Psalm 86 is the 86th psalm of the Book of Psalms. It is attributed to David. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 85.
Psalm 86 | |
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"Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me" | |
Other name |
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Language | Hebrew (original) |
In the English of the King James Version, it begins "Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me: for I am poor and needy".[1] In Latin, it is known as "Inclina Domine".[2]
The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. It has been paraphrased in hymns and set to music, including settings by Heinrich Schütz in German and Basil Harwood in Latin. Henry Purcell and Gustav Holst composed elaborate anthems in English. In Mendelssohn's Elijah, three verses from Psalm 86 are used in the narration.
Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 86:[3]
Verse | Hebrew |
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1 | :תְּפִלָּה, לְדָוִד
.הַטֵּה-יְהוָה אָזְנְךָ עֲנֵנִי-- כִּי-עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן אָנִי |
2 | :שָׁמְרָה נַפְשִׁי, כִּי-חָסִיד אָנִי
.הוֹשַׁע עַבְדְּךָ, אַתָּה אֱלֹהַי-- הַבּוֹטֵחַ אֵלֶיךָ |
3 | .חָנֵּנִי אֲדֹנָי: כִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֶקְרָא, כָּל-הַיּוֹם |
4 | .שַׂמֵּחַ, נֶפֶשׁ עַבְדֶּךָ: כִּי אֵלֶיךָ אֲדֹנָי, נַפְשִׁי אֶשָּׂא |
5 | .כִּי-אַתָּה אֲדֹנָי, טוֹב וְסַלָּח; וְרַב-חֶסֶד, לְכָל-קֹרְאֶיךָ |
6 | .הַאֲזִינָה יְהוָה, תְּפִלָּתִי; וְהַקְשִׁיבָה, בְּקוֹל תַּחֲנוּנוֹתָי |
7 | .בְּיוֹם צָרָתִי, אֶקְרָאֶךָּ: כִּי תַעֲנֵנִי |
8 | .אֵין-כָּמוֹךָ בָאֱלֹהִים אֲדֹנָי; וְאֵין כְּמַעֲשֶׂיךָ |
9 | .כָּל-גּוֹיִם, אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ--יָבוֹאוּ וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ לְפָנֶיךָ אֲדֹנָי; וִיכַבְּדוּ לִשְׁמֶךָ |
10 | .כִּי-גָדוֹל אַתָּה, וְעֹשֵׂה נִפְלָאוֹת; אַתָּה אֱלֹהִים לְבַדֶּךָ |
11 | ;הוֹרֵנִי יְהוָה, דַּרְכֶּךָ-- אֲהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲמִתֶּךָ
.יַחֵד לְבָבִי, לְיִרְאָה שְׁמֶךָ |
12 | .אוֹדְךָ, אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהַי--בְּכָל-לְבָבִי; וַאֲכַבְּדָה שִׁמְךָ לְעוֹלָם |
13 | .כִּי-חַסְדְּךָ, גָּדוֹל עָלָי; וְהִצַּלְתָּ נַפְשִׁי, מִשְּׁאוֹל תַּחְתִּיָּה |
14 | ;אֱלֹהִים, זֵדִים קָמוּ-עָלַי, וַעֲדַת עָרִיצִים, בִּקְשׁוּ נַפְשִׁי
.וְלֹא שָׂמוּךָ לְנֶגְדָּם |
15 | .וְאַתָּה אֲדֹנָי, אֵל-רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן; אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם, וְרַב-חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת |
16 | .פְּנֵה אֵלַי, וְחָנֵּנִי: תְּנָה-עֻזְּךָ לְעַבְדֶּךָ; וְהוֹשִׁיעָה, לְבֶן-אֲמָתֶךָ |
17 | :עֲשֵׂה-עִמִּי אוֹת, לְטוֹבָה
.וְיִרְאוּ שֹׂנְאַי וְיֵבֹשׁוּ-- כִּי-אַתָּה יְהוָה, עֲזַרְתַּנִי וְנִחַמְתָּנִי |
The psalm bears the title "A Prayer of David" (תְּפִלָּ֗ה לְדָ֫וִ֥ד; tə-p̄i-lāh lə-ḏā-wiḏ). It is one of five psalms labeled as "prayer" (tephillah), and bears a resemblance to Psalm 17, which also has this title (cf. Psalm 90, known as the "prayer of Moses").[4] This psalm is the only one attributed to David in Book 3 of Psalms (comprising Psalms 73 to 89).[5] The preceding three psalms (Psalms 83-85) and Psalms 87 and 88 are attributed to the sons of Korah.
Biblical commentator Cyril Rodd suggests that three parts are transparent in this psalm:[6]
The first, verses 1–7, are 'a plea for help'; in relation to 'the psalmist's piety' (verses 1–4) and 'the character of God' (verses 5–7). The second, verses 8–13, form a hymn, 'interrupted by a call on God to teach the psalmist' (verse 11), and concluding with 'thankful confidence' for answered prayer, and 'a vow to offer praise'/'sacrifice a thank-offering' (verses 12–13) The final part, verses 14–17, are 'renewed prayer', ending with a request for a 'sign' or the 'salvation'.[6]
The composition of the psalm features frequent parallels and repetitions, such as an eightfold 'for' (verses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 13), the repeated 'Lord' eleven times (verses 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 17, with seven of them being adonai (verses 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 15),[5] and the four others as "YHWH". The psalmist is named the 'servant' of YHWH (abdeka; "your servant") in verses 2, 4, 16, which may indicate literary patterns.[6] A chiastic structure has been discovered, with verse 11 in the center:[6]
Verses 5 and 15 refer to Exodus 34:6–7; verse 16 is a paraphrase of the middle part in the Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:25).[7]
The same statement appears in Psalm 40:17.[9]
In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the morning of the 17th day of the month.[14]
Several hymns paraphrase Psalm 86 or parts of it, including "Bow down Thine ear, O Lord".[15]
The Renaissance composer Cristóbal de Morales composed a motet in Latin, "Inclina Domine aurem tuam", first published in 1543.[16]Wacław z Szamotuł composed Nakłoń, Panie, ku mnie ucho Twoje song to the Polish translation of Psalm 86 by Mikołaj Rej in the 16th century.[17] Heinrich Schütz set a German metric paraphrase, "Herr, neig zu mir dein gnädigs Ohr" (Lord, bow to me your gracious ear) as part of the 1602 Becker Psalter, as SWV 183. Henry Purcell composed an anthem, Bow down thine ear, O Lord, Z11, in 1681 or earlier. It is based on verses 1, 3–6, 8, 10–12, alternating soloists and choir, with organ.[18]
Andreas Romberg wrote seven psalm settings for different unaccompanied choirs, titled Psalmodie, Op. 65, between 1817 and 1820, using translations into German by Moses Mendelssohn. Psalm 86 is the first, written for a five-part choir SSATB.[19] In Mendelssohn's Elijah, three verses from Psalm 86 are used in the narration of the oratorio. In #2, a duet, the beginning is used to begin a plea,[20] and in #8, the scene between Elijah and the widow, he first paraphrases verse 16 and then quotes verse 15, "for Thou art gracious, and full of compassion and plenteous in mercy and truth", praying to bring her son back to life.[21]
William Crotch set verse 4 as an anthem for choir and organ, Comfort, O Lord, The Soul of Thy Servant.[22] Basil Harwood composed a setting of the psalm for his doctoral thesis in 1896, Inclina domine.[23] Walter Piston composed a setting in English for four-part choir and piano.[24] Gustav Holst set Psalm 86, together with Psalm 148 in English, "To my humble supplication", for mixed choir, string orchestra and organ in 1912.[25][26] George Enescu planned a symphony in F minor for baritone, choir and orchestra on text from Psalm 86, but left only fragments c. 1917.
In 1985, Xaver Paul Thoma composed a setting for mezzo-soprano, viola and organ, premiered in 1993 in Karlsruhe-Durlach by Henrike Paede, Jean-Eric Souzy as violist and Hans Martin Corrinth as the organist.[27]
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