Bible Study - Psalm 25

Psalm 25 is another psalm of David and is unique in a way that is not evident in the English translation. It is structured in a Hebrew poetic way. Verse 1 begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verse 2 begins with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It goes on in this way. Hebrew has only 22 letters, and so verse 22 begins with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The vowel sounds are not counted as letters and are just included as dots or or other small markings. Sometimes, the writers would not include the vowel markings at all and one just had to know what vowel to read in.

Psalm 25 has a careful organization, but the content does not follow a logical organization, as we might prefer or expect in an English poem or song. David has a few main themes, but they are scattered through the psalm. Some think the psalm is answering the question raised in verse 12: “Who is the man who fears the Lord?” David mentions several characteristics of such a man.

The first characteristic is that a man who fears God realizes that he struggles with sin and knows that he must keep confessing it and asking the Lord’s forgiveness. In v.1, David speaks of those who are “wantonly treacherous.” He remembers at least one such time in his own life, in what happened with Bathsheba and her husband, and he is “ashamed.” In v. 7, David asks the Lord “not to remember the sins of his youth or his transgressions.” He must still regret his failures, and they bother him. He calls himself one of the “sinners” in v. 8, and pleads in v. 11, “For Your Name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.” Again, in v.18, he asks the Lord to “forgive all my sins.” He knows that they are many, and as “a man who fears the Lord,” he must be honest and admit that he (and all Israel) need to be redeemed by God Himself. David cannot pay the penalty to earn forgiveness for himself or anyone else. (See Psalm 49:7-9 and Romans 3:9-11 and 19-20, for example. This is true of every one of us.)

The second characteristic of “one who fears the Lord” is that he is sorry and wishes the Lord’s help and instruction to know what the Lord’s will is and to try to do better in following it. In Psalm 25, v. 4-5, David prays to the Lord, “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me.” In v. 8, David says that “the Lord instructs sinners in the way.” One needs to be humble enough to be willing to learn from the Lord and His Word. In v.9, David says that the Lord “leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way,” In v.12, in answer to the question, “Who is the man who fears the Lord?,” David says that it is the one “whom the Lord instructs in the way that he should choose.” The right way is not following our own choices and desires, but what the Lord knows is right and is best for us and others. As another psalm says, “God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Psalm 119:105). It is a great help to us, but still, we do not always follow it, because of our struggles with the devil, our sinful world, and our own sinful flesh and nature.

The third characteristic of “one who fears the Lord” is that we keep turning back to the Lord and His mercy when we fail, even with the best of intentions and instruction. In Psalm 25, v.2, David does not say, “In myself I trust,” but “O my God, in You I trust; let me not be put to shame. Let not my enemies exult over me.” In v. 5, David admits, “You (alone) are the God of my salvation.” In v. 6-7, David asks that God remember His own “mercy” and “steadfast love” and His own “goodness,” instead of David’s own imperfect goodness. In v.10, and v.12-14, David speaks of the Lord’s covenant faithfulness  and His promises to him and his people and His “friendship” for them. The Lord alone could “turn to them and be gracious” (by His grace David and the others could be saved) and “pluck their feet out of the net” of “affliction” and “trouble” and “loneliness” (v.15-18). David could still only plead, in v.20, “O guard my soul and deliver me… for I take refuge in You.” He had to trust in the “integrity and uprightness” of the Lord to preserve him, not his own goodness. Only God could redeem him and Israel out of all their troubles (v.21-22).

That meant one more characteristic of “one who fears the Lord.” including David and others who lived by faith in the Lord and not in themselves. They had to “wait” for the Lord and His own good timing, in carrying out His plans. Three times in this psalm, in v. 3, 5, and 21, David talks to the Lord about waiting for Him to act. “None who waits for You shall be put to shame… For You I wait all the day long… for I wait for you.”

It was only “when the fullness of time had come that God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we all could receive adoption” as the children of God through Christ (Galatians 4:4-7). How happy were people like Simeon, who trusted God’s mercy and “was waiting for the consolation of Israel,” and Anna, “who began to give thanks to God and to speak of Him (Jesus) to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem,” when Jesus our Savior finally came (Luke 2:25-32 and 36-38).

May the Lord help us also to be ones who “fear Him” and “wait” upon Him and keep repenting for our own sins, and learning more of His Word and will, and walking humbly before Him, and trusting Him alone for His saving work for us, in our own day. May we say with David, “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation,” through Christ (Psalm 25:5).

In discussing the 10 Commandments, Martin Luther said that “we should fear, love, and trust in God.” David includes all of these elements, but puts the greatest emphasis on trusting God’s grace and love and mercy for us. There is our hope (Romans 5:5 and John 1:16-17).