Bible Strands
Psalms 86:2
Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You are my God; save Your servant who trusts in You.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — David addresses the LORD directly in a prayer, identifying himself as poor and needy in the preceding line while claiming the title of servant.
The words — The Hebrew word חָסִ֪יד (cha.Sid) literally means "faithful" or "godly," while the verb שָֽמְרָ֣ה (sha.me.Ra/h) means "preserve," both directing the plea toward the protection of his נַפְשִׁי (naf.Sh/i), or "soul."
The thread — The request for salvation tied to trust mirrors the pattern in Psalms 4:3 where the LORD hears the call of the godly, and Psalms 13:5 where trust in divine devotion precedes rejoicing in salvation.
Why it lands — The text explicitly states a plea for preservation grounded in the speaker's identification as a faithful servant who trusts in God. It requires the reader to recognize that the appeal for protection rests on direct reliance upon God rather than personal merit.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.
Cross-references
- Psalms 4:3 Know that the LORD has set apart the godly for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to Him.
- Psalms 25:2 in You, my God, I trust. Do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
- Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation.
- Psalms 18:19 He brought me out into the open; He rescued me because He delighted in me.
- Psalms 31:1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; save me by Your righteousness.
- Psalms 119:94 I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts.
- Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- John 17:11 I will no longer be in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by Your name, the name You gave Me, so that they may be one as We are one.
- Psalms 16:1 A Miktam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge.
- Deuteronomy 7:7 The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.