Bible Study Notes 9/16/2025

WORD ALIVE! BIBLE STUDY ^©2025

Journey in the Psalms: Prayer, Praise and Promise

Concord Baptist Church of Boston in Milton – Conley Hughes, Jr., Senior Pastor

Quiet Time: Tracy M. Summer, Psalms: An All-In-One Study on God’s Song Book

Lesson 21

16 Sept. 2025

Lesson 21, Psalm 86:1-17 NLT:  In this prayer, David is engaged in a personal moment with God. He is not here, praying specifically for any other cause, except for the help he is seeking. David, who always is transparent in his prayers, speaks of his needs. To pray for oneself is not in the sense of pleading to God for “immediate needs” is neither selfish nor improperly self-centered.  The language in David’s prayer expressed both the immediacy of his needs – and his sincere and strong belief in the God he has come to know. Prayer develops a deeper relationship with God. We come to learn how God works, and we gain knowledge of how familiar the Lord is with our needs and yearnings This perhaps, explains why in Psalm 139, David extols God in confessing, “You are familiar with all of my ways.” Like David, we often ask God to “show us “evidence of the answers to our prayers, and the defeat of adversarial forces which try to harm us.

Verses & Explanations for Psalm 86:1-127 NLT

Observe         Interpret     Apply

(Verse 1) – A desperate need for help.

(Verse 2) – Reliance in knowing God hears our prayer.

(Verses 3-4) – A cry to God for mercy.

(Verse 5) – Relying on God’s persistent care and help.  

(Verses 6-7) – Unwavering confidence in God.

(Verses 8-10) – Acknowledging a Sovereign God.

(Verses 11-12) – Complete dependence on God.

(Verses 13-15) – Trusting in a faithful and gracious God.

(Verses 16-17) – A plea for God to demonstrate His presence. 

The Key Idea:

What We Believe!    

1. “Your word is a lamp to my feet  and a light to my path!”  - Psalm 119:105

Key Verses:

Psalm 86:1, NLT:

 ¹ “Bend down, O Lord, and hear my prayer; answer me, for I need your help.

Psalm 86:2, NLT:

² Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God.

Psalm 86:3-4, NLT:

³ Be merciful to me, O Lord. For I am calling on you constantly. ⁴ Give me happiness, O Lord^, for I give myself to you.

Psalm 86:5, NLT:

⁵ O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive. So full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.  

Psalm 86:6-7, NLT:

⁶ Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord, ; hear my urgent cry. ⁷ I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble, and you will answer me.

Psalm 86:8-10, NLT:

⁸ No pagan god is like you, O Lord. None can do what you do!.  ⁹ All nations you made will come and bow before you, Lord; ¹⁰ they will praise your holy name. For you are great and perform wonderful deeds. You alone are God.

Psalm 86:11-12, NLT:

¹¹ Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!  Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. ¹² With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever;

Psalm 86:13-15, NLT:

¹³ for your love for me is very great. You have rescued me from the depths of death.  ¹⁴ O god, insolent people rise against me; a violent gang is trying to kill me.  You mean nothing to them. ¹⁵ But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.

Psalm 86:16-17, NLT:

¹⁶ Look down and have mercy on me. Give your strength to your servant; save me, the son of your servant. ¹⁷ Send me a sign of your favor. Then those who hate me will be put to sham, for you. O Lord, help and comfort me.”

Further Helpful Verses:

Jeremiah 29:12-13, NIV

¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me; and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”