“Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my cry of supplication.
In the day of trouble I call on you,
for you will answer me….
Teach me your way, O Lord,
that I may walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart to
revere your name.
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God,
with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name for ever.
(from New Revised Standard Version)
Psalm 86 is simply called “A psalm of David”. It is not known the reason why it was written, after all King David encountered many difficult times in his life, but this psalm is important because he uses the word “Adonai” (or Master) for God. Whatever desperate need David was in, and we can see throughout the psalm that he is crying out to God to intervene, his trust in God never wavers.
Despite his faults, and David had many, he knows that God will have compassion for him, for He is a God who protects the needy. But David also knows that he has much to learn of this amazing God who is with him. This is a two-way relationship.
God wants to get to know us, He wants us to turn to Him in trust, so that He can teach us. Though we cry for help now, He wants this to be a continuing relationship. He is our God, we are His people. Praise the Lord.
Father God, we cry for help now.
We cannot help ourselves,
and we ask your protection
from the coronavirus,
not just for ourselves, but for those
known and unknown to us.
May this be the beginning of
a growing relationship with you,
so that we may say, as David said,
“Teach me your way, O Lord”.
Amen.