A Psalm About...

Imagine writing a poem about the LORD with each line starting with a letter of the alphabet, beginning with A and working your way to Z.

It might be a helpful exercise. It might really get you thinking about the LORD Yahweh and His attributes, His character, His work, His love and mercy expressed to you.

Maybe try it this week: Write a 26-line poem or prayer with each line starting with the next letter in the alphabet. It might inspire your thinking about the LORD.

An acrostic poem/prayer is exactly what we have here in Psalm 25. David starts at the beginning of the Hebrew alphabet and writes, line-by-line until he gets to the end.

As you can imagine, this psalm isn’t the most cohesive. It’s a little harder to trace the lines of thought or to make a nice, three-point sermon out of this psalm or any other acrostic. But it’s not supposed to fit into our rigid categories. This is poetry. It’s emotion and feeling and truth arranged in a poetic manner (in this case, according to the Hebrew alphabet).

These are David’s reflections on life with the LORD. There are some dominant themes, some insights into David’s devotional life. This is a glimpse into David’s personal life, and hopefully an encouragement to us.

I like to picture David sitting at a table, staring out the window. I think, maybe, he’s spiritually stuck, trying to eek out a prayer or a song of praise.

Life, we know, isn’t always great for David (he faces a lot of trials and struggles, some close brushes with death. Not every song he sang or wrote down was a happy, upbeat tune composed in a major key; there are plenty of dark psalms, psalms written when life looked a little bleak, psalms that would absolutely be played in a minor key.

Life doesn’t always go swimmingly for our pal David. So he starts to write down an acrostic poem; he doesn’t hit all the letters, but the Hebrew alphabet guides him and supplies the framework for the psalm.

There are some obvious themes. To start, some issues he’s facing:

Psalm 25:2 NIV

2 I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.

Psalm 25:15 NIV

15 My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.

Psalm 25:19–20 NIV

19 See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! 20 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

ENEMIES and SHAME

Enemies are rarely absent from the psalms David writes, perhaps because they’re so numerous, so close to him, so deadly.

David’s enemies have him ensnared; David’s in need of refuge and rescue. David writes about his enemies quite often.

We know David’s enemies are very real—Saul, the Philistines, the Amalekites, the Moabites, the Ammonites, David’s own son Absalom, and countless others—real people who actually wanted to get David. To do him physical harm (not just rivals in a football game). David has actual flesh-and-blood enemies who want him dead.

And there are doubtless those who are ideologically opposed to David. Enemies who don’t want to harm him physically, but enemies who are against him politically and otherwise.

David’s enemies raise their heads here once again. They are making it difficult for David and his people to live life peaceably.

David places his trust in the Lord and believes that the Lord Yahweh is the One who prepares a table before [David] in the presence of his enemies.

Notice, though, David’s enemies are still there. He still faces enemies.

I’d like to say that we face our share of enemies, but we have to admit our enemies are much different than David’s enemies.

I very much doubt anyone within the sound of my voice is facing an enemy the likes of David’s enemies (even the people this reaches via Facebook and YouTube).

At least I pray you don’t have anyone who is actively out to get you, searching for ways to physically harm you, or worse.

I’m guessing our “enemies” (if you can call them that) are those who oppose us ideologically, those who are actively seeking to discredit us, those who would badmouth us and speak about us unkindly behind our backs, those who oppose our beliefs and the teachings of the Bible.

Beyond our earthly foes, we do have an Enemy who prowls about seeking those he might destroy.

Satan and his demons are out to tempt and torment us as much and as often as they can.

Now, a Christian can’t be possessed, but they can be afflicted. And you better believe Satan is doing everything he can to oppose us and to keep us from sharing the Good News of Jesus.

David and his readers (that’s us) face enemies while walking this earth, just as Jesus did. But David teaches us to trust the Lord in the midst of our enemies.

And the LORD will protect and guard His people from the plans and purposes of the Enemy. Protection from the ultimate evils of Satan, and sin, and death is promised to us:

Hebrews 2:14-15 “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

God the Father delivered His Son, Jesus, from His enemies when God raised Him from the dead, as Peter preached in the book of Acts:

Acts 3:13-15 “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.”

Our deliverance is based on Jesus’ deliverance and victorious resurrection:

Romans 4:25 “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

Our enemies will not triumph over us, and we will not be put to shame.

Shame is, however, something David is concerned about. In verses 2-3, the word shame is found three times and again in verse 20.

By shame, David means he’s afraid of being let down or disappointed.

David has staked his entire life on God, and he’s praying that God will not abandon him in the midst of the darkness he faces at the hands of his enemies.

I think David knows better than to believe that the LORD Yahweh would ever abandon him, but, remember, he is surrounded by enemies.

Ps 25:2 “[don’t ] let my enemies triumph over me.”

Ps 25:19 “See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me!”

David’s enemies are a constant threat and a snare (v. 15). It’s certainly a concern for David (and for those who are reading this psalm).

David faces the potential of shame, but notes from the beginning that he will not be put to shame.

Psalm 25:3 NIV

3 No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.

Those who will be shamed are those who are treacherous without cause.

David speaks about shame as something that seems likely considering the enemies he faces, but David—quietly and maturely—says there’s no chance he will ever be put to shame because his trust is in the LORD his God.

David’s trust is not his own ability to outwit, outplay, outlast his enemies. David’s trust is in the LORD Yahweh, the covenant God, who never lets go.

David faces far deeper threat than any his enemies could pose. David prays to the LORD Yahweh:

Psalm 25:7–8 NIV

7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good. 8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.

Psalm 25:11 NIV

11 For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

Psalm 25:18 NIV

18 Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.

Besides enemies and shame, David faces his own:

SINS and INIQUITIES

In the psalms, up to this point, there has not been a single mention of the noun “sin.”

“Sinners” have come on the scene occasionally, but they’re always other people! Nobody in the psalms had yet admitted to being a sinner themselves, David included.

Here, David readily and maturely points the finger at himself and, very honestly, mentions his sins and his iniquities.

Sins are offenses of a moral standard. Iniquity can be translated guilt and has the general sense of wrongdoing and/or wickedness.

The sins of his youth and his rebellious ways, in addition to his iniquity (which is great, he says) are David’s chief problem. And ours.

David is consciously aware of his guilt before the LORD. Are we? Do we admit our sinfulness, confess our iniquity? Are we honest about our rebellion?

That’s a start—an important start.

And so is David’s understanding of the LORD’s response to sin.

Instead of remembering David’s sin and rebellious ways, David pleads with the LORD to remember something else:

Psalm 25:6–7 NIV

6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.

This is our only hope. That the Lord would remember His mercy and love and goodness is the only chance we have to get out from the weight of our sinfulness and what it deserves.

David pleads for the LORD’s forgiveness (v. 11) “For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.”

It’s forgiveness we need. Mercy and pardon from the LORD. Release from the sentence our sin imposes upon us. The removal of guilt.

Psalm 103:12 “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

Themes from the 23rd Psalm pop up. I think David also might have some trouble getting that psalm out of his head.

David asks (v. 11) the LORD to forgive his iniquity for the sake of [His] name. Just like Psalm 23:3 “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”

Beyond this, David once again pairs up the ideas of the LORD’s goodness and mercy/love like in Psalm 23:6 “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life...”

It’s the LORD’s goodness and mercy upon which David depends. It’s the LORD’s forgiveness and mercy and pardon we need.

And we know, the only adequate answer for our sin and iniquity and rebellion is Jesus, who satisfied the justice of God by taking the punishment for our sins on the cross.

Jesus’ death satisfied God completely, paying the price in full. We know God the Father was satisfied with Jesus’ sacrifice, because God raised Him from the dead!

The LORD Yahweh was good and merciful to David and is good and merciful to us.

Facing enemies and shame, sin and iniquity, David prays to the LORD:

Psalm 25:4–5 NIV

4 Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25:6–7 NIV

6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.

Psalm 25:11 NIV

11 For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

Psalm 25:16–18 NIV

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. 18 Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.

Psalm 25:20 NIV

20 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

Psalm 25:22 NIV

22 Deliver Israel, O God, from all their troubles!

MAKING REQUESTS

It’s hard to miss the requests David makes. They strike me as a little bold—Show me, teach me, guide me, remember your great mercy and love, do not remember the sins of my youth, remember me, forgive my iniquity, turn to me, relieve the troubles of my heart, free me, look on my affliction, take away all my sins, guard my life, don’t let me be put to shame, deliver Israel.

David comes right out and makes these requests; he’s bold and direct. Show me, teach me, guide me, forgive me, guard my life.

David isn’t demanding these things, but he’s confidently making these requests.

What David asks, he asks with boldness and confidence. He’s seeking the LORD and making requests of Him, because David knows the LORD cares for him and loves him.

When you have a relationship with a person, you can make those kind of requests. You don’t have to wring your hands and worry about whether you’re allowed to make certain requests. The relationship you share is the bedrock of those requests.

I can make requests of my wife—“German chocolate cheesecake sounds really good”—and because of our relationship it’s not an imposition.

We’ve leaned on Grandma Jan and Grandma Terrie— “We need to drop the kids off for the night”—and because they love us (well, maybe not “us” but Meghann and the kids), they don’t mind at all.

David here makes requests of the LORD based on his relationship with the LORD Yahweh AND requests that are in line with the will of God.

He’s not asking the LORD for something outlandish or selfish or sinful.

David doesn’t say, “Give me a million bucks,” or “Promise me a win in today’s softball game,” or “make my life easy from here on out.”

David is asking the LORD to do what the LORD is inclined to do already—Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me.

David is requesting guidance and direction from the LORD based on the LORD’s truth.

Don’t make requests of the LORD expecting to hear some special guidance. Don’t expect the LORD to give signs or signals, which is basically a pagan search for pointers and omens.

Don’t faithlessly “lay out a fleece” like Gideon or ask God for some sort of sign apart from what He’s already given you in His Word.

You don’t even need to start out with “what would Jesus do” as a guiding question. Start with “what did Jesus do and what does His Word require of me” and go from there.

Ask the LORD to lead you and guide you and guard you and teach you and help you and forgive you and deliver you. He’s more than willing!

David prays, making requests and speaking truth:

Psalm 25:9–10 NIV

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 toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

Psalm 25:12–14 NIV

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. 13 They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land. 14 The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.

SPEAKING TRUTH

This psalm, like the others, is communicating something important for the people of God. Psalm 25 is, among other things, “a thoughtful prayer by one who knows that God is the only adequate foundation for any worthwhile life.”

And so, David conveys that in his little acrostic poem. He’s speaking about what the Lord God does for His people—guiding them in what is right, teaching them His way.

David highlights the ways of the LORD and the demands of His covenant.

Here’s the truth: there is a way to live that is pleasing and proper before the LORD, and many ways that aren’t.

Only those who walk in His ways will prosper in the ways that matter. Only those who fear the LORD and walk with Him will be part of His covenant family.

Verse 14, in another translation makes it plain:

Psalm 25:14 ESV

14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.

The truth is, the way of the righteous is a road too difficult to walk without the companionship and friendship of God. There’s no way to be righteous apart from Him.

This is the truth the world doesn’t want to hear. This is the truth the Church often times conflates and confuses. Hear me again: there is no way to be righteous apart from Him.

Aside from a covenant relationship with God, there’s no hope for David.

Aside from a covenant relationship with God through Jesus Christ, there’s no hope for us.

David speaks truth, and praises the LORD:

Psalm 25:1 NIV

1 In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.

Psalm 25:21 NIV

21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.

PRAISING the LORD

David’s posture, it seems to me, is one of praise—a mature praise, maybe not a jubilant praise, but a steady praise.

He’s looking to the LORD, trusting in Him, hoping in Him, and giving Him praise for who He is and for all He does.

Just a quick scan of this psalm and you’ll see what David believes about God and what David praises God for.

God is trustworthy (v.1)

God is dependable—Ps 25:3 “No one who hopes in [Him] will ever be put to shame...”

God is Truth and His paths are paths of truth (vv. 4-5)

God is Savior (v. 5)

God is merciful and loving and has been from of old (v. 6)

God is good and upright (v. 8)

God is loving and faithful in all His ways (v. 10)

God forgives (v. 11)

God is open with His people (v. 14)

God is gracious (v. 16)

God is powerful to rescue His people (v. 15) and His people can take refuge in Him (v. 20.

God will deliver all His people from all their troubles (v. 22)

If you were writing a poem or song about God, you couldn’t do much better than to sing His praise, speak the truth about Him, and make some requests to Him. To praise Him and pray to Him in light of your sins and iniquities, knowing He forgives; in the presence of your enemies, knowing you’re safe in Him.

Psalm 25 is a psalm about life with God—the best kind of life!

Give your life to Him.

Surrender to Him.

Believe in Jesus and be saved!

And then, in the strength He gives, walk with Him all the days of your life.