Psalm 25
Of David
1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
This psalm is an acrostic which means that the psalmist began each verse with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a poetic form that forces the writer to obey the arbitrary constraints of the language while at the same time communicating by its very being the idea of completion (from A to Z, alpha to omega, aleph to tav). The prayer begins with a statement of exclusivity. “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.” The previous psalm stated that a person who wants to live in relationship with God does not lift up their soul to that which is false, that is, false gods (24:4). Our allegiance and devotion is to the one true God who has no rivals or equals. The soul (nephesh) refers to our inmost being (103:1), the deepest part of us. We might even say our identity. Worship begins with giving ourselves completely and deeply to the one true God, to be shaped and formed by truth, by the reality of who God is and who he has made us to be. This week the White House published a photo of the Vice President and his staff praying at the beginning of a meeting about the coronavirus. It was widely mocked on social media as “science-denying”, “superstitious”, and another example of why we’re screwed. This is how some will see the lifting of our souls to God. Prayer is an admission of dependence on someone more powerful than ourselves. It is an act of submission to one with greater authority (which is why it is good to see our authorities pray). It is a way of physically placing us in a posture of trust. This can only be good. Place yourself in that position today. “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.
The psalmist prays exclusively to the LORD and places his trust in him alone. His first prayer is aimed toward his enemies. David is in a situation where he may be shamed -- either through betrayal or defeat in a contest, so he prays that his enemies would not exult over him. He moves from this request to a statement of trust: “Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame. The shame will come upon those who are willfully treacherous.” David recognizes these two truths that provide the foundation of his prayer and his trust in YHWH. First, God is with his faithful ones. He protects them, guards their reputation, and ensures that they are not put to shame. The second truth is that justice always wins because God is sovereign, and God is just. Last week my son’s car was broken into and about $1,300 worth of items were stolen, not to mention the shattered window. While the first reaction is anger, we had to move to prayer and trust. Justice always wins -- even if the criminal escapes the law, they cannot escape their conscience. They caught a couple of the guys last night (there seems to have been 5 people who used his debit cards in the first hour after they took them), and an iPad was returned. We are beginning to see justice and it’s only been a week. David tells us to “wait for it”. I’m fond of quoting Martin Luther King Jr. who said, “The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Wait for it. “Wait for it” -- that’s the advice you receive before watching a funny video that seems rather routine, until “it” happens. In the grand scheme of things, the LORD asks us to wait for justice, and while it might seem eternal, it is not. In the scope of eternity it’s about as long as you’d wait for the funny video to deliver the punchline.
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.
The psalmist asks to know the ways of the LORD. He desires to be led in God’s truth and to be taught by Him. While God does reveal himself through what he has made, the knowledge that David is speaking of here must come from the Torah. This is a prayer for wisdom to be discovered and implemented through the study and observance of the Torah. The psalmist speaks of God’s truth as something that he wishes to align his life with, ensuring that his thoughts and actions are in congruence with the way the world really is. Living in such a way is the key to experiencing God’s salvation, his whole way of rescuing us from ourselves. I’ve been a believer my entire life but there must be blind spots that I’ve missed in following the LORD. There are perhaps paths that have become so comfortable to me that I have veered off the way in walking in them, sort of like those shortcuts on hiking trails that seem better, but in truth are not. What shortcuts have I been taking in following God? What actions of mine are out of alignment with the clear teaching of scripture? What thoughts do I entertain that are not worthy of God? By the power of the Holy Spirit who lives in me, teach and correct me in the way I should go, purge my thoughts of anything that is not honorable, regardless of the cost. David concludes this prayer by pledging his willingness to trust fully in God’s leadership. He’ll wait for God all day long. I don’t like to wait for others. I prefer that everyone follow my lead. Waiting is a waste of my time. But still David will wait for God all day long. He’ll submit to God’s timing and sovereignty in all things. To wait on God is to trust Him even when you want something now. Waiting is harder than ever in our instant gratification culture. Want information? “Hey Siri” Want cash? “Cash app me” Want to communicate instantly with someone in China? “Facetime Me” Want anything money can buy delivered to your doorstep in two days? “Get it from Amazon.” Spiritual formation doesn’t happen in an instant. There are no shortcuts to Christlikeness. Wait for the LORD. Learn patience and trust when He says, “no” and “not yet”.
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!
Having pledged to align his life with God’s ways, David immediately thinks of his own ways and prays for mercy and steadfast love to be applied to him. He states this in the form of a request for God to remember his mercy and steadfast love, hallmarks of his character for as long as He has made himself known to man. It’s not that God is going to forget who he is of course, but in this moment David’s hope is that he will be treated with mercy and love. David then looks back to his youth, and in particular he remembers his sins and transgressions. That is often the first thing we see when we look back -- mistakes and regrets, the stupid things that we’ve done and the desire to have a “do over.” While David immediately goes there, he prays that God does not. He prays that God would actually forget those sins and wipe the memory completely clean, reformat the hard drive so that those failures can never be seen or known. In Psalm 103:12 David states that God removes our transgressions from us as far as the east is from the west. Micah 7:19 says that God will again have compassion on us; “you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” Choose your metaphor, but God is willing and able to let us start over with a clean slate. This is certainly not to be taken advantage of -- to “get the slate wiped clean so you can dirty it again” -- but to motivate us to fidelity. Why would you not be faithful to such a companion? We have difficulty forgiving others when they have wronged us, to forget the wounds that even faithful friends have given us. How much more reason does God have to simply be done with us? Yet, he is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). This is his nature, his goodness and his steadfast love. How warming to know that such a person is at the center of the cosmos. The atheist looks at the universe and sees the cold darkness, but the believer sees the warmth and light of a being of incomprehensible power, glory, and wisdom, who chooses to forget our transgressions, the stupid things we’ve done, even the willful rebellion. Even as David confesses and prays, he is confident that forgiveness (and forgetfulness) has been granted. Don’t you doubt it either.
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.
The LORD’s goodness and righteousness is not an end in itself. There is a “therefore”. Because God is good and righteous he instructs sinners in the way. The way of God is God’s way, referred to in previous verses. The instruction is both direct from the words of scripture as well as indirect, through life experiences where the word of scripture is applied. He leads the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. This is parallel to the previous verse with an accent on the type of person that can learn from God, that is, one who is humble, receptive, and willing. A desire to be taught and a willingness to change one’s ways is foundational to growth and alignment with God’s ways. The roads that the LORD will take you on are steadfast love and faithfulness when you keep his covenant and testimonies. It doesn’t say “straight” and “narrow”, but steadfast love and faithfulness. A follower of God will exhibit the character of God in their life, predominantly love and faithfulness. Love is the supreme attribute out of which all of other character issues flow. How are you loving others, beginning with those closest to you and outward to the ends of the earth? Are you swayed up and down by emotion, or is that love steadfast and consistent? Is that love selfishly oriented toward what you can get in return? Does it seek attention? (I’m thinking of Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 here). Does that love compel you to forgive as the LORD forgave you (see previous verses!)? The second characteristic of the person who follows God is faithfulness. Are you trustworthy to do what you say you will do? Can you be depended upon by others? Are you steady emotionally in providing leadership to others? Love and faithfulness are the end product of keeping God’s covenant and his testimonies. Not legalism, not harsh judgmental attitudes, and not pride. Allow God’s law and your covenant relationship with Him to shape your character in love and faithfulness.
11 For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
David asks the LORD to pardon his guilt for it is great. We can’t know what particular sin or sins David is speaking of here. We know later his prayer of repentance (51) and confession (32). This is a brief but important statement of confession and request for forgiveness, linking it to previous verses where David asks God to forget his youthful transgressions. The basis for this request has to do with God’s reputation. Pardon is to be granted for the sake of God’s name, that He would be honored as a gracious and forgiving God. As I think about this request, I’m wondering how David knows that he is forgiven when he makes such a request. Does he? Or does he just hope for some absolution and trust that he has received it without any proof? Of course he could make the appropriate cultic sacrifices, and follow the instructions of the law about what to do. Having done that he could be fairly confident that God would keep his word in the bargain. But what did it feel like to have your sins forgiven and forgotten? Could one ever be sure? My awareness of my personal forgiveness is rooted in what I believe about Jesus and the cross. I’m trusting in God’s word, believing that he is faithful when the New Testament speaks of forgiveness by the grace of God. I’m thinking back on sins that I’ve committed and brought before God in confession. Is my slate really clean? Does he really just see the blood of Jesus? Am I justified (just as if I’d never sinned)? Has Jesus truly received the punishment for my sins in my place? This is just all too good to be true, and yet God’s word says that it is. So I pray with David in confidence, “pardon my guilt, for it is great.” Do this for the sake of your reputation LORD, because you said you would and you do not want to be a liar. It’s truly an amazing transaction. This verse lies at the center of the psalm for a reason. Asking pardon from God is an act of faith. Receiving that forgiveness changes everything about your relationship with God. It compels worship and trust.
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.
There are three promises to the person who fears the LORD. Fearing the LORD indicates reverence, obedience, and trust expressed in worship and Torah observance. The first promise is that the LORD will instruct him in the way that he should choose. There’s an ambiguity there but a quick look at various translations suggests that it is the person, not the LORD who is doing the choosing. This is an acknowledgement of free will, that God allows us to choose and then he instructs us in the way that we choose. I don’t want to read too much into this one verse, but this does seem to be consistent with other teaching on free will. Of course we cannot expect to be supported by the LORD on paths that are not consistent with his ways, but we can expect his wisdom in the various paths that we may choose within his will. Such a person will also live well -- not in a material sense necessarily, but his soul, his inner person will be well. And finally, his offspring shall inherit the land. This phrase will figure prominently in Psalm 37 where it occurs five times, and Jesus will use this same metaphor in his sermon on the mount. Inheriting the land means that it will go well for you. Without promising extravagant wealth, it suggests that you will have enough to live a good life, to flourish for the years that you are alive and to pass on some wealth to your children. Even as I write this I know of deeply impoverished families that I have met in Mexico and Guatemala who do not have much to pass on to their children, but they do have a deep faith that sustains them even in abject poverty. Their souls abide in well-being. They haven’t placed their hope in this world or this system, and they are able to face the daily trials of life with a smile. I’m not saying I’d want to switch places with them, but what if their life is actually qualitatively better than mine? What if I’m been bamboozled in some way and I’m missing out on a deeper faith because I’m too busy indulging in lesser things? This wasn’t the direction I expected this meditation to go, but perhaps even this is the LORD directing my path. Today, may I focus on my soul’s health and abide in the presence of God.
14 The friendship [secret counsel] 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.
Another blessing of those who fear the LORD is the opportunity for friendship with him. Not acquaintance or acknowledgement, but friendship. The alternate translation “secret counsel” suggests a private, personal relationship. Maybe it’s just me, but that seems quite unusual in the context of the gods of the ancient near east. Some research would be in order to prove it, but I don’t ever recall reading about other religions where the practitioners have the opportunity for friendship with the deity. The images of those gods alone are pretty intimidating and unapproachable, yet YHWH commanded no images to be made of him. Rather, he made us in his image, in his likeness. The gods of the ancient (and modern) world were projections of ourselves,often the worst of ourselves -- selfish, jealous, angry, and petty. Instead, Yahweh reverses everything and makes us in His image and then instructs us in how to live conformed to that image. This is the “way” that this psalm speaks of so often. This friendship with God is the way that He shapes us. I’ve heard it said that “you are the average of the five people that you spend the most time with.” The implication is that you should spend time with people who are going to make you a better person, who will challenge you and expect much of you, who will inspire you by their example. What if God were one of those five people in your life? What if the time you spent in outright communion with God were equivalent to the time you spend with other influences in your life -- a spouse, a parent/child, a friend, or the various media influences that we invite in? By spending time with God I’m thinking of prayer conversations, reading the scriptures, memorizing and reflecting on His words, obeying his voice that says, “this is the way, walk in it”. It is as the psalmist says here, “my eyes are ever on the LORD”, where we are constantly aware of his presence, an unseen guest in every conversation and activity of the day. What if we pursued friendship with God with the same intensity that we pursue other relationships? I’m thinking of the time I fell in love with the young woman who would later become my wife. All of a sudden, that relationship was elevated above all others at that point in my life. And once that relationship was consecrated in marriage, to the best of my ability I have continued to pursue it as the primary human relationship in my life. I think if we approached our relationship with God with that same intensity, we would know what the psalmist is speaking of here and experience what it means to be in the secret counsel of the LORD.
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.
David asks for his friend, YHWH to turn toward him and be gracious to him. He is walking alone and suffering and desires companionship. It’s hard to imagine David as being lonely. He’s got a big family, he’s got money and power, he’s living the dream. And yet he is lonely. That’s certainly a lesson for today as well. No amount of things, friends or “likes” on social media can shield you from loneliness. We all know the feeling of being alone in a crowd. Perhaps his affliction pushed people away -- whether that was a communicable disease, a sour attitude, or depression -- people just didn’t want to be around him. This only exacerbated the troubles of his heart. Deep within he was hurting and he prayed that God would bring him out of his distresses (they were many). This glimpse inside David’s soul is one in which everyone can identify. We all go through seasons of loneliness, distress, and brokenheartedness for any number of reasons. In this psalm we wavers from complaint to trust and this too is typical of how we deal with affliction. We’ll have moments of courage and optimism followed by a real funk of fear, sadness, and apathy. David takes his pain, his depression, and his distress and simply asks that God would turn to him, to take a look and come alongside him. Being a friend of God has its advantages, and David appeals to Him at this time to bring him out of his distress. In these last few days, we have been going through the initial stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, and no one knows for sure what the future holds. In this moment, I pray with David, “Turn to me and be gracious, bring me out of my distress,” knowing that my distress is far less than others. Times like these, you need a friend in God, and that’s exactly what we have.
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.
Once again David asks for God to forgive his sins, and there may be a tacit connection in his mind between his affliction and troubles and his sin. These seems to be a common way of thinking then and now. Think of the song from Sound of Music, “Something Good.” It’s natural for us to understand that behavior and consequences are connected. Sometimes this is true, and sometimes it is not. In this case, David is making a direct connection between his sin and his affliction and trouble (other times he will proclaim his innocence and decry the injustice of it all). David’s enemies have taken it to an extreme -- they’re not just foes, they hate him with violent hatred. These were most likely political enemies -- there were always people vying for power, maybe even in his own family. Such was the life of a king. David doesn’t justify himself, he simply appeals to God to guard his very life and deliver him from them. Lest we think that that is only a psalm for an ancient monarch, there is an enemy who has a violent, irrational hatred for me. He is the enemy of my soul and it is personal with him. He’s a wounded animal and those are the most dangerous kinds. David says nothing about taking matters into his own hands, rather he affirms repeatedly both directly and indirectly that his trust is in God, he takes refuge in Him. The enemy wants to bring shame on every friend of God. This can be the inward shame that we place on ourselves through our thoughts and our actions or it is the outward shame of social pressure. In either case, our refuge is our friendship with YHWH. This is the way forward.
21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
David returns to the theme of waiting on God, implying trust and hope. In the meantime he prays that he will maintain his integrity and uprightness. These will preserve him until God responds in His perfect time. It can be difficult to maintain integrity (internal and external wholeness) when under pressure. Keeping your actions in line with your beliefs is a constant task. Doing what’s right even when you’re alone in it may be the most difficult thing of all. Social shaming was a powerful factor in David’s culture, and it is no different today. There are a number of things that Christians believe that are at direct odds with the prevailing culture, even though the culture will wear a thin cloth of Christianity over their paganism. Modern views on human sexuality, the family, the meaning and purpose of life, human dignity -- these all run counter to Christianity, and a person of integrity must not slip into the flow of this ever downward draining cesspool. Maintain your integrity by not hiding your conviction but rather share them winsomely and effectively. In this way, God may redeem others and even our culture. David’s prayer for Israel is spoken with Israel as a singular man, perhaps reminding us that Israel’s identity as a nation is linked that one man Jacob who wrestled with God, who stopped his running and his deception and squared up with God in a wrestling match, once for all determining who is Lord. This is what trials do for us, we wrestle with God until he pins us.