Psalm 25

Here is another wonderful Psalm.  It is an acrostic or alphabetical Psalm, each verse beginning with a different Hebrew letter.  It is generally thought to be a penitential Psalm, where David makes confession of sin (v7,11,18).  It was probably written late in life as David confesses the sins of his youth (v7).  But it appears not to be the confession of a particular sin but rather the acknowledging of sin as the general nature of life.  The Psalm is marked by deep humility and by repeated requests that God would teach him. 

One also finds throughout that the various stanzas are of such a general nature that they can stand alone as great prayers and confessions (v1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-11,12-15,16-21,22).  For the one who would desire to meditate on God’s word, this Psalm is not a quick read.  For that reason allow me to share a few thoughts on things of value to me personally.  And then be encouraged to find your own cud to chew, so to speak.

·         Ashamed (v2-3,20).  The Psalmist prays that he will not be disappointed as he puts his trust in God the LORD.  This is a great truth that recognizes the need for patience in our trust of God.  When we trust God we often wait for His answers.  In the meantime the wicked may ridicule us, asking “where is your God?”  The prayer, “let me not be ashamed” is a prayer for perseverance, not a doubting of God’s mercy.  He prays instead that the wicked (who deal treacherously) will be disappointed or ashamed.  They trust in their devious plans; may those plans fail them!  At the same time the saint is telling God, “Your honor and glory is the issue in my situation.  I am standing for You; let me not be ashamed.”  Do we ever pray this prayer?  “O my God, I trust in You; let me not be ashamed.”

·         Consider the 3 requests in vs.4-5.  The terms are certainly, in the form of Hebrew poetry, meant to be synonymous to some degree, and yet also meant to build on each other.

o   “Show me Your ways”: “yada” is the important Hebrew term that indicates perception, knowledge from experience, intimate knowledge.  Thus the English “show” indicates seeing a path that is laid out before us.

o   “Teach me Your paths”:  While still involving “training,” learning mixed with doing, this is the term used often in Deuteronomy as Moses taught the statutes for life in the land and then as generations were to teach the generations following (e.g. Deut. 4:1,5,10,14).  It placed a greater emphasis on the brain, even in memorizing truth.  It is repeated in vs5,9.  The term in the NKJV in v12 translated “teach” (yara) is to cast something before someone.  Like yada it is more learning through experience, teaching “in the way” rather than teaching me “the way.”

o   “Lead me in Your truth”: Here the Psalmist asks God to “walk me in Your truth.”  Again the emphasis is on life-teaching so to speak, teaching him as they walk together.

These requests which are an emphasis later in the Psalm are so important for us to grasp.  We learn as we walk with the Lord.  There is clearly a place for learning His word, having our minds renewed.  But we have not learned if we have not lived what is in the mind.  That is how truth moves from the renewed mind to the heart.  And we live out of our hearts!

·         Three important words are related to the Psalmist's recognition of sin.  First he asks God not to remember his sins or transgressions but rather to remember him in mercy (v7).  Here is a profound prayer that might not be part of our prayer life.  We are asking God to forget, which may seem strange since God has perfect grasp of everything.  But remember that forgetting is an act, one which we may struggle with, but which God who does all things well can do to perfection.  We should ask Him to “remember not”.  To pray this prayer is to honor God because of the other terms related to sin.  In v11 he asks God to pardon his iniquity and in v18 he asks God to forgive all my sins.  These terms of course rest on the atonement which God would provide, ultimately in His own becoming flesh.  In v11 the term celach calls for remittance of ones guilt, something requiring the sacrifices prescribed in the law.  Solomon asked God to pardon those who prayed to the temple he had built, the place where the sacrifices were offered.  In v18 nasa means to bear or bear away sin.  Cain told the Lord his punishment was more than he could bear (Gen. 4:13).  Think about this.  When God forgives us in Christ He is in fact bearing our sin (1 Peter 2:24).  We cannot bear the punishment of death so God instead bears our sin.  This is David’s request here.  Let us ask for forgiveness.  But let us ask, remembering what this means.  For God to forget and pardon He must satisfy His own holiness.  Thus He must bear the sin Himself, in our place. 

Pray Psalm 25 for yourself!  Pray it with understanding!