Psalms 86:7

Psa 86:7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

Ver. 7. In the day of my trouble, &c.] God’s petitioners must pray and believe, and believe and pray, quasi in circulo. David had said, Psa 86:5, God is much in mercy to all that call upon him; here he assumeth and concludeth, but I in the day of my trouble will call upon him; therefore he will answer me.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Psa_86:7

In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee: for Thou wilt answer me.

The day of trouble

I. Here is a day that may be expected by us all, Though all men do not walk in the midst of trouble, all must meet with trouble sooner or later. There is no human experience that has not had, or will not have, such a day--personal and relative troubles, bodily and spiritual troubles.

II. Here is a determination that should be formed by us all. I will call upon Thee. This resolution--

1. Agrees with our instinct. In trouble, men involuntarily call on God. This resolution--

2. Agrees with our reason. Who else can really help us? Money profiteth nothing in the day of trouble; and the tenderest, truest friendships are helpless.

III. Here is a hope that may be entertained by us all. For Thou wilt answer me.

1. Thou hast answered others who called on Thee in trouble.

2. Thou hast promised to answer all who call on Thee in trouble. (Homilist.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. (Psa 86:7) In the day of my distress I will invoke thee, for thou wilt answer me. The future includes the present, I do and will invoke thee, call thee to my aid, or call upon thee for assistance. The second clause assigns the reason, namely, his conviction that he shall not call in vain. The implied ground of this conviction is, that he never does and never did call, in the exercise of faith, without being favourably heard or answered.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 7. Thou wilt answer me.] Because thou art good, merciful, and ready to forgive; and I call upon thee fervently, and seek thee in thy own way.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

7. From Psa_77:2; Psa_17:6.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee,.... David had his troubles, both inward and outward, before and after he came to the throne, in private and public life; and every good man has his troubles; and there are some particular times or days of trouble; which trouble arises from different causes; sometimes from themselves, their corruptions, the weakness of their grace, and the poor performance of their duties; sometimes from others; from the persecutions of the men of the world; from the wicked lives of profane sinners, and especially professors of religion, and from the spread of false doctrine; sometimes from Satan and his temptations; and sometimes from the more immediate hand of God in afflictions, and from the hidings of his face: these troubles do not last always; they are but for a day, for a particular time; and such a season is a fit one for prayer, and the Lord invites and encourages his people to call upon him in prayer when this is the case, Psa 50:15. Christ had his times of trouble, in which he called upon his divine Father, Joh 11:33.

for thou wilt answer me; which the idols of the Gentiles could not do; Baal could not answer his priests, Kg1 18:26, this the psalmist concluded, both from the promise of God, Psa 50:15, and from his frequent experience, Psa 138:3, a very encouraging reason or argument this to call on the Lord: Christ was always heard and answered, Joh 11:41.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee - That is, I do it now; I have done it; I will do it. The language implies a habit, or a steady purpose of mind, that in all times of trouble he would make God his refuge. It was this fixed purpose - this regular habit - which was now the ground of his confidence. A man who always makes God his refuge, who has no other ground of reliance, may feel assured that God will interpose and save him.

For thou wilt answer me - This also implies a fixed and steady assurance of mind, applicable not only to this case, but to all similar cases. He had firm confidence in God at all times; an unwavering belief that God is a hearer of prayer. This is a just foundation of hope when we approach God. Compare Jam 1:6-7.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Whereof I have assurance both from the benignity of thy nature, and from the truth and certainty of thy promises, and from my own and others’ experiences in former times.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. A pious resolve backed by a judicious reason. It is useless to cry to those who cannot or will not hear; once convince men that prayer has no effect upon God, and they will have no more of it. In these busy days and especially in troublous times, men cannot afford to waste time in entreaties which must be unavailing. Our experience confirms us in the belief that Jehovah the living God really does aid those who call upon him, and therefore we pray and mean to pray, not because we are so fascinated by prayer that for its own sake we would continue in it if it proved to be mere folly and superstition, as vain philosophers assert; but because we really, indeed, and of a truth, find it to be a practical and effectual means of obtaining help from God in the hour of need. There can be no reason for praying if there be no expectation of the Lord's answering. Who would make a conscience of pleading with the winds, or find a solace in supplicating the waves? The mercy seat is a mockery if there be no hearing nor answering. David, as the following verses show, believed the Lord to be a living and potent God, and indeed to be "God alone", and it was on that account that he resolved in every hour of trouble to call upon him.

Ver. 7.

1. Help needed.

2. Help sought.

3. Help found. G.R.

Ver. 7.

1. A time to be expected"day of my trouble".

2. A resolve to be practised"I will call upon thee."

3. A result to be experienced"thou wilt answer me".

Ver. 7. Prayer is the design of trouble, the evidence that it is sanctified, its solace, and the medium of deliverance from it. William Jay.

Psalms 86:8*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee (comp. vers. 1 and 14). The nature of the trouble is not distinctly stated; but it appears to have been caused by domestic rather than foreign enemies. For thou wilt answer me (comp. ver. 5).

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.