But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.
Parallel translations
- WEB But deal with me, Yahweh the Lord, for your name’s sake, because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;
- BSB But You, O GOD, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name; deliver me by the goodness of Your loving devotion.
- ESV But you, O GOD my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name’s sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
- NKJV But You, O GOD the Lord, Deal with me for Your name’s sake; Because Your mercy is good, deliver me.
- NASB ¶But You, God, the Lord, deal kindly with me for the sake of Your name; Because Your mercy is good, rescue me;
- NLT But deal well with me, O Sovereign Lord, for the sake of your own reputation! Rescue me because you are so faithful and good.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David turns from his enemies to plead with God for deliverance, appealing to God's own name and steadfast love. His hope rests not in himself but in God's goodness.
Overview
The 'But' marks a sharp shift from imprecation to prayer for rescue. David grounds his appeal not in his own merit but in God's name (reputation) and 'loving kindness' (covenant love, Hebrew chesed). This is the heart of biblical prayer, resting on God's character, and it points to the salvation given freely for Christ's sake.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 69:16Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
- Ps 31:3For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
- Ps 63:3Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
- Ps 79:9–10Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.
- Phil 2:8–11And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
- Ps 25:11For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
- Ps 143:11–12Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.
- Ps 36:7–9How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
- Ps 86:15But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
- Ps 86:5For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
- John 17:1These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
- Ps 69:29But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.
- Ps 23:3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 109:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.