God’s help – Freedom LifeLight

Click here to read PSALM 86 in poetic form

Background

Psalm 86 is in the Leviticus book of the Psalms (73—89). The Old Testament book of Leviticus focuses on matters in the sanctuary: the priesthood, ceremonial laws, and feasts. Almost all of these 17 Psalms mention the sanctuary and God’s relation to it. Psalm 86 shows Jesus Christ as the humble Messiah who seeks God’s help in the sanctuary.

This Psalm has the title “A Prayer of David.” It is the only psalm in the Leviticus Book in Psalms with such a title. This specifically speaks of the Messiah, the “son of David.”

Psalms in Poetic Form: Psalm 54

Click here to read PSALM 54 in poetic form.

Background

This Psalm has the title “Maschil,” which means instruction. It also has the title: “A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?” This refers to I Samuel 23:19,20: “Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand.”

God delivered David from this attack. The Ziphites tried again in I Samuel 26:1: “And the Ziphites came unto Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself in the hill of Hachilah, which is before Jeshimon?” Although Saul sought David, God delivered Saul into David’s hand at that time. Yet David showed Saul mercy and did not kill him.