Psalm 25:1-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 25:1-7

Onward and upward. There are different stages in the life of godliness. Hence experiences vary. Some are but babes, others are strong men. Some have only started in the race, others are nearing the goal. Some have only put on their armour, while others have borne themselves bravely in many a fight and are waiting the crown. Some have only entered by the wicket-gate, while others have gone through most of their pilgrimage; they have climbed the Hill Difficulty, have passed safely through... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 25:1-7

Trust in God. "Belongs probably to the time of the Exile. Its prevailing thought is that God is the Teacher of the afflicted and the Guide of the erring; and this is constantly repeated, either in the way of statement or of prayer." The first seven verses contain three things. I. ASPIRING TRUST IN GOD . ( Psalms 25:1-3 .) Seeking, drawn towards, lifting himself up towards God, waiting upon him,—all signify the earnest, confident trust in God, which is the highest act of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 25:1-22

The metrical arrangement is not very marked. Some divide the psalm into five unequal strophes— Psalms 9:1-7 , Psalms 9:8-10 , Psalms 9:11-15 , verses 16-21, and verse 22; others see no divisions beyond those of the Hebrew verses, which are followed in our Authorized Bible. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 25:1-22

Prayer: its warrant, petitions, and arguments. It is thought by some that this prayer belongs to the Exile period; but by whomsoever it may have been penned, or at whatsoever age, matters little. There is nothing in it which depends on known historic incident £ for its elucidation. And whoever desires to dive into the depths of its meaning will find the habit of waiting on God the best key to its words and phrases. No merely natural man can possibly unravel spiritual things, and he who... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 25:3

Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed . The prayer passes from the particular to the universal. What David desires for himself he desires also for all the true servants of God—all who wait on him, look to him, seek for indications of his will (comp. Psalms 123:2 ). Let them he ashamed which transgress without cause . Let shame be the portion, not of thy servants, but of thy adversaries—of those who transgress (or rebel) without reasonable cause. Such persons deserve to be brought to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 25:4

Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths . An echo of the prayer of Moses when his people were rebellious at Sinai ( Exodus 33:13 ), reiterated by David in Psalms 27:11 , and perhaps again in Psalms 86:11 (see also Psalms 119:33 ). Man is so wanting in spiritual understanding, so morally blind and ignorant, that, unless enlightened from on high, he cannot discern aright the "way of godliness;" he does not know at any given moment what God would have him to do. Hence it is the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 25:4-5

Show me thy ways, etc. Prayer ought to be the most natural, as it is the noblest, form of speech. It would be if human nature were not off its balance, out of tune, morally crippled and disjointed. In extremity of peril or grief, the instinct of prayer often wakes up even in godless hearts— And lips say, 'God be merciful!' That ne'er said, 'God be praised!'" But no godless lips would be surprised by danger or stung by pain into uttering such a prayer as this ( Romans 8:26 ). The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 25:5

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me. "Thy truth" would seem to mean here "the true, right path"—the "way of godliness." The prayer is that God will both teach this to the psalmist and "lead him in it"—cause him, i.e; to walk in it, and never stray from it, so long as he lives. For thou art the God of my salvation . Thou art the God from whom alone I obtain salvation, and to whom alone, therefore, I am bound to pray for everything on which salvation depends—as, for instance, light and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 25:6

Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies, and thy loving-kindnesses. Past mercies form a ground for the expectation of future blessings. God's character cannot change; his action as one time will always be consistent and harmonious with his action at another. If he has been kind and merciful to David in the past, David may count on his continuing the same in the future. For they have been ever of old . Not lately only, or to David only, have his mercies been shown, but through all past time,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Psalms 25:1

Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul - In meditation; in gratitude; in praise. The idea is, that the thoughts are lifted up from earth and earthly subjects to God. This is the beginning of the meditation; this gives character, perhaps, to the psalm. The state of mind is that of one who turns cheerfully away from earthly themes, and opens his mind to more lofty and hallowed influences. The mind begins with God; and, beginning with this, the current of thought is allowed to flow on, gathering... read more

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