Psalms 86:13-17

86:13 For you will extend your great loyal love to me, ¹ 

and will deliver my life ²  from the depths of Sheol. ³ 

86:14 O God, arrogant men attack me; ⁴ 

a gang ⁵  of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life. ⁶ 

86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.

You are patient ⁷  and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness. ⁸ 

86:16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me!

Give your servant your strength!

Deliver your slave! ⁹ 

86:17 Show me evidence of your favor! ¹⁰ 

Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed, ¹¹ 

for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me. ¹² 

[86:13]  ¹ tn Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”

[86:13]  ² tn Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.

[86:13]  ³ tn Or “lower Sheol.”

[86:14]  ⁴ tn Heb “rise up against me.”

[86:14]  ⁵ tn Or “assembly.”

[86:14]  ⁶ tn Heb “seek my life and do not set you before them.” See Ps 54:3.

[86:15]  ⁷ tn Heb “slow to anger.”

[86:15]  ⁸ tn Heb “and great of loyal love and faithfulness.”

[86:16]  ⁹ tn Heb “the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 116:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The use of the expression here certainly does not imply that the Lord has such a secondary wife or concubine! It is used metaphorically and idiomatically to emphasize the psalmist’s humility before the Lord and his status as the Lord’s servant.

[86:17]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17.

[86:17]  ¹¹ tn After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.

[86:17]  ¹² tn The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the Lord will be followed by his intervention. Another option is to understand the forms as future perfects (“for you, O Lord, will have helped me and comforted me”).