What is the meaning of Psalm 86:17? Show me a sign of Your goodness • David longs for a clear, tangible marker that God is actively for him. In earlier troubles he waited “to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13). • Scripture shows the Lord giving such confirming signs: Gideon asked, “If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign” (Judges 6:17); Hezekiah received a shadow moving backward (2 Kings 20:9-11); and ultimately Christ’s resurrection became “the sign of Jonah” proving God’s saving goodness (Matthew 12:39-40). • Asking for a “sign” is not bargaining but seeking a faith-strengthening reminder. Every believer can look to the cross and the empty tomb as the decisive sign, yet we may still pray for daily tokens—opened doors, unexpected provisions, quiet assurances—remembering that “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). that my enemies may see and be ashamed • The prayer moves from private assurance to public vindication. David wants God’s intervention to silence opposition, much like “None who wait for You will be put to shame, but those who are treacherous… will be” (Psalm 25:3). • Shame here is redemptive: it exposes rebels to truth so they might repent (Psalm 83:16-18). When God defends His people, scoffers are “ashamed and confounded” (Psalm 35:26), and even in the New Testament “those who slander your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:16). • Believers are not told to retaliate; we trust God’s justice: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay” (Romans 12:19). His righteous acts turn enemies’ scorn into stunned silence and, prayerfully, into conviction. for You, O LORD, have helped me • David’s request rests on history. The God who has helped will help again. “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped” (Psalm 28:7). • Remembering past deliverances fuels present faith (Psalm 54:4; 63:7). Rehearsing God’s track record keeps our petitions from unbelief; we are simply asking the Helper to be Himself once more. • Hebrews 13:6 applies the same logic: “So we say with confidence: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.’” and comforted me • God does more than rescue; He soothes the wounds. “Even though I walk through the valley… Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). • His Word is a steady balm: “This is my comfort in affliction, for Your promise preserves my life” (Psalm 119:50). • Isaiah opens with “Comfort, comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1), and Paul blesses “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Ultimate comfort awaits when “He will wipe away every tear” (Revelation 21:4). summary Psalm 86:17 is a heartfelt plea for a fresh, visible demonstration of God’s faithful goodness. David asks not merely for personal reassurance but for a public act that will silence opposition and magnify the Lord. His confidence is anchored in past help and present comfort, showing us how to pray: remember God’s proven aid, seek His tangible mercies again, and trust Him to turn adversaries’ sneers into humble awe. |
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