My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.
This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.
I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.
This psalm naturally divides in two portions, and I would like to consider verses 1 – 11 for this blog post, since it has caught my attention.
Let’s read it before any comment.
Psalm 25:1-11
Of David. To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.
Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
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!
Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
The psalmist speaks of his failings, of the potential shame he may experience, of his transgression of his youth, of his sinfulness. He is a man humbled, and in the humility of his experience, he is seeing that God teaches and leads the sinner. This man is looking to God for His ways, His paths, and His ways. He is tired of his own ways, and the resultant shame that is the result of depending on his own understanding.
The psalmist also recognizes that God is good and upright, full of stedfast love and mercy. He can’t seem to say it enough, that He is mercy, He is good, He is a teacher (of sinners, no less), He is the One who brings salvation, He is faithful.
One is sinful. One is not.
One departs through pride. One invites through love and mercy
One is to be humble. One is a capable teacher.
How are you in the Lord?
Check your walk with Him and consider verse 10, asking yourself if your ways are being led by the Lord, for
All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Steadfast love and faithfulness – a characteristic of one who is led of the Lord into His paths.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion.
Considering the Bible 