But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
What does Psalms 86:15 mean?
Our God alone possesses almighty power and infinite love. Christ is the way and the truth.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside its immediate passage and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Psalms 86:15
But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion ... - See the notes at Psalm 86:5 . The words rendered "long-suffering" mean that there was and would be delay in his anger; that it was not soon excited; that he did not act from passion or sudden resentment; that he endured the conduct of sinners long without rising up to punish them; that he was not quick to take vengeance, but bore with them patiently. On this account the psalmist, though conscious that he was a sinner, hoped and pleaded that God would save him. Plenteous in ... truth - That is, in faithfulness. When thou hast made a promise, thou wilt faithfully keep it.
Key words
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But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion,.
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But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion,.
Context in Psalms 86
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Psalms 86 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as Book III. Psalms is the Bible’s great book of sung prayer, teaching the full range of faithful speech from anguish and repentance to jubilation and doxology. Read this chapter with the wider themes of prayer, praise, and lament in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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