John Calvin Commentary Psalms 86:8

"There is none like unto thee among the gods, O Lord; Neither [are there any works] like unto thy works." — Psalms 86:8 (ASV)

Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord! Here the Psalmist may be considered either as bursting forth into thanksgivings after having obtained what he desired, or as gathering courage and new strength for prayer. I am most inclined to adopt the latter opinion; but perhaps it may be preferable to regard both views as included.

Some understand the word אלהום, Elohim, as denoting angels — There is none like unto thee, O Lord! among the angels — as if David compared them with the Most High God; but this does not seem to agree as well with the passage. He does not humble the angels, representing them as inferior gods, so that they may give place to the power of God; but he holds up to contempt and derision all the false gods in whom the pagan world imagined some help was to be found. He does this because they could supply no evidence from their works of their being gods.

Had he distributed the power to act between them and the true God in different degrees, assigning less to the former and more to the latter, he would not have attributed to God what is naturally and exclusively his own. Therefore, he affirms, without qualification, that no characteristic of Deity could be perceived in them or traced in any works performed by them.

In calling us to the consideration of works, he clearly shows that those who indulge in ingenious speculations about the hidden or secret essence of God, and pass over the unequivocal traces of his majesty that are to be seen beaming forth in bright radiance in his works, only trifle and spend their time to no purpose. As the divine nature is infinitely exalted above the comprehension of our understanding, David wisely confines his attention to the testimony of God’s works and declares that the gods who display no power are false and counterfeit.

If it is objected that there is no comparison between God and the foolish inventions of men, the answer is obvious: this language is used in accommodation to the ignorance of most people. The audacity with which the superstitious exalt the spurious fabrications of their own minds above the heavens is well known; and David very justly derides their madness in forging gods for themselves, which are, in reality, no gods.