Psalm 86 (85):9Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

No greater blessing could God bestow upon humanity than the establishment of His Word, through which all creation came into being and was joined to Him as members of His body. This was so that the Son of God could embody the Son of Man, being one with the Father and one with humankind. When we seek God's mercy in prayer, it is vital that we recognize the unity of the Son and the Father; thus, when the Body prays, the Head is not separated from Himself. Our Savior is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who intercedes for us in His capacity as both Priest and Head, while we, as His creation, turn to Him in worship. Therefore, let us acknowledge His words as our own, and our words in Him. In every reference made about our Lord Jesus, especially in Scripture that mentions a form of humility in His nature, we should readily attribute it to Him who willingly became one with us. We pray to Him who exists in the form of God and in the form of a servant. The Creator took on the created status, unchanging yet able to transform, merging us into one Man alongside Him, the Head and Body. Thus, we approach Him, through Him, and in Him; our voices join with His as we utter the prayer of the psalm dubbed ‘The Prayer of David.’ In His earthly existence, our Lord was recognized as the son of David; yet in His divine essence, He remains the Lord of David and all creation. Therefore, let no one declare, “Christ does not speak,” nor claim, “I do not speak.” If one recognizes himself as part of Christ’s Body, then let him affirm both: Christ speaks, and I speak. You should desire to say nothing without Him, nor should He utter anything without you.

Incline your ear, O Lord, and listen to me. He speaks in the posture of a servant; thus, we too must articulate as His servants. He extends His ear toward the humble, while the proud remain distant unless He has lifted them from their lowly state. Consequently, God turns His ear toward us, for He is positioned above us, while we are below. Yet even in our lowly state, we are not abandoned, for Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Few might die for a just man, though one could possibly dare to die for a good man; but our Lord sacrificed Himself for the ungodly. There was no merit in us that justified the death of the Son of God; rather, His mercy was magnified precisely because there was no merit. The promise remains true—that for the righteous, He grants life, but for the unrighteous He grants death. I am poor and afflicted, yet He turns His ear not to the wealthy, but to the needy, the humble, and to those who acknowledge their need for mercy. The self-satisfied individual, who believes he possesses everything he requires, saying, “I thank You that I am not like that tax collector,” stands in stark contrast to the poor tax collector who lays bare his sins.

However, let not my words suggest that God does not heed the cries of those with wealth or worldly status. Those born into privilege are not beyond His reach, but are reminded by the Apostle to be wary of arrogance. The ungodly are spiritually impoverished before God, while the poor, the needy, and the humble draw His attention. They seek their hope not in material riches, for these fleeting possessions will one day be gone. It is sufficient that they are not harmed by their wealth; true benefit comes from charity, whether extended from a rich man with both will and deed, or from a poor man acting solely by intention. Thus, when one dismisses the tendencies toward pride within themselves, they align with the impoverished in spirit—those who receive God’s attention because they recognize their brokenness.

Was it merely the virtue of his lowliness that led to the poor man being carried away by angels? Or was it because of the rich man's sins that he was condemned to torment? The poor man reflects the honor afforded to humility, while the rich man's fate signifies the impending doom for pride. I will briefly demonstrate that it was not riches but pride that rendered the rich man tormented. The poor man was embraced in Abraham’s bosom, and yet we know Scripture recounts that Abraham himself was notably wealthy. If all rich men are destined for torment, how then could Abraham have received the poor man into his embrace at his passing? Abraham, though rich, was humble, obedient, and revered all commands. His disdain for worldly wealth was demonstrated in his readiness to sacrifice his son at God’s command, prioritizing his obedience to God over his possessions. Therefore, learn to possess a spirit of humility regardless of your material circumstance.

Preserve my soul, for I am holy. I cannot deduce if anyone other than Christ, who was sinless and committed no transgressions, could rightfully proclaim, “I am holy.” It is understood that it was in the voice of the Servant, which He embodied in human form, that these words were recognized. For within Him lies both Flesh and Soul; He is simultaneously the One Son of God, the Christ, our singular Savior, exalted in the divine nature equal to the Father, yet also the servant in His human embodiment. When I hear, “For I am holy,” I discern His voice; yet I do not exclude my own voice. When He utters this, He expresses an inseparable communion with His Body. Would I then dare to claim, “For I am holy”? If I assert holiness that is self-derived and not needful of sanctification, I am steeped in pride and falsehood. However, if I maintain a sanctified status as the Scripture instructs, “Be holy, for I am holy,” then it is justified for the members of Christ's Body to assert, “For I am holy.” For one has received the grace of holiness, the grace of Baptism, and the gift of forgiveness.

Speak to your God, “I am holy, for You have sanctified me.” It is because You have conferred grace upon me, not because of any merit of my own. In contrast, to deny our own holiness as members of Christ’s Body is to cast a shadow on our Head, who is holy. Reflect on your position and recognize the dignity that comes from your Head. You were in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. You once resided in darkness; has the Illuminator come in vain, or rather, to transform you into light? Therefore, every Christian can declare, amidst various trials, “Save my soul, for I am holy, O my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.” This holy man is not prideful, for he places his trust in God.

Be merciful to me, O Lord, for all day long I have cried out to You. This “all day” emphasizes an ongoing lament; from the moment the Body of Christ suffers through tribulation until the end of time, humanity groans and cries to God. Each person contributes to this collective cry in accordance with their capacity. You once wept in your time, as others have in theirs: the Body of Christ continually weeps throughout history, its members comforting and supporting one another. One person travels to the ends of the earth, while others weep still; yet, when we find rest, we shall cry out again, and new voices shall take up the lament. The Head intercedes for us at the Father’s right hand, as some members are healed, others endure correction, and yet others find comfort, all responding to His call.

Revive the spirit of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I have raised my soul. Rejoice in this act, for I have lifted it from the earth, which offered only bitterness. I do so to prevent it from withering, lest it lose the sweetness of Your grace. True joy resides in You alone, while the world around is fraught with bitterness. It is fitting for Him to encourage His people to elevate their hearts. Let them heed this call and raise what is burdened below up to God. The heart, when lifted to Him, will not wither. Should you possess grain in storage, you would lift it higher to prevent decay; similarly, do not let your heart rot in the earth while raising it to the heavens. How can this be done? What tools or means are necessary? Your affections serve as steps; your will is the pathway. Through love, you ascend; through neglect, you descend. Standing firm in your love for God keeps your heart in the heights.

For You, O Lord, are good and merciful. Even prayers can often be hindered by distracting thoughts, causing the heart to drift from focus upon God. This wandering makes the heart difficult to find a steady footing in which to remain rooted, thus struggling to rejoice in God. Such focused prayer is rarely discovered among many, though each may vouch for their experience. David exclaimed, “Since I have found my heart, O Lord, so that I might pray to Thee,” implying a struggle to recapture his unwieldy heart. Thus, my brethren, as I ponder David’s words, I perceive that he identifies grace in declaring God to be merciful. He bears with our shortcomings while anticipating the prayers that will draw us nearer to Him. When we approach Him, He receives our cries with thanks, choosing to forget the myriad of rushed prayers uttered without thought, and cherishes that one prayer we struggle to lay before Him sincerely.

What man, when addressed by a friend, would tolerate distraction? If while speaking to a judge, one were to suddenly divert their attention to another conversation, how could that be borne? Yet God perseveres, listening to the fragmented prayers of so many. Should we then lose hope and deem every distracted prayer of mankind as condemned? If we say this, my brethren, where would hope remain? Since there is still hope before God, for His mercy is vast, let us assert, “To Thee, O Lord, have I raised my soul.” And how do I elevate it? How can I regain it when it flees? My frailty draws me low; heal me, and I shall rise; empower me, and I shall stand strong. Until then, continue to bear with me, for You, O Lord, are good and gracious, merciful, and exceedingly merciful. This speaks of mercy not just in measure, but in abundance: as our sins multiply, so too does Your mercy toward all who call upon You.

What then does the Scripture proclaim in various passages, “They shall call, and I will not hear them”? Yet, You extend grace to all who seek You. Some call upon You, but not toward the true God; they seek lesser things rather than You. All that we cherish and seek must call upon the one true God, the source of every longing. If one approaches God seeking only worldly gain—wealth or status—they place themselves as the arbiter of their desires rather than recognizing Him as the source of their needs. Is God truly good if He grants only what you desire? And if you desire that which is harmful, would He not be more gracious to deny you? If He does not grant what you seek, does that minimize Him? As you mourn the denials of your prayers, reflect upon the nature of those petitions. Consider, for instance, if you desired harm upon your enemy—your prayer unheeded mirrors the reality that he may also voice a prayer against you. The Creator encompasses both you and your adversary: He judges fairly, taking into account the entirety of the plea. Rejoice, then, that He fulfills neither of theirs if their requests oppose one another. Yet, you argue your innocence, claiming you sincerely sought the life of your child. If he is taken rather than to grow spiritless, did you truly ask amiss? What if his ultimate fate was known to God, presuming that a prolonged existence would lead to greater vice? Therefore, if you truly petition God as God, remain confident that you will be heard and participate in this verse: “And great mercy to all who call upon You.”

Historically, it is evident that this was not the situation during the era of the revered David; however, during the reign of Hezekiah, it is possible that some, struck by the defeat of the Assyrians, turned to the Lord. The accuracy of the prophecy became clear in the period following the Incarnation of our God and Savior. After His redemptive sufferings, the radiant message of the Apostles was proclaimed throughout the world. The Lord instructed them, "Come, teach all tongues" (Matthew 28:19); they fulfilled this command, illuminating the darkness of ignorance and revealing the Sun of righteousness for all to see, leading them to worship the God who redeemed them. This is further illustrated by the phrase: And they shall glorify Thy name: How great art Thou, and art Thou that workest miracles, Thou art God alone.

In this passage, he foretells the belief of the Gentiles who will approach You through faith. The true ‘worshiper’ who stands ‘in the presence of God’ acknowledges that God is aware of him. Thus, ‘in the presence of God’ refers to every location within His realm. ‘They shall glorify’ indicates that all the Gentiles will honor and lift You up, declaring Your greatness and affirming that You alone are the sovereign God who performs wonders.

Where can one find You? Is it in the temple of the Jews? Yet, neither of these temples exists, and the uncircumcised Gentiles cannot worship there. It is evident, then, that the prophet speaks of Christ, the one whom all the Gentiles honor. Those who glorify in Bethlehem at the site of His crucifixion and resurrection are kneeling before Him who achieved our redemption there. Similarly, those who bow before the altar are worshiping in His presence, for here they behold Him present in every sacramental offering. 'And they shall glorify Thy name.' Why is this so? Because they have served idols made of wood and stone and were held captive in the teachings and dominion of demons.

Earlier, we mentioned that when the prophets spoke of the arrival of the nations, their thoughts were always directed toward Christ. Before His advent, God had unveiled only the initial glimpses of His glory, which ultimately expanded throughout the entire world through the proclamation of the Gospel. David was aware that the future calling of the nations was not concealed; however, the Jewish people were troubled by this revelation. They struggled to accept the idea of the Gentiles joining with the descendants of Abraham in worshiping God and sharing in the divine teachings without distinction.

This Psalm, divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit and penned by David, is regarded as a prayer due to its essence, reflecting the anguish of the prophet’s heart amid intense persecution. Primarily, this supplication echoes the lament of Christ the Lord addressed to God the Father during His severe tribulations from the Jews. No one can rightly claim the title of Monk before God except Christ the Lord, who embodies the true essence of Monastic life in all His endeavors. During His passion, this beggar also cried out, and the Lord heard his plea. This humble individual, though destitute, enriches the impoverished, allowing all to gain from His poverty (Rev. 5:2; Ps. 144:10; 2 Cor. 8:9).