Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 86:11

"Teach me thy way, O Jehovah; I will walk in thy truth: Unite my heart to fear thy name." — Psalms 86:11 (ASV)

Teach me thy way, O Lord - That is, in the present emergency. Show me what you would have me do that I may obtain your favor, and your gracious help.

I will walk in thy truth - I will live and act in accordance with what you declare to be true. Whatever that may be, I will pursue it, having no will of my own.

Unite my heart to fear thy name - That is, to worship, obey, and honor you.

1. The end which he desired to secure was that he might truly fear God, or properly reverence and honor him;

2. The means which he saw to be necessary for this was that his heart might be united in this one great object; that is, that his heart might be single in its views and purposes; that there might be no distracting purposes; that one great aim might be always before him.

The word rendered unite - יחד yāchad - occurs as a verb only in three places. In Genesis 49:6, it is rendered united: Unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united. In Isaiah 14:20, it is translated joined: Thou shalt not be joined with them.

The adverb - יחד yachad — occurs often, and is rendered together (Genesis 13:6; Genesis 22:6, 8, 19; Genesis 36:7; and often).

The idea is that of union, or conjunction; of being together; of constituting one. This is accomplished in the heart when there is one great ruling object before the mind which nothing is allowed to interfere with.

It may be added, that there is no more appropriate prayer which a man can offer than that his heart may have such a unity of purpose, and that nothing may be allowed to interfere with that one supreme purpose.