PSALM 25
. The general tone of this Psalm is that of prayer for
help from enemies. Distress, however, exciting a sense of sin, humble
confession, supplication for pardon, preservation from sin, and
divine guidance, are prominent topics.
2. not be ashamed—by
disappointment of hopes of relief.
3. The prayer generalized as to
all who wait on God—that is, who expect His favor. On the
other hand, the disappointment of the perfidious, who, unprovoked,
have done evil, is invoked (compare ).
4, 5. On the ground of former
favor, he invokes divine guidance, according to God's gracious ways
of dealing and faithfulness.
6, 7. Confessing past and
present sins, he pleads for mercy, not on palliations of sin, but on
God's well-known benevolence.
8, 9. upright—acting according
to His promise.
sinners—the general
term, limited by the
meek—who are penitent.
the way—and his
way—God's way of providence.
9. in judgment—rightly.
10. paths—similar sense—His
modes of dealing (compare Psalms 25:4).
mercy and truth— (Psalms 25:4), God's grace in promising and faithfulness in
performing.
11. God's perfections of love,
mercy, goodness, and truth are manifested (his name, compare
Psalms 9:10) in pardoning sin, and
the greatness of sin renders pardon more needed.
12, 13. What he asks for himself
is the common lot of all the pious.
13. inherit the earth—(compare
Matthew 5:5). The phrase, alluding to
the promise of Canaan, expresses all the blessings included in that
promise, temporal as well as spiritual.
14. The reason of the blessing
explained—the pious enjoy communion with God (compare Proverbs 3:21;
Proverbs 3:22), and, of course, learn
His gracious terms of pardon.
15. His trust in God is fixed.
net—is frequently used
as a figure for dangers by enemies (Psalms 9:15;
Psalms 10:9).
16-19. A series of earnest
appeals for aid because God had seemed to desert him (compare Psalms 13:1;
Psalms 17:13, c.), his sins
oppressed him, his enemies had enlarged his troubles and were
multiplied, increasing in hate and violence (Psalms 9:8
Psalms 18:48).
20. keep my soul— ().
put my trust—flee for
refuge (Psalms 2:12).
21. In conscious innocence of
the faults charged by his enemies, he confidently commits his cause
to God. Some refer—
integrity, &c.—to
God, meaning His covenant faithfulness. This sense, though good, is
an unusual application of the terms.
22. Extend these blessings to
all Thy people in all their distresses.
PSALM 25
. The general tone of this Psalm is that of prayer for help from enemies. Distress, however, exciting a sense of sin, humble confession, supplication for pardon, preservation from sin, and divine guidance, are prominent topics.
1. lift up my soul— (Psalms 24:4; Psalms 86:4), set my affections (compare Colossians 3:2).
2. not be ashamed—by disappointment of hopes of relief.
3. The prayer generalized as to all who wait on God—that is, who expect His favor. On the other hand, the disappointment of the perfidious, who, unprovoked, have done evil, is invoked (compare ).
4, 5. On the ground of former favor, he invokes divine guidance, according to God's gracious ways of dealing and faithfulness.
6, 7. Confessing past and present sins, he pleads for mercy, not on palliations of sin, but on God's well-known benevolence.
8, 9. upright—acting according to His promise.
sinners—the general term, limited by the
meek—who are penitent.
the way—and his way—God's way of providence.
9. in judgment—rightly.
10. paths—similar sense—His modes of dealing (compare Psalms 25:4).
mercy and truth— (Psalms 25:4), God's grace in promising and faithfulness in performing.
11. God's perfections of love, mercy, goodness, and truth are manifested (his name, compare Psalms 9:10) in pardoning sin, and the greatness of sin renders pardon more needed.
12, 13. What he asks for himself is the common lot of all the pious.
13. inherit the earth—(compare Matthew 5:5). The phrase, alluding to the promise of Canaan, expresses all the blessings included in that promise, temporal as well as spiritual.
14. The reason of the blessing explained—the pious enjoy communion with God (compare Proverbs 3:21; Proverbs 3:22), and, of course, learn His gracious terms of pardon.
15. His trust in God is fixed.
net—is frequently used as a figure for dangers by enemies (Psalms 9:15; Psalms 10:9).
16-19. A series of earnest appeals for aid because God had seemed to desert him (compare Psalms 13:1; Psalms 17:13, c.), his sins oppressed him, his enemies had enlarged his troubles and were multiplied, increasing in hate and violence (Psalms 9:8 Psalms 18:48).
20. keep my soul— ().
put my trust—flee for refuge (Psalms 2:12).
21. In conscious innocence of the faults charged by his enemies, he confidently commits his cause to God. Some refer—
integrity, &c.—to God, meaning His covenant faithfulness. This sense, though good, is an unusual application of the terms.
22. Extend these blessings to all Thy people in all their distresses.