Sermons on Psalm 86:11

Psalm 86:11 Interpretation:

Embracing the Fear of the Lord for Wisdom (Limitless Life T.V.) interprets Psalm 86:11 as a prayer for a heart that is wholly devoted to God, using the analogy of a "divided heart" versus an "undivided heart." The sermon uniquely frames the "undivided heart" as the opposite of a house divided against itself, drawing a parallel to instability and unfaithfulness. The preacher emphasizes that a divided heart is torn between serving God and serving oneself, and that true fear of the Lord produces a heart that is not split by competing loyalties. The sermon also uses the metaphor of "sitting on a fence" and being "lukewarm" to describe the spiritual danger of divided affections, and it connects the undivided heart to the ability to receive wisdom and to live in confidence and protection, especially for one's children. The preacher does not delve into the original Hebrew, but the focus on the heart's unity and the practical outworking of fearing God's name is a notable interpretive angle.

Living for God's Glory: The Purpose of Ethics (Ligonier Ministries) offers a distinct interpretation by situating Psalm 86:11 within the broader context of the Psalm as a whole, emphasizing its nature as a prayer in the midst of suffering and its focus on glorifying God. The sermon highlights that David, despite being a king of a small, embattled nation, lifts his eyes to God's promises and prays for an undivided heart so that he may glorify God. The preacher notes the repeated use of "Lord" (Adonai) in the Psalm, underscoring God's sovereignty and rule, and interprets the request for an undivided heart as a desire for single-minded devotion to God's glory, rooted in the knowledge of God's steadfast love and deliverance. The sermon also draws attention to the structure of the Psalm and its placement in the Psalter, which is a unique literary and canonical insight.

Intentional Focus: Navigating Distractions in Faith (Desiring God) interprets Psalm 86:11 as a direct prayer for God to "unite my heart to fear your name," specifically addressing the problem of divided affections and spiritual distraction. The sermon offers a unique perspective by connecting the verse to the modern experience of distraction and the need for intentional, concentrated attention on God. The preacher, John Piper, shares his personal practice of praying Psalm 86:11 daily as part of a set of prayers (IOUs), and he frames the undivided heart as essential for treasuring Christ above all else. The sermon introduces the concept of "spiritual affections" as deeper, Spirit-prompted emotions, and argues that delighting in God is not optional but required for true faith. This focus on the affections and the necessity of joy in God as the core of Christian motivation is a distinctive interpretive contribution.

Embracing God's Word and Advocating for Justice (Desiring God) briefly references Psalm 86:11 as part of a set of daily prayers (IOUs) but does not provide a paragraph of interpretation or application beyond this mention, so it is excluded from analysis.

Overcoming the Divided Heart: A Path to Unity (Desiring God) interprets Psalm 86:11 as a prayer for God to resolve the internal conflict of the believer’s heart, which is simultaneously drawn toward God and resistant to Him. The sermon uniquely frames the “divided heart” as a universal Christian experience, not a sign of spiritual failure but a battleground where longing and resistance coexist. The preacher uses the IOUS acronym, focusing on the “U” for “Unite my heart,” and explains that the psalmist’s prayer is not for the removal of fear but for a fear of resisting God, which paradoxically draws the believer closer to God. The sermon also draws a distinction between fearing God in a way that leads to intimacy (“friendship of the Lord”) and fearing God in a way that leads to avoidance, emphasizing that the true fear of God unites the heart in longing for Him. The preacher further encourages listeners to “preach” the promise of a united heart to themselves, especially in moments of resistance, and to see the prayer of Psalm 86:11 as both a plea and a declaration of the new covenant reality.

Purity of Heart: The Path to Seeing God (SermonIndex.net) offers a distinctive interpretation by connecting Psalm 86:11’s “unite my heart” to the biblical concept of purity as singleness or unmixed devotion. The sermon uses the metaphor of refining precious metals—where purity is achieved when only one substance remains—to illustrate that a united heart is one free from admixture, double-mindedness, or spiritual “adultery.” The preacher draws on linguistic details from Greek lexicons, highlighting that “purity” means freedom from adulteration, and links this to the Old Testament imagery of Israel’s divided heart as spiritual whoredom. The sermon argues that David’s prayer in Psalm 86:11 arises from a felt sense of divided affections and a longing for wholeness, and that true purity (and thus the ability to “see God”) is found in a heart that is singularly devoted to Him, without competing loyalties.

Psalm 86:11 Theological Themes:

Embracing the Fear of the Lord for Wisdom (Limitless Life T.V.) introduces the theme that fearing the Lord and having an undivided heart is not only about personal piety but also has generational consequences: a parent's reverence for God provides spiritual protection and refuge for their children. This sermon uniquely applies Psalm 86:11 to family life, arguing that a parent's undivided devotion to God creates a spiritual covering for their offspring, a theme not commonly emphasized in other treatments of the passage.

Living for God's Glory: The Purpose of Ethics (Ligonier Ministries) presents the theological theme that the ultimate purpose ("end") of ethics and holy living is to glorify God, and that an undivided heart is necessary for this purpose. The sermon adds a fresh angle by connecting the Hebrew concept of "glory" (weightiness) to the need for God to be a "weighty reality" in the believer's life, contrasting this with the "weightlessness of God" in much of contemporary Christianity. The preacher also ties the undivided heart to the church's need for repentance and a return to the centrality of God's Word, making the pursuit of an undivided heart a communal as well as individual calling.

Intentional Focus: Navigating Distractions in Faith (Desiring God) develops the theme that divided affections are a crisis of faith, and that the pursuit of joy and satisfaction in God is not merely permitted but demanded by Scripture. The sermon uniquely insists that delighting in God is a biblical command and that saving faith inherently involves treasuring Christ above all else. This is a distinctive theological emphasis on the affections as central to Christian life, not just as a byproduct but as the very heart of faith and motivation.

Overcoming the Divided Heart: A Path to Unity (Desiring God) introduces the theme that the divided heart is not merely a personal failing but a normative aspect of the Christian life, which should be met with honest prayer and reliance on God’s promise to unite the heart. The sermon adds a fresh angle by reframing the fear of God as a fear of resisting Him, which leads to deeper intimacy and friendship with God, rather than alienation. It also presents the uniting of the heart as a new covenant reality, secured by Christ’s blood, and encourages believers to claim this promise actively in spiritual struggle.

Purity of Heart: The Path to Seeing God (SermonIndex.net) develops the theological theme that purity and unity of heart are synonymous, both representing singleness of devotion to God. The sermon uniquely applies the language of spiritual adultery and whoredom from Hosea to the divided heart, arguing that God’s jealousy demands undivided affection. It also explores the idea that the fight against divided affections is itself evidence of a longing for purity, and that the new covenant promise of “one heart” is the fulfillment of the prayer in Psalm 86:11, making purity of heart both a gift and a calling.

Psalm 86:11 Historical and Contextual Insights:

Living for God's Glory: The Purpose of Ethics (Ligonier Ministries) provides detailed historical and contextual insights by situating Psalm 86 within Book Three of the Psalter, a section associated with the intense suffering and exile of God's people. The preacher notes that Psalm 86 is the only Davidic psalm in this book, highlighting its unique placement and function as a prayer in the midst of communal and personal distress. The sermon also references the repeated use of "Adonai" (Lord) in the Psalm, emphasizing the sovereignty of God in a time of national vulnerability. Additionally, the preacher recounts the historical event of Ulrich Zwingli and the "sausage affair" as an illustration of the Reformation's return to the authority of Scripture, connecting the prayer "teach me your way" to the historical struggle for biblical faithfulness over church tradition.

Purity of Heart: The Path to Seeing God (SermonIndex.net) provides historical context by referencing the Old Testament prophets Daniel and Hosea, explaining that the language of purity, refinement, and whoredom was used to describe Israel’s spiritual state. The sermon details how, in biblical times, purity was associated with singleness and the absence of admixture, whether in metals, relationships, or religious devotion. The preacher also notes that the heart, in ancient Hebrew thought, was the center of the person—the source of all actions and affections—making the prayer for a united heart a plea for transformation at the deepest level of one’s being.

Psalm 86:11 Cross-References in the Bible:

Embracing the Fear of the Lord for Wisdom (Limitless Life T.V.) references several biblical passages to expand on the meaning of Psalm 86:11: Proverbs 9:10 ("the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom") is used to argue that wisdom is rooted in reverence for God; James (unspecified, but likely James 1:5) is cited regarding praying for wisdom; Acts 5 is recounted to illustrate the consequences of lacking fear of the Lord (Ananias and Sapphira); Proverbs 24:26 is used to show that fear of the Lord brings strong confidence and protection for one's children; Psalm 111:10 is quoted to reinforce the connection between fear of the Lord and wisdom; Exodus 33:14-16 is referenced to show Moses' dependence on God's presence; 2 Corinthians 5:11 is cited to connect fear of the Lord to evangelism; Exodus 20:20 is used to show that fear of God keeps believers from sin; and Job 38 is read at length to illustrate God's majesty and the proper posture of humility before Him.

Living for God's Glory: The Purpose of Ethics (Ligonier Ministries) references several passages to support and expand on Psalm 86:11: Psalm 145 is mentioned as a celebration of God's greatness; Psalm 56 is cited to encourage assurance in God's steadfast love; Joel 2 is quoted to call for repentance and wholehearted return to God; and the preacher alludes to New Testament fulfillment in Jesus as the deliverer from death, connecting the Psalm's hope to Christ's resurrection and the eschatological promise that "all nations...shall glorify your name."

Intentional Focus: Navigating Distractions in Faith (Desiring God) references Psalm 119:36, Psalm 119:18, and Psalm 90:14 as part of a set of daily prayers (IOUs) that include Psalm 86:11, using these passages to illustrate the need for God to incline the heart, open the eyes, unite the heart, and satisfy the soul. The sermon also references 1 Corinthians 15:10 to address issues of identity and comparison, and Acts 5:41 to illustrate the joy of suffering for Christ's name.

Overcoming the Divided Heart: A Path to Unity (Desiring God) references several passages to expand on Psalm 86:11: Psalm 25:14 (“The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him”) is used to show that fearing God leads to intimacy, not distance; Jeremiah 32:39 (“I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever”) is cited as a new covenant promise of a united heart; James 1:8 and 4:8 (“A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways…purify your hearts, you double-minded”) are invoked to highlight the instability of a divided heart and the call to seek purity through Christ’s power; and Psalm 90:14 (“Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love”) is included as the culmination of the IOUS prayer pattern, pointing to satisfaction in God as the fruit of a united heart.

Purity of Heart: The Path to Seeing God (SermonIndex.net) draws on a wide range of biblical cross-references: Daniel 12 (purification and refinement of God’s people), Malachi (refining the sons of Levi), James 4:4-8 (spiritual adultery and double-mindedness), Hosea 10:2 (Israel’s divided heart), Jeremiah 24 and 32 (promise of a new heart and the new covenant), and 1 Peter (sanctifying the Lord in one’s heart). Each reference is used to reinforce the idea that purity, unity, and singleness of heart are central to biblical spirituality, and that divided affections are equated with spiritual adultery and impurity.

Psalm 86:11 Christian References outside the Bible:

Living for God's Glory: The Purpose of Ethics (Ligonier Ministries) explicitly references Ulrich Zwingli, recounting the historical "sausage affair" as a pivotal moment in the Reformation's return to the authority of Scripture. The preacher explains how Zwingli's insistence on the Bible as the sole teacher of God's will led to a break with church tradition and the assertion of Christian liberty, using this as an analogy for the prayer "teach me your way, O Lord." The sermon also references David Wells, a contemporary theologian, and his analysis of the "weightlessness of God" in American evangelicalism, using this concept to challenge the congregation to recover the biblical sense of God's glory as "weighty." Additionally, the preacher mentions the Dutch Reformed tradition and its approach to assurance, as well as the influence of the Westminster Shorter Catechism in shaping the understanding of the "chief end" of man.

Psalm 86:11 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Living for God's Glory: The Purpose of Ethics (Ligonier Ministries) uses a detailed illustration from a comic novel about an English social climber named Lucia, who "believed in God the way she believed in Australia." The preacher explains that for Lucia, belief in God had no practical weight or influence on her life, just as belief in Australia had no bearing on her daily existence. This analogy is used to challenge listeners to consider whether God is a "weighty reality" in their lives or merely a distant, irrelevant concept. The preacher also humorously references the five-hundredth anniversary of Zwingli and his friends eating sausage during Lent, highlighting how seemingly small acts can have significant historical and spiritual consequences.