Psalms 25 A Prayer for Guidance and Pardon

The general tone of this psalm is that of prayer for help from enemies. Distress, however, exciting a sense of sin, humble confession, supplication for pardon, preservation from sin, and divine guidance, are prominent topics

1

lift up my soul — (Ps 24:4; 86:4), set my affections (compare Col 3:2).

2

not be ashamed — by disappointment of hopes of relief.

3

The prayer generalized as to all who wait on God — that is, who expect His favor. On the other hand, the disappointment of the perfidious, who, unprovoked, have done evil, is invoked (compare 2Sa 22:9).

4,5

On the ground of former favor, he invokes divine guidance, according to God's gracious ways of dealing and faithfulness.

6,7

Confessing past and present sins, he pleads for mercy, not on palliations of sin, but on God's well-known benevolence.

8,9

upright — acting according to His promise. sinners — the general term, limited by the meek — who are penitent. the way — and his way — God's way of providence.

9

in judgment — rightly.

10

paths — similar sense — His modes of dealing (compare Ps 25:4). mercy and truth — (Job 14:1-22), God's grace in promising and faithfulness in performing.

11

God's perfections of love, mercy, goodness, and truth are manifested (his name, compare Ps 9:10) in pardoning sin, and the greatness of sin renders pardon more needed.

12,13

What he asks for himself is the common lot of all the pious.

13

inherit the earth — (compare Mt 5:5). The phrase, alluding to the promise of Canaan, expresses all the blessings included in that promise, temporal as well as spiritual.

14

The reason of the blessing explained — the pious enjoy communion with God (compare Pr 3:21, 12), and, of course, learn His gracious terms of pardon.

15

His trust in God is fixed. net — is frequently used as a figure for dangers by enemies (Ps 9:15; 10:9).

16-19

A series of earnest appeals for aid because God had seemed to desert him (compare Ps 13:1; 17:13, &c.), his sins oppressed him, his enemies had enlarged his troubles and were multiplied, increasing in hate and violence (Ps 9:8; 18:48).

20

keep my soul — (Ps 16:1). put my trust — flee for refuge (Ps 2:12).

21

In conscious innocence of the faults charged by his enemies, he confidently commits his cause to God. Some refer — integrity, &c. — to God, meaning His covenant faithfulness. This sense, though good, is an unusual application of the terms.

22

Extend these blessings to all Thy people in all their distresses.