Psalm 86

David's prayer.

A prayer for help

1 Lord, please listen to me,

and answer me!

I am weak and I need help.

2 I am your faithful servant,

so keep my life safe!

Please save me, my God,

for I trust in you.

3 My Lord, be kind to me.

All through the day,

I am calling to you for help.

4 Please make me happy deep inside,

for you are the one that I pray to, my Lord.

5 Yes, my Lord, you are very kind,

and you are ready to forgive people.

When anyone calls to you for help,

you love them with your faithful love.

6 Lord, hear my prayer!

Please listen when I call to you for help.

7 Whenever trouble comes to me,

I will pray to you.

I know that you will answer me.

8 There is no one like you, my Lord,

among all the gods.

Nobody can do the great things that you do.

9 You have made all the nations of the world,

and they will all come to worship you, my Lord.

They will agree that your name is great.

10 For you are great and you do great things.

You alone are God.

11 Lord, teach me how I should live.

Then I will obey your truth.

Teach me to serve you with all that I am,

so that I respect you with fear.

12 My Lord and my God,

I will thank you with all my strength.

I will praise your name for ever!

13 I know that you love me very much

with your faithful love.

You will continue to keep my life safe,

so that I do not go down into the deep hole of death.

14 God, proud people are attacking me.

Cruel men have joined together to kill me.

They do not respect you at all.

15 But you, my Lord, are a kind God

who forgives people.

You do not quickly become angry,

and your faithful love is very great.

We can always trust you

to do what you have promised.

16 Turn to me and be kind to me.

I am your servant, so make me strong.

Please rescue your slave!

17 Help me, so that I know you are pleased with me.

Then my enemies will see it,

and they will be ashamed.

They will know that you, Lord,

have helped me and comforted me.