Sunday, March 16, 2025

Psalm 25 comments, part 1, verses 1 to 7, remember, O Lord

 


Psalms 25:1 ¶  «A Psalm of David.» Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. 2  O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. 3  Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. 4  Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. 5  Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day. 6  Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. 7  Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.

 

David is directing his individual personhood, the seat of his will and self-identity, his soul upwards toward God, his Creator.

 

Psalm 86:4  Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

 

This suggests heartfelt prayer on the part of David. He then goes on to express two things; trust and a plea not to have that trust fail so that his enemies triumph over him. Remember what he said in 7:1.

 

Psalm 7:1 ¶  «Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the LORD, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.» O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

 

And he will say again soon;

 

Psalm 31:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.» In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.

 

Verse 3 is a reaffirmation of verse 2. The transgressions without cause are clearly against him and he desires protection from such transgressions made against him by people who have no justification.

 

Verses 4 and 5 are wonderful prayers. For cross-references see;

 

Psalm 27:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

 

Psalm 86:11  Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

 

Psalm 119:27  Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

 

David acknowledges that God is the God of his salvation and David waits for God all day which may suggest that David expects something from God each and every day. He expects to see God’s power and His mercy every single day. This is a good prayer.

 

He then asks for God to remember and to forget something. David is pleading to God’s mercy that He will not consider the sins of his youth. This is an important thing to consider as most people have committed sins in their youth, some of which follow them through their lives. The only hope David has is that he leans on God’s tender mercy and on His lovingkindness.

 

Prophetically, as well as personally, this is a great prayer for Christians of all ages who faced and face opposition from institutional Christians churches as well as persecution from non-Christians, people of other faiths or no faith at all. It is an appeal to God for protection as our weapons of warfare are not carnal as Paul noted so eloquently.

2Corinthians 10:3  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4  (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

6  And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

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