Charles Ellicott Commentary Psalms 86:5

"For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness unto all them that call upon thee." — Psalms 86:5 (ASV)

For you. —Until now the psalmist has only put forward his needs in various aspects as a plea for God’s compassion. Now, not without art, he clinches his petition by an appeal to the very nature of the Divine Being. The originals of the expressions in this verse will be found in Exodus 20:6; Exodus 34:6–9; Numbers 14:18–19.

Ready to forgive. —The Hebrew word occurs nowhere else in the form found here. Etymologically it means remitting. The Septuagint has ἐπιεικὴς, a word for which perhaps our considerate is the nearest equivalent, implying that legal right is overlooked and suspended in consideration of human weakness. Wisdom 12:18 gives a good description of this Divine attribute.