God is sovereign over all of creation. Psalm 86 rejoices in His goodness and declares that He alone is God.
Psalm 86, a prayer of David, is a beautiful psalm honoring God’s sovereignty and goodness. In times of distress, God is our refuge. He’s the source of all joy, forgiveness, and comfort. He alone is God.
1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to You;
save your servant who trusts in You.
You are my God; 3 have mercy on me, Lord,
for I call to You all day long.
4 Bring joy to Your servant, Lord,
for I put my trust in You.5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to You.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord;
listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to You,
because You answer me.8 Among the gods there is none like You, Lord;
no deeds can compare with Yours.
9 All the nations You have made
will come and worship before You, Lord;
they will bring glory to Your name.
10 For You are great and do marvelous deeds;
You alone are God.11 Teach me Your way, Lord,
that I may rely on Your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
that I may fearYour name.
12 I will praise You, Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify Your name forever.
13 For great is Your love toward me;
You have delivered me from the depths,
from the realm of the dead.14 Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill me—
they have no regard for You.
15 But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
show Your strength in behalf of Your servant;
save me, because I serve You
just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of Your goodness,
that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
for You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.Psalm 86, A Prayer of David
In Times of Trouble, You Alone are God.
In Psalm 86, David cries out to the Lord during a difficult time in his life—a time when he’s being tested, and the strength of his faith is waning.
David begins and ends Psalm 86 with urgent petitions for protection and grace (verses 1-7). He acknowledges his weakness and dependence on God during a crisis (verses 14-17).
We all experience times like these in our lives. When we feel alone. When fear overtakes us and our faith is tested.
But like David, our cries to the Lord are heard. In His goodness, God answers, reminding us to remain steadfast in His Word and to trust in Him.
In Times of Joy, You Alone are God
Psalm 86 is the only psalm in Book III (Psalms 73-89) specifically attributed to David. Throughout it, he praises God, testifying to His faithfulness.
Though he feels alone, David writes of God’s unfailing presence. He thanks God for His goodness and glorifies His holy name above the earth (verses 8-10). David praises God’s character, declaring, there is no one like God among the gods (verse 8). He writes of God’s steadfast love and forgiveness, which outlives generations.
We can rely on God in the midst of our sorrow. He will answer. During times of joy, David reminds us that He is still God and deserving of our praise.
In Times of Transformation, You Alone are God
In his suffering, David humbles himself before the Lord, asking for an undivided heart that fears God’s name (verse 11). He wants his heart to be wholly devoted to God, free from distraction and division. David understands that without God’s help, this will be impossible.
It’s the same with us. In the world, we face hardship, temptation, and division. We become easily distracted and easily led. Beseeching God for His intervention in our lives and adhering to His word are the only ways to lasting transformation and peace.
Rest in the Assurance that He Alone is God.
Despite the danger he’s facing, David expresses his confidence in God’s ability to rescue him from his enemies (verses 15-17). He knows that with God’s help, victory is assured.
God assured our victory, too. Through His Son, we’re saved from the darkness of the enemy and granted the gift of eternal life in Christ.
David shows us that when we bring honest, humble prayers before the Lord, prayers that focus on God’s loving nature, rather than on our own desperate pleas, we honor Him.
You hear our cries, Lord, and You answer. For You alone are God. Amen.
YOU ALONE ARE GOD.
All creation flows from Your hand.
The sun, the stars, the moon, and sky,
at the sound of Your Name bow down.
YOU ALONE ARE GOD.
Nothing compares to You.
All the nations You have made,
will bow before You, too.
YOU ALONE ARE GOD.
The Heavens sing of Your Glory.
In You all life begins and ends,
You write creation’s story.
YOU ALONE ARE GOD.
Abounding in Grace and Love.
Your Mercy reigns forever.
In You we place our Trust.
YOU ALONE ARE GOD.
You bless us with Forgiveness.
Deliver us from sin and death,
from an eternity of darkness.
YOU ALONE ARE GOD.
Gracious and slow to anger.
No matter how far we stray from You,
You remain forever Faithful.
YOU ALONE ARE GOD.
We uplift Your Holy Name.
With grateful hearts we sing Your praise,
now and forever, AMEN.
JN Fenwick (© 2026)
JN Fenwick (©2026) | mothjournal14 | All rights reserved. | I DO NOT WALK THIS RECOVERY JOURNEY ALONE.
I’m JN Fenwick.
Wife, mom, but more importantly, a recovering alcoholic with a grateful heart. For years, I struggled, not just with alcohol, but with an eating disorder and the burdens of guilt and shame. On March 22, 2018, I surrendered my life to Christ. I was 51. God did not forsake me. He welcomed me, as undeserving as I am. He did not see my brokenness. Instead, He saw my potential. My Recovery Journey is one of Faith. From the ashes of my failures, God built a fire in me. A fire that guides each step I take. My journey is yours. My healing can be yours, too. God is a mighty warrior. You can take comfort in the promise that the Lord will fight for you and grant you peace.
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