What Does Psalm 86:6 Mean?
Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer, and set your ear to the voice of my pleas for favor.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.THE KEY
The Hebrew word for supplication grows from the root for favor, so the plea itself carries a request for gracious regard.
THE MEANING
Your prayer is a voice turned toward God, asking to be heard and asking for favor. The verse names listening twice, give ear, attend, so your voice seeks focused attention. Your need enters as a spoken plea.
THE ROOT
תַּחֲנוּנֹתָי
tachanunotai
GROWS FROM
חנן
ḥ-n-n
To show favor; to be gracious.
“pleas for favor” in this verse is tachanunotai. The word for supplications grows from חנן (chanan, to show favor). Beneath the English plea is an appeal for favor: the request carries the nature of what it seeks.
ALSO GROWS
chen: Favor or gracious regard.
חֵן
This is the favor the supplication seeks.
chanan: To act with favor or graciousness.
חָנַן
The verb names the quality at the root of the plea.
techinnah: A plea or entreaty for favor.
תְּחִנָּה
This singular branch makes clear that the verse’s supplications are appeals rooted in favor.
הַאֲזִינָה
ha'azinah
GROWS FROM
אזן
ʾ-z-n
Ear; to listen or give ear.
“Give ear” in this verse is ha'azinah. The Hebrew verb keeps the ear inside the act of listening. The request is not only that sound arrive, but that the ear turn toward the speaker.
ALSO GROWS
’ozen: The ear, the bodily organ of hearing.
אֹזֶן
The body part remains present in the Hebrew verb translated ‘give ear.’
he'ezin: To listen attentively.
הֶאֱזִין
This related verb shows how the root joins hearing with directed attention.
וְהַקְשִׁיבָה
vehaqshiva
GROWS FROM
קשב
q-sh-b
To listen carefully; to heed.
“set your ear to” in this verse is vehaqshiva. The verse pairs ‘give ear’ with another verb for attentive listening. The doubled request makes focused hearing part of the plea, rather than treating listening as a passing formality.
ALSO GROWS
qeshev: Attention or attentive listening.
קֶשֶׁב
It brings out the focus carried by ‘attend.’
maqshiv: One who listens attentively.
מַקְשִׁיב
This branch makes the attentive listener implicit in the request.
THE PATTERN
The prayer voice seeks a hearing, and scripture portrays that hearing as attentive response to the one who asks.
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David. Tilt your ear to my prayer, O God, and do not hide yourself from my pleas.I love the LORD, for he hears and responds to my voice and my pleas for favor.And this is the open speech we hold toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.THE THREAD
To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil, A Psalm of David. Tilt your ear to my prayer, O God, and do not hide yourself from my pleas.Psalm 55:1 repeats the Hebrew roots for ‘give ear’ and ‘prayer,’ then uses a supplication word from חנן (chanan, show favor). The shared language joins the request for attentive hearing to the plea for favor.
Read the SDV Bible.
Every verse has a Deep Dive in the app.
The iPhone Bible app with the Selah Decoded Version.
Does something in this reading look wrong? Tell us