Bible Commentaries
Psalms 25

Introduction

PSALM 25

:-. 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.

Verse 1

1. lift up my soul— (Psalms 24:4; Psalms 86:4), set my affections (compare Colossians 3:2).

Verse 2

2. not be ashamed—by disappointment of hopes of relief.

Verse 3

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 :-).

Verse 4

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

Verse 6

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

Verse 8

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.

Verse 9

9. in judgment—rightly.

Verse 10

10. paths—similar sense—His modes of dealing (compare Psalms 25:4).

mercy and truth— (Psalms 25:4- :), God's grace in promising and faithfulness in performing.

Verse 11

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

Verse 12

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

Verse 13

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

Verse 14

14. The reason of the blessing explained—the pious enjoy communion with God (compare Proverbs 3:21; Proverbs 3:22), and, of course, learn His gracious terms of pardon.

Verse 15

15. His trust in God is fixed.

net—is frequently used as a figure for dangers by enemies (Psalms 9:15; Psalms 10:9).

Verse 16

16-19. A series of earnest appeals for aid because God had seemed to desert him (compare Psalms 13:1; Psalms 17:13, c.), his sins oppressed him, his enemies had enlarged his troubles and were multiplied, increasing in hate and violence (Psalms 9:8 Psalms 18:48).

Verse 20

20. keep my soul— ( :-).

put my trust—flee for refuge (Psalms 2:12).

Verse 21

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.

Verse 22

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