I read in a few different places that Psalm 25 was a song of trust. We can’t have faith without trust.
This is a cry for help, but one that seems to me is filled with hope, not hopelessness.
Graham Kendrick – To You My Lord
In the first two lines the psalmist, David, lifts his soul, prays, to the Lord, the one he trust. We all need help, and there are times when no matter how hard we try, life just isn’t working out. Who then can the Christ Follower turn to? The answer is to God, always God.
In the third verse David says, “No on whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.” That seems to me to be a confident statement of faith in the Lord.
In verses 5 and 21 we see David’s hope, trust, in God:
5 guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.
In verses 8,10 and 15 David praises God and once again states his faith in him:
8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
It is in verses 16 – 19 that David shows the degree of his anguish with the circumstances he finds himself in. “for I am Lonely and afflicted” His enemies “have increased and how fiercely they hate me!”
In verse 20 he again places his hope in God. “Guard my life and rescue me.” “for I take refugee in you.”
Throughout this prayer David shows he is placing his hope, trust and faith in God. The Lord is the refugee for the Christ Follower, when the world offers none.
Psalm 25 (New International Version)
1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
2 in you I trust, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one whose hope is in you
will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
who are treacherous without excuse.
4 Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;
5 guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you are good, O LORD.
8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, O LORD,
forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD ?
He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.
13 He will spend his days in prosperity,
and his descendants will inherit the land.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;
he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,
for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied;
free me from my anguish.
18 Look upon my affliction and my distress
and take away all my sins.
19 See how my enemies have increased
and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me;
let me not be put to shame,
for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
because my hope is in you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
from all their troubles!
6 comments
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April 25, 2010 at 7:31 am
Indian Lake Papa
We all have some degree of trust. The question is – in what? I trust my car to get me where I want, but it is not just blind trust – I have to take care of it. I trust that mama will always be by my side – but, I have to nourish that relationship and help her stay healthy as well. Do I trust God? You bet – but I nourish that relationship as well!!
April 27, 2010 at 4:00 am
edfromct
All relationships do need to be nourished. Scripture is like food for the soul. Keeping your connection to God strong, with prayers like David’s, is the life long pursuit of the Christ Follower.
April 25, 2010 at 10:29 am
Debs
I love this Psalm. I think it is the clearest one in showing why David is called a man after God’s own heart. It sounds like (not sure) that this may have been written in his later years, as it makes reference to the sins of his youth and the craftiness and cruelty of his foes. This Psalm is a prayer for inspiration and forgiveness. David’s wisdom in this Psalm shows alot of wisdom that God is our teacher even in affliction and errors. It gives me a great deal of hope. I desire to follow David’s example here, that when faced with distress he doesn’t withdraw from God, or turn to man for help, He runs straight to God and rests in His help and protection. Thanks for this reminder
April 27, 2010 at 4:04 am
edfromct
Like David we all need a source of faith we trust, and can turn to, when the afflictions of the world are overwhelming us.
I can see in the words of Psalm 25 why it is such a great source of inspiration.
Hope, faith and trust that God will always be there for you is the formula the Christ Follower needs to face any trial they will face in life.
April 26, 2010 at 2:39 pm
Michelle
Trusting in the Lord for everything…
I’ve been praying this Psalm…LOTS!
Only by trusting in Him do I have any hope.
April 27, 2010 at 4:08 am
edfromct
I hope your prayers, like David’s, are bringing you the hope, and trust, in God you need.
The Psalms are a great way to strenthen your spirit because they are filled with praise of God, and can be the best way to fill your heart with his love.