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Psalms 25:1-7

The Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 25:1-7

The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public domain

Trust in God.

"Belongs probably to the time of the Exile. Its prevailing thought is that God is the Teacher of the afflicted and the Guide of the erring; and this is constantly repeated, either in the way of statement or of prayer." The first seven verses contain three things.

I. ASPIRING TRUST IN GOD. (.) Seeking, drawn towards, lifting himself up towards God, waiting upon him,—all signify the earnest, confident trust in God, which is the highest act of the soul towards the great Invisible Being. This is associated with obedience; for transgressors will be confounded; they have no ground for expecting salvation, and will be made ashamed.

II. EARNEST PRAYER FOR GUIDANCE. (, .) "Show me thy ways;" "Teach me thy paths;" "Lead me in thy truth."

III. A CRY FOR GOD'S UNCHANGEABLE MERCY. (, .) God's mercy is called "tender mercy" and "loving-kindness," to indicate its qualities and its source. And it is everlasting and unchangeable, because God cannot be unlike himself; he cannot change his nature nor his conduct. The cry here is for mercy upon the sins of his youth.

1. The sins of youth are the sins of impulse, of inconsideration. Not deliberate sins, but better remembered than sins of later life.

2. The sins of inexperience and ignorance. We know not what we do—like Christ's murderers—when we transgress. The plea is, "According to thy loving-kindness," etc. For the sake of thy goodness, because thou art love, because thou art good, do these favours for me. This is the everlasting plea with God that sinners must use; not that God can be made propitious towards us, but that he is propitious, has been, and will always remain so, "not willing that any should perish."—S.

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commentaryMatthew Henry on Psalms 25:1-7In worshipping God, we must lift up our souls to him. It is certain that none who, by a believing attendance, wait on God, and, by a believing hope, wait for him, shall be ashamed of it. The most advanced believer both…Matthew HenrycommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 25:1-22EXPOSITION THIS is the second of the "alphabetic psalms." It is not so irregular as Psalms 9:1-20; but still is defective in some respects, the letters beth and vav being omitted in their proper place, resh being substi…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 25:1Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift; up my soul (comp. Psalms 86:4; Psalms 143:8). The Hebrew phrase does not mean a temporary raising of the heart to God, but a permanent setting of the affections on him (see Deuteronomy 24:1…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 25:1-22Prayer: its warrant, petitions, and arguments. It is thought by some that this prayer belongs to the Exile period; but by whomsoever it may have been penned, or at whatsoever age, matters little. There is nothing in it…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 25:1-7Onward and upward. There are different stages in the life of godliness. Hence experiences vary. Some are but babes, others are strong men. Some have only started in the race, others are nearing the goal. Some have only…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 25:3Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed. The prayer passes from the particular to the universal. What David desires for himself he desires also for all the true servants of God—all who wait on him, look to him, seek…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 25:4Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. An echo of the prayer of Moses when his people were rebellious at Sinai (Exodus 33:13), reiterated by David in Psalms 27:11, and perhaps again in Psalms 86:11 (see also Psal…Joseph S. Exell and contributorscommentaryThe Pulpit Commentary on Psalms 25:5Lead me in thy truth, and teach me. "Thy truth" would seem to mean here "the true, right path"—the "way of godliness." The prayer is that God will both teach this to the psalmist and "lead him in it"—cause him, i.e; to…Joseph S. Exell and contributors