Psalm 25

Psalm 25  •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
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This is such an utterance as the soul of David might have had on the other side of Jordan; for there he was suffering under God’s hand for sin, but as touching his persecutors he was blameless. Varied exercise of heart would arise from such a condition. He would at times remember his sins, and desire to know more and more of God’s own way of grace; he would at times, on the other hand, plead with the confidence of integrity. And this is His varied way in this affecting Psalm—where, though the suppliant be conscious of integrity, as before men in his sufferings, yet his condition and guilt, as a sinner before God, are forcibly brought to mind; and as a soul thus quickened to the sense of sin, he desires to know God’s own way in grace or mercy. And it is only the sinner who fully learns God’s way. It is a mystery to every other student. And as Israel now, because of transgression, knows Him as a “consuming fire,” so in the latter day, in their broken-heartedness and repentance, they shall know Him as a “merciful God.” (See Deut. 4:24-3124For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. 25When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger: 26I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 27And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord shall lead you. 28And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. 29But if from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 30When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; 31(For the Lord thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. (Deuteronomy 4:24‑31).)
We may presume that it will be the breathing of the Jewish saints by and by. Psalm 25:2222Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. (Psalm 25:22) indeed shows that Israel is the suppliant here.
Psalm 25:8-10,8Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. 9The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. 10All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. (Psalm 25:8‑10) and Psalm 25:12-14,12What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. 13His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. 14The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant. (Psalm 25:12‑14) may be read as two interruptions to the cry of the suppliant by the voice or oracle of God comforting him. And I cannot pass without noticing that “the secret” and “the covenant” of the Lord (Psalm 25:1414The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant. (Psalm 25:14)) are the same, and mean the gospel or grace of God in Christ Jesus. For such is God’s covenant and God’s secret. One of Christ’s names is “secret,” as we know. (Judg. 13:1818And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret? (Judges 13:18); Isa. 9:66For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6). See also Deut. 29:2929The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29).)