Psalm 25

Psalm 25 ESV

Of David. 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 friendship 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.

Troubling Times

The history of the emergency phone number 911 goes back to the year 1957. Firefighters proposed a universal number to ensure people could reach the fire department in an emergency. They also concluded that having different numbers for different emergencies would make unnecessarily difficult to get help. Today we have a universal number connecting a caller to emergency personnel. This unique number that connects all emergencies with emergency personnel. It is easy to remember and universal in the United States. But long before that, David knew that he could lift up his soul to the LORD. Prayer to God was his 911 call. And God was always ready to hear the prayer of a heart in need. As we study Psalm 25, look at how David prays to God, who is the only one worthy of any prayers. David’s prayer is for help, guidance, confession, and trust.

Because we are reading an English translation, some details may be lost in the translation that is only discovered if we study the original language. For example, Psalm 25 uses the Hebrew alphabet as a pattern to introduce the phrases of the verses. Because people relied on memory in the past more than we do today, using structures like the alphabet would help teach and recall the psalm. But we ought not to worry about the nuances. We can learn them with extra help but let us be grateful that God has given to all people His holy Word. While it has a particular language and historical setting, the truth of God is timeless and for all people. God’s truth and plain meaning are fully present in translation. God truly loves the world that He gave us Christ the Living Word and the Bible, His Holy Word.

Enemies and Shame

As we look at David’s prayer, he recognizes that God is the right solution for those who would place themselves as his enemies. David had a variety of enemies, and they fall into two general categories: ideological and personal. Ideological enemies were those who opposed David and his choice to follow God. For example, David chose to place his trust in God while King Saul and the armies of Israel hesitated to accept the offer of a one-to-one battle with a Philistine soldier Goliath. While others feared the pressure and responsibility of being the one who would lose the battle and enslave all of Israel, David recognized the enemies as those who defied God and His plans. 1 Samuel 17:24-27

1 Samuel 17:24–27 ESV

24 All the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were much afraid. 25 And the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. And the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” 26 And David said to the men who stood by him, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 And the people answered him in the same way, “So shall it be done to the man who kills him.”

Other enemies are of a personal nature. It is not uncommon for a person to randomly choose another person to be their victim and become an enemy for no apparent reason. As believers, we may encounter enemies like this, but let us not participate in making enemies because we have initiated conflict and pain on someone else. Look at what Paul says should be our goal to avoid making enemies. We are to live uprightly with integrity. Romans 12:17-21. Whatever enemy we may face, God is our source of help.

Romans 12:17–21 ESV

17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

David asks God not to be put to shame. The shame he speaks of is the result of finding out that the foundation one chooses to stand on is not worthy to stand upon. Shame comes from relying on a source that fails. David knew of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness to His covenant promises. God would keep David from the shame of having an unfaithful God. But we should know that the measure of God’s faithfulness is not that He answers according to our time or will but according to His sovereignty. We may not have the privilege of seeing all the answers to our prayers in our time, but He will answer each according to His will. This is a request made in faith. It is the prayer of a fragile situation where God is the only hope. David places himself in the hands of a faithful God. David will not “diversify” his trust. He will trust in God alone.

Faith is not only putting all your eggs in one basket but the chicken as well.

Guidance

Next, we see David stating multiple times that God is an instructor on life, a teacher, and a leader. David is asking for more than just advice. He is admitting that God alone knows how life is to be lived. And this is true today, therefore, we ought to ask Him to show us. Even the best of human wisdom and lived experience fails in comparison to God, who is the author of life. God is the only solution for guidance to live as He created it to be. Others may claim to have the truth, but David does not desire their claims. He only desires God’s truth. He is so set on this that He waits patiently on the Lord for direction and waits on God throughout the day “all day long.”

The instruction of the Lord contains wisdom on how to make decisions and how to live in holiness. It is common for a Christian to ask God for guidance on big decisions such as who to marry, where to work, live, or go to school. It is proper to ask God’s guidance on these things. However, some of these decisions can be made upon the basis of wisdom when multiple options exist that do not lead one away from God or are sinful. Let us not forget that God’s will and guidance include living according to His ways. This is the thrust behind the warnings from Proverbs 14:12.

Proverbs 14:12 ESV

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

The picture is of someone who relies fully on their wisdom and gut feelings instead of consulting God first. We may have strong feelings toward something, but our feelings are not the basis for choosing what is good and holy. Only God can determine what is holy, and we are to submit to His ways. David knows this and prays this aspect when he declares that God is good and upright. The goodness described is moral rightness. David recognizes that he, a sinner too, needs the instruction of the Lord. But there is more to instruction than just hearing it. One must obey it and, therefore, must be humble. To be humble is to recognize one’s need for help, direction, and leadership. A proud person will often neglect to ask for directions when they are lost. We will always require the direction and leading of God in wisdom and matters of holiness. If you neglect either aspect, you will miss out on knowing God as your shepherd. Psalm 32:8-9

Psalm 32:8–9 ESV

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. 9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.

We need the Lord’s instruction to live life as He intended and as He wills. When you seek to know the will of the Lord for a decision, make sure you are obeying the written will of the Lord as well. Both are important.

Forgiveness

As Christians, we should recognize that the Bible often reminds us about our sin. Our sin is pointed out, but so is the solution; the gospel is good news concerning our sin. It reminds us that all people have sinned against God. By default, we are separated from a relationship with God. And Christ is the solution. He satisfies the requirements of holiness and supplies the payment for sinfulness. At the cross, our sin debt is canceled. While we are positionally made right with God, we still must daily choose to say no to our sinful desires. Let’s face it. We still have human appetites and desires that will take us back into sin if we give in. To struggle with temptation is not a sin, but we will, at times, give in. So, what do we do when we find ourselves committing the sins Christ has freed us from? We are to go to our Redeemer and Savior and ask for forgiveness.

How do you ask for forgiveness? Is it only with words, or do you make the connection between forgiveness and repentance? Is your saying sorry to avoid punishment? Or is it a decision to turn away from those things which build a wall between you and God? David knew this and confessed his sins, whether he sinned knowingly or out of ignorance. Our God delights in hearing both of these from us. This is the blessing of asking for forgiveness and instruction in prayer. He graciously turns to us to forgive and guide us. He is ready to bring us into “friendship,” which is a term that emphasizes bringing someone into a close setting to give direction or advice as to a decision or course of action. Forgiveness and guidance are the blessings of coming to Christ in humility and fear while asking for God’s leading. Psalm 66:16-20

Psalm 66:16–20 ESV

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. 17 I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue. 18 If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. 19 But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. 20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

Trust

Every God-centered prayer will include a statement of trust. David began this psalm with a declaration of trust. But all through the prayer, he expresses the concept of trust by declaring the eternal qualities of God. As you grow in your prayer, learn how to connect who God is to what you can expect from Him. You can trust God who reveals himself in the following ways:

God is a guide and leader; therefore, we can come to Him with prayers for direction on decision making, be it large or small. We can confidently anticipate His guidance but are we willing to wait, and are we willing to follow it?

God expresses a timeless and eternal steadfast love; therefore, we should not hesitate to come to prayer with our sin, temptations, struggles, and failures.

God is the author of salvation; therefore, we should not place our hope and trust in solutions that may be temporary but are not eternal. Politics, money, people, and the universe will fail, but God is eternal.

God is morally good and the foundation of ethics; therefore, my thoughts on what is right and wrong need to come from Him, the opinions of culture will vary, but God remains the same.

God is a Redeemer out of all troubles; therefore, we must seek our solutions in and through Him.