Faith Daily Lectio Friday, October 30, 2026 Morning Psalm
Friday, October 30, 2026 · Friday in the week of the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25)
Morning Psalm
Oratio (prayer)
O Lord, You are good and ready to forgive. Send Your Holy Spirit as I pray Psalm 86 this morning, that I may lift up my soul to You and walk in Your truth through Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Meditatio (meditation)
Psalm 86
A Prayer of David.
1Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.
2Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
3Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.
4Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
6Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.
7In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.
8Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
9All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.
10For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
11Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
14O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
15But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
17Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.
Consider even rereading in another translation.
You could also consider listening to this chapter, narrated:
KJV (Max McLean) · ESV (Max McLean) · NIV (dramatized)
You might read the whole reading slowly, aloud, more than once.
Consider this verse, for example:
“Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth” (Psalm 86:11)
What other lines speak to you?
The Law David begins honestly: "I am poor and needy" (v. 1). Proud men "have not set thee before them" (v. 14), and our hearts can be divided too, pulled between fear of God and fear of others. That is why David asks, "unite my heart to fear thy name" (v. 11). We cannot do it on our own.
The Gospel David's hope rests on who God is: "For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee" (v. 5). He says, "thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell" (v. 13). In Christ, God has done this for you. Jesus went down into death and rose again, so that you may say this morning, "thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me" (v. 17).
Prayer Lord, I confess that my heart is divided and that I have not always set You before me. Forgive me for Jesus' sake. Unite my heart to fear Your name, and teach me Your way today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tentatio (trial)
Some days begin with trouble already waiting. Under trial it may help to pray with David, "In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me" (v. 7). The day of trouble is also a day God hears.
Prayer Lord, in whatever trouble today brings, turn to me and have mercy on me. Give Your strength to Your servant. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
My church home: Peace Lutheran Church, McMurray, PA. Looking for a church? See About Daily Lectio.
