A Psalm for Sunday, Psalm 25, part 2, Good and upright is the LORD

 

Psalm 25:8 ¶  Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach 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 the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. 11  For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. 12  What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. 13  His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. 14  The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

 

Please note, for verse 8;

 

Psalm 119:68 ¶  Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

 

Notice how artfully the colon is used to define what goes before by what goes after it. Because God is good and upright He does not abandon sinners but teaches them His standards of righteousness.

 

David notes that God will guide the meek in judgment and teach them his ways. Who are the meek here?

 

Notice how meek is used in the following verse;

 

Numbers 12:3  (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

 

Now why is an Egyptian prince who murders a man and also then leads a couple of million people on a forty year long journey through a wilderness called meek?

 

We know meek is used of the poor.

 

Isaiah 29:19  The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

 

But in reference to Moses and to Christ it must be said to be subordinate to God the Father. Christ, in His humanity showed us that He was not above obeying the Father’s will as our example.

 

Matthew 11:29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

 

So, meekness for those who seek and praise God reflects their submission to Him. The meek are meek towards God. David is not a poor man. He is a king.

 

In verse 10 David makes a wonderful point. Let’s compare and contrast other verses in the Psalms.

 

Psalm 18:25  With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; 26  With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

 

Psalm 37:23  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. 24  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

 

Here, in verse 11, David does not plead for God’s mercy for his sins because they are “not so bad” but because they are great. A patient doesn’t usually come to a doctor for help because he has a trifling illness but because he is very sick. So, David pleads the greatness of his iniquity, not its insignificance.

 

See how God’s mercy is a trait of God, a part of who He is in the following verses.

 

Psalm 31:3  For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.

 

Psalm 79:9  Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.

 

Psalm 109:21 ¶  But do thou for me, O GOD the Lord, for thy name’s sake: because thy mercy is good, deliver thou me.

 

Psalm 143:11  Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.

 

Isaiah 43:25  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

 

Isaiah 48:9 ¶  For my name’s sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain for thee, that I cut thee not off.

 

David knows that it is not because of us but because of Him and who He is that God shows mercy.

 

Ezekiel 36:21  But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. 22  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.

 

There are other verses that express something of the sentiment expressed in verse 12 that David puts forth.

 

Psalm 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

 

Proverbs 1:7 ¶  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

 

Proverbs 2:5  Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

 

Proverbs 15:33 ¶  The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.

 

Proverbs 16:6 ¶  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

 

Ecclesiastes 12:13 ¶  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

 

David says something in verse 13 that takes us back to my thoughts on meekness. The people that are meek toward God and fears the Lord inherit the earth and, I might add, eternal life. I will be repeating this when I get to a personal interpretation of this passage.

 

David says that God reveals things to the people who seek Him, who are His.

 

Proverbs 3:32  For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.

 

From a prophetic point of view this passage would look toward the millennial reign of Christ and in some ways eternity even. Those who have surrendered to their Creator will enjoy the benefits that David has declared.

 

From a personal point of view we must understand that God doesn’t pardon us because our sins are “not so bad” but because they are great and because it is in his character to do so. In that regard this would be part of a wonderful prayer for the Christian.