Psalm 86 12

Psalm 86:12 kjv

I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

Psalm 86:12 nkjv

I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore.

Psalm 86:12 niv

I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.

Psalm 86:12 esv

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.

Psalm 86:12 nlt

With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever,

Psalm 86 verses

Psalm 86 12 Meaning

Psalm 86:12 expresses a deep and resolute commitment by the psalmist David to offer God total and continuous worship. It declares his unwavering intention to praise God, who is his personal Lord and God, with the entirety of his inner being (mind, will, and emotions). Furthermore, it signifies a lifelong, indeed eternal, dedication to honoring and magnifying God’s revealed character and essential being. This verse serves as both a declaration of devotion and a solemn vow of allegiance to the One true God, a direct outflow of recognizing His goodness, faithfulness, and unique sovereignty.

Psalm 86 12 Context

Psalm 86 is a prayer of David, marked by lament and petition, yet consistently interweaves expressions of faith, dependence, and praise. It's titled "A Prayer of David," implying personal composition. The surrounding verses (86:1-7, 16-17) depict David as humble, poor, needy, and afflicted, appealing to God for deliverance, instruction, and strength in the face of adversaries. He calls upon God due to God's inherent character – good, ready to forgive, abounding in steadfast love (86:5), and unique in power and deed among the gods (86:8-10). Verse 12 thus emerges not merely as a desperate cry, but as a confident vow and an expression of gratitude stemming from David's knowledge of God's character and anticipated help. It is a commitment made despite the distress, based on God's nature and past faithfulness, contrasting sharply with the futile worship of idols and reinforcing the singular majesty of the one true God against any contemporary beliefs.

Psalm 86 12 Word analysis

• I will praise: From the Hebrew `אָדָה` (ōdĕkā), which is from the root `יָדָה` (yadah). This word implies more than just verbal thanks; it involves confession, acknowledging, and often an outward gesture such as raising or extending hands, suggesting an open and public act of thanksgiving and worship. It signifies an intentional and active response of gratitude and recognition of God's greatness.
• You, O Lord: `אֲדֹנָי` (Adonai). This is a solemn and reverential title for God, emphasizing His sovereign lordship and mastery. It signifies acknowledging God as the supreme Master, to whom absolute allegiance is due. When coupled with the following phrase, it highlights the worshiper's position as a humble servant before a mighty King.
• my God: `אֱלֹהַי` (ʾĕlōhay). This term highlights the personal and covenantal relationship David has with God. It expresses intimacy, ownership, and reliance, acknowledging God not merely as the God, but his God, indicating a lived experience of His faithfulness and power.
• with all my heart: `בְּכָל־לְבָבִי` (bᵉkāl-lᵉṇaḇī). In Hebrew thought, the "heart" (lev/levav) is not just the seat of emotions, but the entire inner being – the center of intellect, will, affections, and conscience. "With all my heart" signifies unreserved, total, sincere, and holistic commitment and devotion, leaving no part of one's being excluded from the act of worship. It denotes authenticity and integrity in praise.
• And I will glorify: From the Hebrew `וַאֲכַבְּדָה` (vaʾakhaḇdâ), derived from the root `כָּבַד` (kāḇaḏ). This root primarily means "to be heavy" or "weighty." In a figurative sense, it means to honor, to give weight or significance to, to attribute great value to, or to deem magnificent. To glorify God is to declare His worthiness, acknowledge His splendor, and show Him great reverence and respect. It's a public recognition of His majesty and worth.
• Your name: `שִׁמְךָ` (šimḵā). In the Bible, God's "name" is much more than a label; it represents His character, reputation, essence, revealed nature, attributes, and His very presence. To glorify His name is to give honor to who He is, as He has revealed Himself – His power, holiness, justice, mercy, faithfulness, and love. It stands in contrast to the idols of contemporary cultures whose "names" represent nothing and have no true power.
• forevermore: `לְעוֹלָם` (lᵉʿôlām). This denotes eternity, perpetuity, unending duration. It expresses a commitment to perpetual and ceaseless praise, acknowledging God's eternal existence and character, and promising worship that transcends the bounds of the psalmist’s mortal life, implying it will continue into eternity or that it sets a pattern of praise for all future generations.

Words-Group analysis:

• "I will praise You, O Lord my God": This phrase combines an active, conscious decision to praise with the acknowledgment of God's sovereign authority (`Adonai`) and intimate, personal relationship (`my God`). It’s a complete address, revealing the reverence and relational trust in the worshipper.
• "with all my heart": This signifies the absolute totality and sincerity of the worshiper’s commitment. The internal devotion is comprehensive, engaging every aspect of one's being without reservation or hypocrisy.
• "And I will glorify Your name forevermore": This declaration outlines the external, public, and enduring nature of the commitment. It's not just inner praise, but outward, manifest honor given to God’s complete identity, and it vows this profound respect to be unending. The connection of "glorify" and "name" reinforces that the praise is about God's inherent being and reputation, made perpetual ("forevermore") because His glory is eternal.

Psalm 86 12 Bonus section

This verse embodies the essence of monotheistic worship in response to a covenant God. In a world saturated with polytheism, David’s declaration is a potent polemic, asserting that Adonai (the one true Lord) is the sole recipient of such total and eternal praise. The phrase "O Lord my God" serves as a miniature confession of faith, combining God's transcendent sovereignty (Lord) with His immanent, personal relationship (my God). This reciprocal relationship underpins the unreserved nature of the worship expressed. The ultimate expression of devotion and the theological affirmation found in this single verse contribute to understanding the boundaries of worship: it is directed only to God, it is total, and it is unending. This sets a standard for all who would truly worship Him in spirit and in truth, as spoken of in the New Testament.

Psalm 86 12 Commentary

Psalm 86:12 is a pivot within a prayer of deep personal need, transforming David’s petition into a profound declaration of praise and commitment. It is not merely a statement of emotion but a deliberate, comprehensive, and eternal vow. "Praise" (yadah) and "glorify" (kavod) signify two dimensions: yadah, often expressing gratitude and an open acknowledgement, and kavod, conveying the attribution of weighty honor and inherent value. Together, they form a holistic act of worship. The phrase "with all my heart" ensures this worship is authentic, engaging the entirety of one's intellectual, emotional, and volitional capacities, leaving no room for hypocrisy or divided loyalty. It reflects the great commandment to love God wholly. To "glorify Your name" implies an active honoring of God’s complete identity and revealed character—His attributes, power, and nature—standing in stark contrast to the emptiness of idols (as referenced in earlier verses of Ps 86). The final commitment to praise "forevermore" transcends David’s earthly existence, hinting at an eternal state of worship and establishing a perpetual principle for all generations. It highlights the eternal nature of God and the unending duration of His worthiness to receive honor. This verse is a template for heartfelt, total, and enduring worship born from a personal relationship with the sovereign God.

• Practical example: When facing overwhelming challenges, choosing to focus on God's unchanging character and past faithfulness, rather than circumstances, empowers one to vow continuous praise despite the hardship, knowing His deliverance will come and merit enduring glory.
• Practical example: Engaging in sincere, private prayer, fully investing mind, emotion, and will in conversation with God, models "all my heart" worship, laying the foundation for public "glorifying" through testimony or service.