The situation is like that in the Psalms of the time of Saul. The writer is a persecuted one, and in constant peril of his life. He has taken Psalm 86:14 out of the Elohimic Psalm 54:5, and retained the Elohim as a proper name of God (cf. on the other hand Psalm 86:8, Psalm 86:10); he has, however, altered זרים to זרים, which here, as in Isaiah 13:11 (cf. however, ibid. Psalm 25:5), is the alternating word to עריצים. In Psalm 86:15 he supports his petition that follows by Jahve's testimony concerning Himself in Exodus 34:6. The appellation given to himself by the poet in Psalm 86:16 recurs in Psalm 116:16 (cf. Wisd. 9:5). The poet calls himself "the son of Thy handmaid" as having been born into the relation to Him of servant; it is a relationship that has come to him by birth. How beautifully does the Adonaj come in here for the seventh time! He is even from his mother's womb the servant of the sovereign Lord, from whose omnipotence he can therefore also look for a miraculous interposition on his behalf. A "token for good" is a special dispensation, from which it becomes evident to him that God is kindly disposed towards him. לטובה as in the mouth of Nehemiah, Nehemiah 5:19; Nehemiah 13:31; of Ezra 8:22; and also even in Jeremiah and earlier. ויבשׁוּ is just as parenthetical as in Isaiah 26:11.

Psalm 87:5 Parallel Commentaries

of Zion

Isaiah 44:4,5 And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses...

Isaiah 60:1-9 Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen on you...

John 1:12-14 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name...

John 3:3-5 Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...

Galatians 3:26-28 For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus...

Hebrews 11:32-40 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also...

Hebrews 12:1,2,22-24 Why seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight...

1 Peter 1:23,24 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and stays for ever...

highest

Ezekiel 48:35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there.

Matthew 16:18 And I say also to you, That you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?