“Redeem Israel!
God!
Out of all his troubles.”
The final plea is not a personal plea but a plea to save all of Israel not just David. This is a more universal plea for salvation from all troubles as Israel continually faced problems.
Psalm 25
Protection from enemies (Ps 25:19-25:21)
Resh
“Consider how many are my foes!
With what violent hatred they hate me.
Shin
O guard my life!
Deliver me!
Do not let me be put to shame!
I take refuge in you.
Tav
May integrity and uprightness preserve me!
I wait for you.”
Yahweh should protect the psalmist from his foes and enemies. They hate him violently. Yahweh should guard his life and rescue him so that he would not be put to shame. He took refuge in Yahweh as he hoped that his integrity and uprightness would preserve him. Meanwhile he waited on Yahweh.
Distress and sin (Ps 25:15-25:18)
Ain
“My eyes are ever toward Yahweh.
He will pluck my feet out of the net.
Phe
Turn to me!
Be gracious to me!
I am lonely and afflicted.
Cade
Relieve the troubles of my heart!
Bring me out of my distress!
Qoph
Consider my affliction!
Consider my trouble!
Forgive all my sins!”
The psalmist or David puts this on a very personal note. His eyes are on Yahweh because he knew that Yahweh would get his feet out of any net. He wanted Yahweh to turn to him and be gracious. He was lonely and afflicted. He wanted the troubles of his heart brought to an end. He wanted to get out of his distress and afflictions. The only way was for Yahweh to forgive him his sins.
Land and covenant (Ps 25:11-25:14)
Lamed
“For your name’s sake!
Yahweh!
Pardon my guilt!
For it is great!
Mem
Who are they that fear Yahweh?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.
Nun
They will abide in prosperity.
Their children shall possess the land.
Samek
The friendship of Yahweh is
For those who fear him.
He makes his covenant known to them.”
The psalmist, David, wanted to be pardoned for his great guilt. Anyone that feared Yahweh could be taught the way to follow him. Those who follow Yahweh will be blessed with prosperity and land. Yahweh was friendly to those who feared him. He made a covenant with them.
The path of Yahweh (Ps 25:8-25:10)
Tet
“Good and upright is Yahweh.
Therefore he instructs sinners in his way.
Yod
He leads the humble in what is right.
He teaches the humble his way.
Koph
All the paths of Yahweh
Are steadfast love,
All the paths of Yahweh
Are faithfulness,
For those who keep his covenant
For those who keep his decrees.”
The answer is simple. Yahweh is good and upright. He instructs the sinners and the humble. He leads the humble because the paths of Yahweh are full of steadfast love and faithfulness. Those who keep his covenant and his decrees will have no problem because of Yahweh’s help.
Yahweh should be merciful (Ps 25:6-25:7)
Zain
“Be mindful of your mercy!
Yahweh!
Be mindful of your steadfast love!
They have been from of old.
Het
Do not remember the sins of my youth!
Do not remember my transgressions!
According to your steadfast love,
Remember me!
For your goodness’ sake!
Yahweh!”
David wanted Yahweh to be merciful. He wanted him to remember his love from long ago. Yahweh was not to remember the sins of his youth or other transgressions. However, he was to remember only love because Yahweh is good.
The ways of Yahweh (Ps 25:4-25:5)
Dalet
“Make me to know your ways!
Yahweh!
Teach me your paths!
He
Lead me in your truth!
Teach me!
You are the God of my salvation.
Vav
For you I wait all day long.”
David wanted Yahweh to teach him the true paths of the way of Yahweh. He wanted to be taught. Yahweh was his God of salvation. He waited all day long for him.
A prayer for deliverance from enemies (Ps 25:1-25:3)
“A psalm of David
Aleph
To You!
Yahweh!
I lift up my soul!
O my God!
Bet
In you I trust.
Do not let me be put to shame!
Do not let my enemies exalt over me!
Gimel
Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame!
Let them be ashamed
Who are wantonly treacherous.”
Psalm 25 is a psalm of David for deliverance from personal enemies in an acrostic form like Psalm 9 and Psalm 10, where each verse starts with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet as indicated. This is a lament against the enemies of David. David lifted up his soul. He trusted in God. He did not want to be put to shame. He did not want his enemies to exalt over him. Rather they should be put to shame because of their treacherous behavior.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 