Psalm 25
1 Of David.
To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; 2 in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. 3 No-one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.
4 Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; 5 guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long. 6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.
8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. 11 For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. 13 He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare. 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. 18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 19 See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
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Psalm 25 – Facing trouble with God’s help
(Verses 1-3) David faces troubles through treacherous enemies. He prays to his LORD, confirming that he trusts Him. He asks to avoid shame, or enemy triumph over him. He knows God’s power and justice are on his side. It is a comfort to trust in God, in trouble, when people are set against us.
(Verses 4-7) He asks God to guide and teach him. He knows God is his Saviour: He hopes in Him all day long. His past sins and rebellion are forgiven: he asks God to remember His ‘mercy and love’, but not to remember past sins. The Bible says He ‘will remember their sins no more.’ That is why Jesus paid sins’ penalty on the cross. David concludes, ‘You are good, O LORD.’ He is!
(Verses 8-11) David looks at how good God is: He is upright, teaches sinners His ways, guides the humble, and is loving and faithful to His covenant keepers. David again feels how big his own sin is and again asks to be forgiven. God did that when he first asked! We can trust His forgiveness too.
(Verses 12-14) Marks of a God-fearing man are: God instructs him; he receives God’s riches (spiritually, not necessarily materially); he inherits a great inheritance (spiritually); he has a close relationship with God; and God helps him understand God’s ‘covenant’. ‘Covenant’ describes a legally binding agreement made under seal: the Bible confirms that God will keep His covenant to save, now and eternally, all who turn from sin and trust Him. Jesus enabled that to be so when He bore our sins’ punishment, saving us from Hell. He rose and is alive. He forgives all come to Him as their living Lord and Saviour to receive His forgiveness and eternal life.
(Verses 15-22) In a heartfelt last prayer, David looks to his gracious LORD, his only Liberator. God can help in his loneliness, afflictions, trouble, anguish, and distress. He will forgive all David’s sins, guard and rescue him from his fierce enemies, keep him from shame, and be his refuge. God gives him integrity and uprightness. He protects him as he hopes in God. David prays, ‘Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles.’ God does physically for David what, in Christ, He does spiritually for you.
