I Am Godly
Scripture Reading: Psalm 86; Isaiah 28-29; Ephesians 1
Preserve my life, for I am godly… -Psalm 86:2
At first glance, this prayer of David feels a little jarring. “Preserve my life, for I am godly.” Is David boasting here? Isn’t that the opposite of grace? We read Paul say, “None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10), and we wonder how David could ever dare say such a thing about himself.
The key is in the word “godly.” In Hebrew, it carries the idea of one who is in covenant with God — one who belongs to Him and clings to His mercy. It doesn’t mean flawless or sinless. It means David knows where he stands: he is a man who has thrown himself on the steadfast love of the Lord and is seeking to live in loyalty to Him.
So David’s prayer is not arrogant, but confident. He is not saying, “God, save me because I deserve it.” He is saying, “God, save me because I am Yours.”
And yet, even David’s best “godliness” was flawed. His loyalty faltered. His faith stumbled. His record was far from perfect. That’s why we can’t stop with David here. Like so many of the Psalms, this prayer was an echo of Jesus’ voice.
Christ alone can pray these words without qualification: “Preserve my life, for I am godly.” He is the truly righteous One, the faithful covenant-keeper, the Son who never wavered in His love for the Father. Even when He was handed over to death, He entrusted Himself fully to God — and was preserved through resurrection.
So how do we pray this Psalm without arrogance? We pray it in Christ. We don’t come to God saying, “I am godly on my own merits.” We come saying, “I am in Christ, clothed in His righteousness, counted among the godly by sheer grace.”
This turns what first seemed like arrogance into assurance. If you belong to Christ, you can pray with confidence: “Lord, preserve my life, for I am Yours.”