MAY 1 – PSALM 25
GOD WILL PURIFY & PROTECT US
Today, we look at Psalm 25, which is a psalm of lament. In the middle of his sorrow, David petitions God to forgive him. David confidently turned to the Lord for divine instruction and forgiveness from his iniquity because of His mercies for Israel. This psalm is a meditation on the character of God that prompts the humble to respond with confession and prayer. Although the psalm contains elements of a lament psalm and a penitential psalm, the mixture of the two forms makes this psalm unique. The psalm is an acrostic, as each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Forgiveness forms a motif throughout the psalm (vv. 6–7, 11, 18). The adversities, which the psalmist details in vv. 15–21, are also of a general nature and so function as a community lament. The emphasis lies on the personal effect of adversity in the areas of self-examination, guidance, and submission to the Lord. In his experience, the psalmist demonstrates a remarkable desire to conform to God’s will. The repetition of the prayer for forgiveness (vv. 4–7, 11) is answered in the assurance of guidance. Thus, humility and growth in godliness are two positive effects of divine correction. The psalm begins and ends on a note of trust in the Lord (vv. 1–3, 21) and a prayer that the Lord will not let him down
The structure of the psalm is: (1) an introductory appeal that David will not be ashamed before his enemies (vv. 1-3); (2) a call for God to forgive David (vv. 4-7); (3) a focus on the character of God (vv. 8-10); (4) a renewed call for God to forgive David (vv. 11-18); (5) a concluding appeal that David will not be shamed before his enemies (vv. 19-21); and (6) a concluding prayer for Israel (v. 22). This can really be broken down even simpler into two sections as verses 1-7 are a prayer for guidance and forgiveness and verse 8-22 are a reiteration of the prayer.
1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.
6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!
8 Good and upright is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For your name's sake, O Lord,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.
12 Who is the man who fears the Lord?
Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.
13 His soul shall abide in well-being,
and his offspring shall inherit the land.
14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him,
and he makes known to them his covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged;
bring me out of my distresses.
18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me.
20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me!
Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all his troubles.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Reflect on the perfections of God (good and upright, v. 8)
- In humility, ask God to lead and direct your path. Trust that He will
- Prayer does not have to be stoic and static. It can be vibrant, dynamic, and emotional. It is a time of confession, forgiveness, adoration for God, thanksgiving, and asking.
CLOSER LOOK:
In verses 1-7, the psalmist was not ashamed to turn to the Lord for instruction and forgiveness for the sins of his youth (v. 7).
Verses 1–3: David stressed his confidence in turning to the Lord. He lifted up his soul to the Lord without shame, for none who trust and hope (cf. 5, 21) in the Lord will be put to shame (cf. v. 20), that is, they will have their prayers answered and their needs met. This contrasts with their enemies and the treacherous. “Let me not be put to shame” is the opening and closing appeal of Psalm 25 (v. 20). Shame is the intended end of the enemies of God (Ps 35:26), but not of the faithful. In thinking about those “who wait,” what that speaks of is waiting on the Lord is the equivalent of hoping in Him (25:5; 40:1).
Verses 4–7: David prayed first for instruction (vv. 4–5; cf. vv. 9, 12) and guidance (v. 5; cf. v. 9). He desired that God would show him His ways, including truth, and teach him His paths. Asking God to “show” or “know” God’s ways is an appeal to God to enter into David’s life more directly, to help him become more conformed to the character of God (Rom 12:1-2). Then he prayed for pardon (vv. 6–7). Based on God’s mercy and love, which had been known for ages, he prayed that the sins of his youth not be held against him. Three times he prayed “remember.” Both the sins of immaturity and the transgressions of adulthood need forgiveness (1 Jn 1:9).
Times of adversity bring Christians to moments of reflection, when they submit their whole way of life to God. They pray for guidance and mercy.
Verses 8-22 are a reiteration of the prayer. The psalmist reiterated his prayer for instruction in the true way (cf. vv. 4–5) and pardon (cf. vv. 6–7) for his afflicted soul, but now his prayer was grounded on the revealed character of the Lord.
Verses 8–10: David extolled the nature of God: He is good and upright and loving and faithful. On the basis of these attributes He teaches sinners and guides the humble. Sinful humans need the gracious guidance of the Lord. In the midst of David’s plea for forgiveness, he praises God by speaking of two of God’s characteristics. God must be both good and upright. Because He is both, the Lord extends mercy to the repentant believers and at the same time promises not to allow the guilty to go unpunished. God will bring justice to this fallen world.
Verse 11: The psalmist prayed for pardon for his great iniquity—for the sake of the Lord’s name (His revealed character). David returns to the subject of his own sinfulness, summarizing verses 4-7 as well as expressing his desire for the Lord to teach him.
Verses 12–14: Here David described a person who fears the Lord: he is one in whom the Lord confides by revealing His covenant to him (v. 14) and instructing him (v. 12b; cf. vv. 4–5, 8–9). These statements remind the reader of the Wisdom literature, especially Proverbs. A person who fears the Lord (Prov. 1:7; 9:10; 15:33; 31:30) is instructed by the Lord’s Word. Those who fear the Lord pay attention to His instructions and thus learn the secrets of God’s wisdom (Ps 111:10; Prov 1:7; 3:32).
Verses 15–22: The psalm concludes with a prayer for the Lord’s gracious deliverance. Beginning with his own affirmation that he trusts the Lord for deliverance (v. 15), the psalmist called on God to forgive (v. 18; cf. vv. 6–7, 11) his afflicted soul and deliver him from the distress caused by his cruel enemies (v. 18). Again he asked that in being rescued he not be put to shame (cf. v. 20), and he affirmed his hope in God (v. 21; cf. vv. 3, 5; hope in the Lord is mentioned more than two dozen times in the Psalms). “Let me not be put to shame” is a reprise of the opening verses, with an emphasis both on David’s enemies and on his continuing stance of waiting in expectant hope.
The last request was for deliverance of Israel from its troubles (v. 22). This concluding verse is outside the general acrostic pattern of the psalm.[1] Here David petitions the Lord to be compassionate wit the nation of Israel just as He has been with David. The Lord was not only personal Savior of David, but also the Savior of all the Israelites.
The psalm strongly links the prayer for deliverance and guidance to confession of sin. The way of the Lord requires this.
Closer Look at “Remember”: (Heb zakar) (25:6-7; Ps 106:45) Strong’s #2142: This Hebrew verb has as its basic meaning “to contemplate” or “to call to mind.” When it refers to recalling past ideas or events it is translated “remember” (Gen 42:9; Num 11:5). In other passages, it pertains to thinking about the future and is translated “dwell on” (Eccl 5:20), “consider” (Lam 1:9), and “mention (Jer 20:9). The psalmists frequently call on God to remember His people (Ps 106:4) or His mercy (25:6-7). this does not imply that God has forgotten, but instead, it is a request that God would take action according to His purposes.
[1] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, H. Wayne House, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: Nelson, 1999), 665.