Listen, Jack, this one's a doozy! Psalm 86 begins with the psalmist crying out to God for help. He acknowledges that there is no other god like the Lord, and he pleads for God to show mercy and to hear him. He declares that he's a "poor and needy" man, so God should respond quickly. He goes on to say that all the nations will come to know and worship the Lord if God answers his prayer.
Now c'mon, man, the psalmist is getting real here. He's begging God to be gracious, to be slow to anger, and to show him mercy and steadfast love. He says that God is the only one who can bring him out of his trouble and save him.
Folks, the psalmist is not joking. He says that all his enemies will be put to shame and confusion when God answers his prayer. He also says that all the nations will praise God after seeing God's great power.
See here, Jack, the psalmist is getting real fired up now. He says that the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods. He says that no one is like God, and he pleads with God to show him mercy and to hear his prayer. He then praises God for being forgiving, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love, and full of truth.
What was that?, the psalmist then goes on to say that he will give thanks to God with a song. He says that he will glorify God among the people, and he will sing praises to God with a harp.
Or uh, you know, this psalmist is really going for it. He says that he will pray to God, and that God will hear his voice. He says that God will answer his prayer and save him from his troubles. He then proclaims that God's mercy and love will never end, and his faithfulness will stand forever.
I tell you what, this Psalm is long and winding, but it ends with the psalmist praising God and saying that God will deliver him and save him. He says that he will praise God's name forever, and that he will sing praises to his God as long as he lives.