“For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.”
My Notes
What Does Psalms 86:5 Mean?
David declares five attributes of God in a single verse: good, ready to forgive, plenteous in mercy. The description is not complex theology. It is the simple testimony of someone who knows God personally.
"Thou, Lord, art good" — goodness is God's character. Not occasionally good. Essentially good. Goodness is who he is.
"Ready to forgive" — the readiness is the key word. God is not reluctant to forgive. He is ready — prepared, willing, eager. The forgiveness does not need to be coaxed or earned. It is available because God is ready to give it.
"Plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee" — the mercy is abundant (plenteous) and available (to all who call). The supply is not limited. The access is not restricted. Call, and the mercy is there — in abundance.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does 'ready to forgive' change your hesitation to approach God after failure?
- 2.What does 'plenteous in mercy' mean for the fear that you have used up God's patience?
- 3.How is David's simple portrait of God — good, forgiving, merciful — different from the picture you carry?
- 4.When was the last time you simply called and found God ready?
Devotional
Thou, Lord, art good. Not complicated. Not qualified. Good. That is who God is at his core. When you strip away everything else — the theology, the debate, the difficulty — goodness is what remains.
Ready to forgive. Not reluctant. Not requiring extensive pleading. Ready. The forgiveness is prepared before you ask. The willingness to pardon is God's default posture, not something you have to earn through sufficient remorse.
Plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Plenteous — overflowing, more than enough, exceeding your need. Not rationed. Not measured. Plenteous. And available to all who call. Not some. All. The only requirement is calling.
This is the simplest portrait of God in the Psalms: good, forgiving, merciful. If your picture of God is primarily stern, distant, or reluctant — David disagrees. The God he knows is good, ready, and plenteous.
When was the last time you called on God and found him ready to forgive? The readiness has not changed. The mercy has not dried up. The goodness has not diminished. He is still what David said he was: good, ready, plenteous.
Call. The mercy is waiting.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
For thou, Lord, art good,.... Essentially and independently good, from whom every good and perfect gift comes; good in…
For thou, Lord, art good ... - This is another reason why God should hear his prayer; and it is a reason which may be…
This psalm was published under the title of a prayer of David; not as if David sung all his prayers, but into some of…
ready to forgive The exact word is found only here, but for the thought see Psa 130:4; and for the whole verse cp. Exo…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture