1 {[A Psalm] of David.} Unto thee, Jehovah, do I lift up my soul.
2 My God, I confide in thee; let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3 Yea, none that wait on thee shall be ashamed: they shall be ashamed that deal treacherously without cause.
4 Make me to know thy ways, O Jehovah; teach me thy paths.
5 Make me to walk in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, Jehovah, thy tender mercies and thy loving-kindnesses; for they are from everlasting.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to thy loving-kindness remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake, Jehovah.
8 Good and upright is Jehovah; therefore will he instruct sinners in the way:
9 The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.
10 All the paths of Jehovah are loving-kindness and truth for such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For thy name's sake, O Jehovah, thou wilt indeed pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
12 What man is he that feareth Jehovah? him will he instruct in the way [that] he should choose.
13 His soul shall dwell in prosperity, and his seed shall inherit the earth.
14 The secret of Jehovah is with them that fear him, that he may make known his covenant to them.
15 Mine eyes are ever toward Jehovah; for he will bring my feet out of the net.
16 Turn toward me, and be gracious unto me; for I am solitary and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are increased: bring me out of my distresses;
18 Consider mine affliction and my travail, and forgive all my sins.
19 Consider mine enemies, for they are many, and they hate me [with] cruel hatred.
20 Keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I trust in thee.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 25
Commentary on Psalms 25 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 25
Ps 25:1-22. The general tone of this Psalm is that of prayer for help from enemies. Distress, however, exciting a sense of sin, humble confession, supplication for pardon, preservation from sin, and divine guidance, are prominent topics.
1. lift up my soul—(Ps 24:4; 86:4), set my affections (compare Col 3:2).
2. not be ashamed—by disappointment of hopes of relief.
3. The prayer generalized as to all who wait on God—that is, who expect His favor. On the other hand, the disappointment of the perfidious, who, unprovoked, have done evil, is invoked (compare 2Sa 22:9).
4, 5. On the ground of former favor, he invokes divine guidance, according to God's gracious ways of dealing and faithfulness.
6, 7. Confessing past and present sins, he pleads for mercy, not on palliations of sin, but on God's well-known benevolence.
8, 9. upright—acting according to His promise.
sinners—the general term, limited by the
meek—who are penitent.
the way—and his way—God's way of providence.
9. in judgment—rightly.
10. paths—similar sense—His modes of dealing (compare Ps 25:4).
mercy and truth—(Job 14:1-22), God's grace in promising and faithfulness in performing.
11. God's perfections of love, mercy, goodness, and truth are manifested (his name, compare Ps 9:10) in pardoning sin, and the greatness of sin renders pardon more needed.
12, 13. What he asks for himself is the common lot of all the pious.
13. inherit the earth—(compare Mt 5:5). The phrase, alluding to the promise of Canaan, expresses all the blessings included in that promise, temporal as well as spiritual.
14. The reason of the blessing explained—the pious enjoy communion with God (compare Pr 3:21, 12), and, of course, learn His gracious terms of pardon.
15. His trust in God is fixed.
net—is frequently used as a figure for dangers by enemies (Ps 9:15; 10:9).
16-19. A series of earnest appeals for aid because God had seemed to desert him (compare Ps 13:1; 17:13, &c.), his sins oppressed him, his enemies had enlarged his troubles and were multiplied, increasing in hate and violence (Ps 9:8; 18:48).
20. keep my soul—(Ps 16:1).
put my trust—flee for refuge (Ps 2:12).
21. In conscious innocence of the faults charged by his enemies, he confidently commits his cause to God. Some refer—
integrity, &c.—to God, meaning His covenant faithfulness. This sense, though good, is an unusual application of the terms.
22. Extend these blessings to all Thy people in all their distresses.