Psalms 25

Psalms 25:1-22

A MODEL PRAYER Psalms 25 IN this 25th Psalm, we pass from the picture of the royal reception given by the inhabitants of His Father’s house to the King who came back a conqueror (and we join in spirit with the heavenly host who welcome Him and with them recognize His office, “the King of glory”) to the Psalmist’s petition. It is natural indeed for a sinful man, who knows that his redemption is the result of the King’s victory, to be moved by the spirit of worship, and such a spirit voices itself in Psalms 25. It involves a Personal Appeal, a Burst of Praise and a Pathetic Confession. A APPEAL Psalms 25:1-7. The Psalmist hopes in the Lord and in Him alone.“Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. “O my God, I trust in Thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. “Yea, let none that wait on Thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause” (Psalms 25:1-3). David was not the subject of a quiet life. From his infancy to old age, he knew the meaning of stress and storm, of cyclonic opposition, of multiplied enemies. In order to interpret his Psalms, one needs to make himself familiar with his history as found in the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Like his Lord, David’s own brothers in the flesh misjudged him; like his Lord, David’s human king hated him; like his Lord, David’s fellow-citizens mistreated him; like his Lord, David’s enemies were a multitude. But, like his Lord, David trusted in God and suffered no shame and seldom defeat, Blessed is the man, who when dangers increase, and enemies multiply, and Satanic mechanicians are many, trusts in the Lord. His strength alone is sufficient; His defense alone is adequate. He can shame Eliabs; He can overthrow Sauls; He can bring to judgment Absaloms; He can humble a regiment and bring to naught the instruments of an army.David recognizes his own weakness and God’s wisdom.“Shew me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. “Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation; on Thee do I wait all the day” (Psalms 25:4-5). The man who doesn’t need wisdom from on high is not the man who will ever experience Divine direction. The promises of God are not to spiritual egotists, but it is a truth that if any man lack wisdom (and is sensible of it) he may ask of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.There is an interesting illustration in the New Testament of this text, Luke tells of an occasion when Jesus“entered into Capernaum. “And a certain centurions servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die. “And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto Him the elders of the Jews, beseeching Him that He would come and heal his servant. “And when they came to Jesus, they besought Him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom He should do this: “For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue. “Then Jesus went with them. And when He was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying unto Him, Lord, trouble not Thyself: for I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof: “Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed. “For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to’ another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. “When Jesus heard these things, He marvelled at him, and turned Him about, and said unto the people that followed Him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. “And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick” (Luke 7:2-10). This report involves an important principle. In the judgment of his neighbors, this centurion was a most worthy man, a loyal patriot; and, evidently spiritual and generous; and on the ground of his character, they felt that Christ should answer his petition, bestow the blessing he sought. But listen to the man’s estimate of himself—“Lord, trouble not Thyself: for I am not worthy that Thou shouldest enter under my roof: wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto Thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed”. What harmony in these apparently contradictory statements—neighbors saying that he is a most worthy man, and the man himself saying, “I am most unworthy.” In other words, it is a universal truth that the noblest man is never a conceited, boastful man, but humble instead, conscious alike of his weakness and of his need.He pleads for both pardon and mercy.“Remember, O Lord, Thy Pender mercies and Thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake, O Lord” (Psalms 25:6-7). There are those who imagine that this Psalm is also Messianic. With that view we can scarcely agree. Christ never admitted “the sins of youth”, nor personal “transgressions”, nor need of personal “mercy”. If, therefore, this language has any Messianic application, it could only be in the view that Christ considered Himself as in the sinner’s stead, standing in his place, and deserving his judgment; consequently needing mercy.When it is applied to the Psalmist, however, all is plain. He was a sinner in youth and in age. His transgressions are recorded against Him, and it is only of the mercy of God that he dared to speak. It is in view, however, of that mercy as abundantly bestowed upon David, that he engages inA BURST OF PRAISE This is recorded in Psalms 25:8-14.His hope was in the Divine character. Listen to his declaration of that character.“Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will He teach sinners in the way. “The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way. “All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies” (Psalms 25:8-10). Beyond question, the average man does not reflect sufficiently upon the true character of God. Believers are often reminded of God’s justice, God’s certainties of judgment, God’s hatred of sin. But one of Satan’s temptations is to keep the thought from the other side of God’s character, namely, the fact that He is good and upright; that He will teach sinners in the way; the meek He will guide in judgment, and the meek will He teach His way. Satan would have us forget that all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, unto such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.Christian Science is neither Christian nor scientific. It presents a half truth which may be accepted as a whole falsehood. It majors on the fact that God is love, and willingly forgets that with Him there is any justice or from Him any certainty of judgment. This mistake of a cult does not justify Christians in ignoring the love of God, the exceeding grace that is in Christ, the mercy that makes an essential element in His character, and the certainty that He will keep His covenant.The Psalmist’s appeal to God is for pardon.“For Thy Name’s sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. “What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall He teach in the way that he shall choose. “His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth” (Psalms 25:11-13). That appeal is sensibly based. It also has its response in Divine promises. Isaiah is the great evangelist of the Old Testament. In his 55th chapter, he reaches a marvelous height of evangelical fervor, and yet his eloquence is easily within the truth of experience. He writes, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon” (Psalms 25:7).The Psalmist’s expectation is for a continuous revelation. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant” (Psalms 25:14).There are men—modernists—who would have us believe that the Bible is not a complete revelation, and that Old Testament Prophets, New Testament Apostles, and the Lord held no exclusive privileges in revelation. They would have us think that men are still inspired, and that God is still speaking through them to their fellows.

For such a position there is no defense either in Scripture or in human experience. The Sacred Canon asserts its Divine authorship, and with equal clearness, claims a conclusion of revelation (Revelation 22:18-19).In what sense, then, is it true that there is a continuous revelation? In the exact sense here employed by the Psalmist. “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant”. Under the leading of the Spirit, things that are mysterious to the unsaved, are made plain to believers and the covenant that already exists comes into its new meaning, and in that sense alone is there a continuous revelation..But this Personal Appeal and this Burst of Praise are associated withA Psalms 25:15-22 Mark the features of this confession.First, his feet are in the net.“Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out of the net. “Turn Thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted” (Psalms 25:15-16). One might imagine that this was an exceptional condition to which the Psalmist refers. Would that it were! The truth is that the feet of most men are in a net. Satan spreads his net for the feet of saint and sinner alike; yes, of saint as well as sinner. Read the Book of Job; read the history of David; read the history of Solomon; read the history of Samson. Net making is the chief occupation in hell and Satan has his agents on earth as absolutely busy as are his demons, in devising nets for the feet of saints. It is not to be expected that they will spread these nets before the saints’ vision. A hunter doesn’t spread his net before the eyes of the bird, but when the bird’s back is turned, and when the bird is in an unsuspecting mood, and far removed from the place of danger.

There is a harmony between the facts of life and the features of spiritual experience. David voiced what many another man has known. Our hope of escape from the enemy’s nets, and even from just judgment as well as from desolation and afflictions, is in the Lord.His soul is in distress.“The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring Thou me out of my distresses.“Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.“Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.“O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in Thee” (Psalms 25:17-20).Where is the man who escapes such hours—hours when his troubles are multiplied out of number; hours when his distresses are distracting almost to the point of insanity; hours when his afflictions and pains are numberless? And how true it is that such hours bring one’s sins before him. They present Satan’s opportunity and he makes the most of it and parades before the distempered vision sins little and big, and in the fog of affliction, makes the little ones to look like mountains and the enemies to appear a multitude, and their faces to be filled with cruelty and hatred. How many a time one passes into such an experience, and while it is upon him, wonders if he ever will or can live through; and how often when God has brought him out of it unscathed and unharmed, he reflects upon that past hour and wonders how it happened that he saw things with such distorted vision; how it happened that the enemies’ faces seemed so fierce, and actually wonders whether his vision was true to facts or wholly fanciful.

Doubtless in the Divine light of a final revelation, he will discover that they were neither—facts were distorted, but they existed! Sin is not a mere fancy; sorrow is not merely suggestive; fear is not always without occasion.

The soul’s distress is sometimes justified.His troubles were a multitude.“Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on Thee.“Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles” (Psalms 25:21-22).Here is a sentence that may involve a possible threefold reference; in fact, probably a threefold reference. The Psalmist may be speaking personally still and asking to be redeemed out of the multitude of his troubles, but his use of “Israel” indicates that he may be identifying himself with the Lord’s people and making a prayer that is more inclusive than selfish. Yes, in keeping with things already said concerning chapter 24, he may here be anticipating his Lord and the trying experiences through which He will pass, and identifying “a prince with God”, with the troubles that beset the path of God’s Son from the hour of His birth until the day of His death.But put what interpretation upon this phrase we may, the fact remains that God is the one and only hope. In Him David had a right to expect mercy; from Him Israel received whatever redemption she knew, and by His grace, the Prince with God, Jesus the Christ, triumphed against all of His troubles.