodd suggests that three parts are transparent in this psalm:

The first, verses 1–7, are 'a plea for help'; in relation to 'the psalmist's piety' (verses 1–4) and 'the character of God' (verses 5–7). The second, verses 8–13, form a hymn, 'interrupted by a call on God to teach the psalmist' (verse 11), and concluding with 'thankful confidence' for answered prayer, and 'a vow to offer praise'/'sacrifice a thank-offering' (verses 12–13) The final part, verses 14–17, are 'renewed prayer', ending with a request for a 'sign' or the 'salvation'.

The composition of the psalm features frequent parallels and repetitions, such as an eightfold 'for' (verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13), the repeated 'Lord' eleven times (verses 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, with seven of them being adonai (verses 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 15), and the four others as "YHWH". The psalmist is named the 'servant' of YHWH (abdeka; "your servant") in verses 2, 4, 16, which may indicate literary patterns. A chiastic structure has been discovered, with verse 11 in the center:

: 1–4 :: 5–6 :::7 ::::8–10 :::::11 ::::12–13 :::14 ::15 :16–17

Verses 5 and 15 refer to ; verse 16 is a paraphrase of the middle part in the Priestly Blessing ().

Verse 1

:Bow down Your ear, O Lord, hear me; :For I am poor and needy. The same statement appears in .

Uses

New Testament

Judaism

Eastern Orthodox Church

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Psalm 85 (Psalm 86 in the Masoretic Text) is read daily at the Ninth Hour. It is part of the twelfth Kathisma division of the Psalter, read at Vespers on Wednesday evenings, as well as on Tuesdays and Thursdays during Lent, at Matins and the Ninth Hour, respectively.

Coptic Orthodox Church

In the Agpeya, the Coptic Church's book of hours, this psalm is prayed in the office of Sext, as well as the first watch of the Midnight office. It is also in the prayer of the Veil, which is generally prayed only by monks.

Book of Common Prayer

In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the 17th day of the month.

Historic Uses

An inscription in Koine Greek, the language used in the New Testament, discovered in 2023 at the Byzantine monastery of Kastellion from the Judaean desert, represents a paraphrase of part of Psalm 86, where the original invocation of "the Lord" has been replaced by one of Jesus Christ.

Musical settings

Several hymns paraphrase Psalm 86 or parts of it, including "Bow down Thine ear, O Lord".{{cite web | url = https://hymnary.org/browse/scripture/Psalms/86?sort=totalInstances | title = Hymns for Psalm 86 | website = hymnary.org | date = | access-date = 30 June 2021

The Renaissance composer Cristóbal de Morales composed a motet in Latin, "Inclina Domine aurem tuam", first published in 1543.Wacław z Szamotuł composed Nakłoń, Panie, ku mnie ucho Twoje song to the Polish translation of Psalm 86 by Mikołaj Rej in the 16th century. Heinrich Schütz set a German metric paraphrase, "Herr, neig zu mir dein gnädigs Ohr" (Lord, bow to me your gracious ear) as part of the 1602 Becker Psalter, as SWV 183. Henry Purcell composed an anthem, Bow down thine ear, O Lord, Z11, in 1681 or earlier. It is based on verses 1, 3–6, 8, 10–12, alternating soloists and choir, with organ.

Andreas Romberg wrote seven psalm settings for different unaccompanied choirs, titled Psalmodie, Op. 65, between 1817 and 1820, using translations into German by Moses Mendelssohn. Psalm 86 is the first, written for a five-part choir SSATB. In Mendelssohn's Elijah, three verses from Psalm 86 are used in the narration of the oratorio. In #2, a duet, the beginning is used to begin a plea, and in #8, the scene between Elijah and the widow, he first paraphrases verse 16 and then quotes verse 15, "for Thou art gracious, and full of compassion and plenteous in mercy and truth", praying to bring her son back to life.

British composer Clara Ross (1858–1954) used Psalm 86 for the text of her song "Comfort the Soul of Thy Servant". William Crotch set verse 4 as an anthem for choir and organ, Comfort, O Lord, The Soul of Thy Servant. Basil Harwood composed a setting of the psalm for his doctoral thesis in 1896, Inclina domine. Walter Piston composed a setting in English for four-part choir and piano. Gustav Holst set Psalm 86, together with Psalm 148 in English, "To my humble supplication", for mixed choir, string orchestra and organ in 1912. George Enescu planned a symphony in F minor for baritone, choir and orchestra on text from Psalm 86, but left only fragments c. 1917.

In 1985, Xaver Paul Thoma composed a setting for mezzo-soprano, viola and organ, premiered in 1993 in Karlsruhe-Durlach by Henrike Paede, Jean-Eric Souzy as violist and Hans Martin Corrinth as the organist.

Text

The following table shows the Hebrew text of the Psalm with vowels, alongside the Koine Greek text in the Septuagint and the English translation from the King James Version. Note that the meaning can slightly differ between these versions, as the Septuagint and the Masoretic Text come from different textual traditions.A 1917 translation directly from Hebrew to English by the Jewish Publication Society can be found here or here, and an 1844 translation directly from the Septuagint by L. C. L. Brenton can be found here. Both translations are in the public domain. In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 85. ::data[format=table]

#HebrewEnglishGreek
1(A Prayer of David.) Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.Προσευχὴ τῷ Δαυΐδ. - ΚΛΙΝΟΝ, Κύριε, τὸ οὖς σου καὶ ἐπάκουσόν μου, ὅτι πτωχὸς καὶ πένης εἰμὶ ἐγώ.
2Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.φύλαξον τὴν ψυχήν μου, ὅτι ὅσιός εἰμι· σῶσον τὸν δοῦλόν σου, ὁ Θεός μου, τὸν ἐλπίζοντα ἐπὶ σέ.
3Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.ἐλέησόν με, Κύριε, ὅτι πρὸς σὲ κεκράξομαι ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν.
4Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.εὔφρανον τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ δούλου σου, ὅτι πρὸς σέ, Κύριε, ἦρα τὴν ψυχήν μου.
5For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.ὅτι σύ, Κύριε, χρηστὸς καὶ ἐπιεικὴς καὶ πολυέλεος πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις σε.
6Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.ἐνώτισαι, Κύριε, τὴν προσευχήν μου καὶ πρόσχες τῇ φωνῇ τῆς δεήσεώς μου.
7In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεώς μου ἐκέκραξα πρὸς σέ, ὅτι ἐπήκουσάς μου.
8Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.οὐκ ἔστιν ὅμοιός σοι ἐν θεοῖς, Κύριε, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ τὰ ἔργα σου.
9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, ὅσα ἐποίησας, ἥξουσι καὶ προσκυνήσουσιν ἐνώπιόν σου, Κύριε, καὶ δοξάσουσι τὸ ὄνομά σου.
10For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.ὅτι μέγας εἶ σὺ καὶ ποιῶν θαυμάσια, σὺ εἶ Θεὸς μόνος.
11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.ὁδήγησόν με, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου, καὶ πορεύσομαι ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σου· εὐφρανθήτω ἡ καρδία μου τοῦ φοβεῖσθαι τὸ ὄνομά σου.
12I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ μου, καὶ δοξάσω τὸ ὄνομά σου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
13For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.ὅτι τὸ ἔλεός σου μέγα ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ καὶ ἐρρύσω τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐξ ᾅδου κατωτάτου.
14O 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.ὁ Θεός, παράνομοι ἐπανέστησαν ἐπ᾿ ἐμέ, καὶ συναγωγὴ κραταιῶν ἐζήτησαν τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ οὐ προέθεντό σε ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν.
15But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.καὶ σύ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, οἰκτίρμων καὶ ἐλεήμων, μακρόθυμος καὶ πολυέλεος καὶ ἀληθινός.
16O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.ἐπίβλεψον ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ καὶ ἐλέησόν με, δὸς τὸ κράτος σου τῷ παιδί σου καὶ σῶσον τὸν υἱὸν τῆς παιδίσκης σου.
17Shew 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.ποίησον μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ σημεῖον εἰς ἀγαθόν, καὶ ἰδέτωσαν οἱ μισοῦντές με καὶ αἰσχυνθήτωσαν, ὅτι σύ, Κύριε, ἐβοήθησάς μοι καὶ παρεκάλεσάς με.
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Notes

References

Sources

  • {{Cite book |last1 = Berlin |first1 = Adele |author-link1 = Adele Berlin |last2 = Brettler |first2 = Marc Zvi |author-link2 = Marc Zvi Brettler |chapter = Psalms |editor1-last = Berlin |editor1-first = Adele |editor2-last = Brettler |editor2-first = Marc Zvi |editor3-last = Fishbane |editor3-first = Michael A. |title = The Jewish Study Bible |publisher = Oxford University Press |year = 2004 |chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aDuy3p5QvEYC |isbn = 978-0-19-529751-5 |url-access = registration |url = https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780195297515

References

  1. [http://medievalist.net/psalmstxt/ps85.htm Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 85 (86)] {{webarchive. link. (7 May 2017 medievalist.net)
  2. [[Charles H. Spurgeon
  3. Cole, Steven J. (2009) [https://bible.org/seriespage/psalm-86-lesson-prayer Psalm 86: A Lesson on Prayer]. Bible.org, accessed on 17 July 2021
  4. {{bibleverse. Psalm. 86:1. NKJV: [[New King James Version]]
  5. Keil, Carl Friedrich and Delitzsch, Franz, [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/kad/psalms/86.htm OT Commentary] on Psalm 86, accessed 13 March 2022
  6. Kirkpatrick, A. F.. (1901). "The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes". At the University Press.
  7. The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 157
  8. The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 759
  9. The Complete Artscroll Siddur, page 265
  10. The Holy Psalter, Saint Ignatius Orthodox Press, 2022
  11. "Sext". agpeya.org.
  12. "Midnight". agpeya.org.
  13. "Veil". agpeya.org.
  14. Church of England, [https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/The%20Book%20of%20Common%20Prayer%201662.pdf Book of Common Prayer: The Psalter] as printed by [[John Baskerville]] in 1762, pp. 196ff
  15. [https://www.timesofisrael.com/unique-byzantine-psalm-inscription-in-new-testament-greek-discovered-in-judean-desert/ Unique Byzantine Psalm inscription in New Testament Greek discovered in Judean Desert]. Gavriel Fiske for [[Times of Israel]], 27 Sep 2023. Accessed 2 Oct 2023.
  16. {{IMSLP. Inclina Domine aurem tuam (Morales, Cristóbal de)
  17. [https://www.empik.com/piesn-wieczorna-various-artists,p1255292941,muzyka-p Pieśń wieczorna] (in Polish) empik.com 2020
  18. Robert King: [https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/tw.asp?w=W7170 Bow down thine ear, O Lord, Z11] [[Hyperion Records]]
  19. {{IMSLP. Psalmodie, Op.65 (Romberg, Andreas)
  20. [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52154231e4b0af0a3133f7b4/t/55b8194ce4b065451b1e2813/1438128460282/Mendelssohn+Elijah+Synthesis.pdf Elijah, Op. 70 (1846)] The Choral Society 2015 p. 3
  21. [http://www.bu.edu/cfa/files/2011/03/PB4.11.11.pdf Mendelssohn's Elijah] Boston University Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Chorus 2011 p. 6
  22. "Biography".
  23. {{IMSLP. Comfort, O Lord, The Soul of Thy Servant (Crotch, William)
  24. Dibble, Jeremy. (23 September 2004). "Harwood, Basil (1859–1949)".
  25. [http://www.99malls.com/Sheet_Music/classical_scores/Walter_Piston.html Scores and Sheet music of Walter Piston] 99malls.com
  26. Julian Haylock: [https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/tw.asp?w=W1083 Two Psalms, H117] Hyperion Records 1998
  27. Martin Jenkins: [https://repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de/wp-content/uploads/vorworte_prefaces/1047.html Holst Two Psalms] repertoire-explorer.musikmph.de 2010
  28. [https://xaver-paul-thoma.de/vokalmusik/solostimme-und-instrumente xpt 057. PSALM 86, Mezzo-Sopran, Bratsche, Orgel] xaver-paul-thoma.de
  29. "Psalms – Chapter 86". Mechon Mamre.
  30. "Psalms 86 - JPS 1917". [[Sefaria.
  31. "Psalm 85 - Septuagint and Brenton's Septuagint Translation". Ellopos.

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