Psalms 25 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Psalm 25

Teach Me Your Paths

¹ Of David.

25:1   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 friendship² 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.

Footnotes

[1] 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
[2] 25:14 Or The secret counsel

Commentary

A psalm dated when David was estranged from Saul; it challenges us to desire the truth, the key to enjoying godliness and a relationship with God. There is also the confidence that God will honour such desires.

v1-3: Dependence upon God; security is found only in Him; and security for all who wait on the Lord.

An 'imprecatory' prayer (v3), asking the desires of the wicked to be returned upon them. Doeg the Edomite dealt treacherously, 1 Sam 22.9,10,18. The Lord makes a distinction between those who trust in Him, and those who do not.

v4-5: Desire for truth; show me, teach me, guide me, teach me; your ways, your paths, your truth; this refers to guidance on specific issues, but also guidance for our whole manner of life. Our part is to be willing to learn and change, giving time to wait upon God, and having our hope (confidence) in Him.

v6: The Lord's tender mercies and great love, never ending.

v7: See also v11, 18; conscious of personal sins; no claim of perfection (1 Cor 10.12), nor of having achieved (Phil 3.13; 1 John 1.8); we need to know His mercies and great love; see also Ps 23.6. These words refer to faithful believers, not to those who pursue sin and reject God.

v8: The righteous God will teach sinners; we can all be included. Implicit here is a call to repentance, as we turn from the way of sin.

v9: We need to be humble, teachable, bendable, guidable, Deut 29.29, Ps 103.7; we need to learn His ways, and live in them.

v10: Practical obedience; as we obey Him, we love His word more, Prov 13.15. We are confident that God will only lead us in paths of mercy and truth. The way is His way.

v11: As in v7, we need to know God's forgiveness, that He will not hold my sins against me.

v12-13: Fear for the Lord God will be rewarded. This means a proper respect for, and submission to, Him.

v14: We can know the secrets of the Lord, Gen 18.17; Prov 3.32; 2 Cor 12.1-4; being taken into His confidence.

v15: A constant attitude of prayer.

v16-18: We need God's help; the psalmist had sought to hear God's voice, and that is not always easy. Our experience of troubles encourages us to pray more.

v19: Many enemies; I am too weak to stand on my own, except and unless God gives me strength.

v20-21: Personal dependence upon God; I put my trust in you, I wait for you; we know that the Lord will not disappoint.

v22: Unselfish prayer, that these things be true for all God's people, as in v3.