Psa. 25-28
Now that Christ's place in reference to the godly Jewish remnant has been fully developed from the position He took on earth till He be owned by-and-by in His glory as Jehovah (16-24), we have the experience formed by that revelation, and pre-eminently by the prophecy of Him crucified and atoning as made sin (22). This opens the heart to God as nothing else can. Only then can our sins be confessed without disguise or doubt.
Psa. 25
“ Of David. Unto Thee, O Jehovah, do I lift up my soul. My God, in Thee have I trusted; let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, all those that wait on Thee shall not be ashamed; they shall be ashamed who deal falsely without a cause. Make me to know Thy ways, O Jehovah; teach me to know Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth and teach me, for Thou [art] the God of my salvation; for Thee have I waited all the day” (vers. 1-5). Such is the introduction: the God-fearing wait on Jehovah, in contrast with the deceitful who shall know shame and everlasting contempt. Then follows the plea of mercy.
“ Remember Thy tender mercies, O Jehovah, and Thy kindness, for they [are] from everlasting. The sins of my youth and my transgressions remember Thou not; according to Thy mercy remember Thou Me for Thy goodness' sake, O Jehovah. Good and upright [is] Jehovah; therefore He teacheth dinners in the way. He guideth the meek in judgment, and He teacheth the meek His way. All the paths of Jehovah [are] mercy and truth to those that keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Thy name's sake, O Jehovah, Thou wilt even pardon My iniquity, for it [is] great” (vers. 6-11). Can anything surpass this in the confidence of divine peace? It is the prospect by faith of Messiah suffering for sin that casts wholly on God's mercy; and the very greatness of the sin is openly urged as the reason for His pardon Whose thoughts are not ours, any more than our ways are His. He can well afford through that cross which emboldens the believer. Man's sin is too great for any one but the God that saves through Christ.
“ Who [is] this—the man fearing Jehovah? He teacheth him in the way He chooseth. His soul abideth in goodness, and his seed shall inherit the earth. The confidence of Jehovah [is] for those that fear Him, and His covenant, to instruct them. Mine eyes [are] continually unto Jehovah, for He bringeth forth my feet from a net. Turn Thyself unto me and be gracious to me, for I [am] desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have been enlarged: bring me out of mine afflictions. Look on mine affliction and my travail, and forgive all my sins. Look on mine enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with violent hatred. Keep my soul and deliver me; let me not be ashamed, for I have trusted in Thee. Integrity and uprightness shall preserve me, for I have waited on Thee. Redeem Israel, O God, from all his distresses” (vers. 12-22). The sinners whom Jehovah guides and teaches, as He forgives, are the meek who are to inherit, as they only have uprightness and integrity. This last is the burden of the companion psalm that follows. Psa. 25 is the first of the alphabetical psalms, though not strictly such; for two verses begin with the first letter (Aleph), and two with our R, two being omitted, and the last as well as the title being outside this order.
Psa. 26
“ Of David. Judge me, O Jehovah, for I have walked in mine integrity, and in Jehovah have I trusted; I shall not slip. Prove me, O Jehovah, and try me; purify my reins and my heart. For Thy mercy [is] before mine eyes; and I have walked in Thy truth. I have not sat with vain men, and with dissemblers I go not. I have hated the congregation of evil-doers, and with the wicked I sit not. I wash my hands in innocency, and I compass Thine altar, O Jehovah, to proclaim with voice of thanksgiving and to declare all Thy marvelous deeds. O Jehovah, I have loved the habitation of Thy house and the place where Thy glory dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners nor my life with men of blood; in whose hands [is] an evil device, and their right hand is filled with a bribe. But for me I walk in mine integrity: redeem me and be gracious to me. My foot standeth in an even place; in the congregation will I bless Jehovah” (vers. 1-12). Integrity is the inseparable accompaniment of pardon. So will it be with the Jews in the end of the age: so it is with the Christian now. If there is faith, there is also repentance. The feast of unleavened bread goes with the paschal lamb. But sense of the need of grace is thereby deepened, not lost or lowered, for all born of God.
Psa. 27
Here, we begin exercises of heart corresponding with the remnant's view of Messiah thus known in measure; for it is only after they have seen Him and the Spirit is poured out afresh that they will enter into His work in power. It is the confidence inspired by the Spirit of Him Who was all alone in His sufferings for them. Now that there is integrity of heart as well as a purged conscience, they can boldly face the enemy.
“ Jehovah [is] my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear? Jehovah [is] the stronghold of my life: of whom shall I be afraid? When evil-doers draw near against me to eat my flesh, mine adversaries mine enemies unto me; they, stumbled and fell. Though a host encamp against me, my heart cloth not fear; though war rise up against me, in this [am] confident. One [thing] I asked from Jehovah, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of Jehovah and to inquire in His temple. For in the day of evil He will hide me in His tabernacle; in the secret of His tent will He secrete me; He will set me upon a rock. And now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me, and I will sacrifice in His tent sacrifices of joyful noise; I will sing, yea I will sing praises unto Jehovah” (vers. 1-6). Such is the starting-point, simple-hearted confidence in Jehovah, be the enemies who or what they may.
But there is trial felt and prayer poured out to Jehovah. “Hear, O Jehovah, my voice [when] I call; and be Thou merciful unto me and answer me. To thee My heart said, Seek ye My face: Thy face, O Jehovah, I seek; hide not Thy face from me, turn not away in anger Thy servant. Thou hast been my help: leave me not and forsake me not, O God of my salvation. For my father and may mother have forsaken me, but Jehovah receiveth me. Teach me Thy way, O Jehovah, and lead me in an even path because of watchers for me. Give me not unto the will of mine adversaries; for false witnesses are risen up against me, and he that breatheth out violence” (vers. 7-12). Such is the cry of distress, but of confidence withal funded on Jehovah's heart saying, Seek ye My face: a plea somewhat obscured in both the A. and R. versions as elsewhere. There is some difficulty because of Jehovah's call suddenly remembered and acted on; but when duly weighed, the resulting sense seems decidedly good and striking, whereas the ordinary way is confused and pointless.
The closing aposiopesis (as the figure is called) is beautiful. “If I had not trusted to look upon the goodness of Jehovah in the land of the living! Wait for Jehovah; he strong and may He strengthen thine heart; yea, wait for Jehovah” (vers. 13, 14).
PS. 28
This is a still more distressful cry, and more judicial in experiencing what the ungodly are. “Of David. Unto Thee, O Jehovah, do I call; my rock, be not silent to me, lest Thou be silent to me, and I become like unto those that go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto Thee, when I lift up my hands toward Thy holy oracle. Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the doers of iniquity, who speak peace with their neighbors and evil is in their hearts. Give unto them according to their deed and according to the evil of their works; according to the work of their hands give Thou to them; return their desert to them. For they regard not the deeds of Jehovah nor the works of His hands: He will destroy them and not build them up” (ver. 1-5).
Then comes the prophetic answer, on which they lay hold and rejoice. “Blessed [be] Jehovah, for He hath heard the voice of my supplications. Jehovah [is] my strength, and my shield; in Him hath my heart trusted, and I have been helped; my heart also exulteth and with my song do I praise Him. Jehovah [is] strength to him, yea a stronghold of the salvation of His anointed [is] He. Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance, and feed them and lift them up forever” (ver. 6-9).