Psalm 86:1-2 - September 5, 2009

Ps 86:1-2 Hear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2 Guard my life, for I am devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. NIV

The cries of a humble heart! This is the delight of the Lord. The book of Isaiah gives us a glimpse into the value that the Lord places on this heart of humility that reaches out to Him with devotion and trust. Isa 57:15 speaks from a place of revelation and says “this is what the high and lofty One says — he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.'” It is God’s pleasure to dwell with those who walk in humility and to refresh and revive those who carry a contrite heart. The Lord repeats this theme a few chapters later in Isa 66:2 where He declares "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” To walk in humility is to be esteemed by the Lord.
Psalms 86:1-2 is such a simple statement of humility from a heart that carries these highly esteemed qualities. “Hear me Lord, I need you!” To confess with humility before the Lord our complete need of Him is to esteem Him as our true source and hope. To ask for His hand of protection is to look to Him as our shield! These little turnings of the heart in prayer are small in content huge in implication as they reflect the condition and direction of the heart. The context of the psalmist’s cry for help and protection is based on one simple justification: “I am devoted to you. You are my God!” Oh that all men would have this same heart of complete surrender! To be devoted to something or someone is to be saved exclusively for that purpose. This psalmist is stating that his life is not his own. He has entrusted his past, present and future to the hand of the Lord and this is the foundation of his cry. He can come boldly because he has surrendered completely! When we have put our trust in the Lord we can confidently look to Him as the source of our help and our deliverance.