Psalm Chapter 25

A Psalm of David.

• Psalm 25:1  Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
• 2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
• 3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.

David was asking the Lord here to not let his enemies have victory and be able to gain power over him. He then includes all who trust and wait on the Lord not be ashamed. He includes all those that believe and trust in God, to be safe from enemies and evil ones.

Instead of enemies being victorious he asks that the enemies be the ones that are ashamed. Those that do harm to others and to him without having a just cause to do so, is who he targets in his prayer.

There is a law of reaping and sowing in effect. What evil we do to others will return upon us, either in this life or in God's judgment to come. No one will get by with harming the innocent if they do not repent and make it right. By the way who is more innocent that a baby in the mother's womb?

In the end and in the time of the rule of Jesus Christ, all those that have continually trusted in God will be exalted above all their enemies. This is why we should encourage one another to stay faithful to God and His written word. Even if it causes persecution in this present time, in the end the faithful will stand and the evil ones will fall. Just as sure as I am that night turns into day, this will happen. Our main fault in this day and age is that we want everything now. We don't wait on the Lord to work things out in His way.

• Psalm 25:4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

If we seek Him, He will give us wisdom and show us His ways. All these good things are ours for the asking and believing. We can be taught the ways of the Lord and walk in His paths.

• Proverbs 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

The word of God actually feeds our soul like food does to our bodies.

• Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.

Wisdom and understanding is the exact opposite of confusion and being clueless. We find wisdom and understanding within the pages of the bible and learn even more by the help of the Holy Spirit.

• James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

If we lack wisdom, God wants us to have it more than we want it. Just ask in faith believing that God will give us wisdom. It's ours.

• Psalm 25:5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.

We've got to get rid of our "instant" mindset. The things of God are wonderful but it takes time. Most of us do not become instant bible scholars overnight but as we desire and seek God, He will give us understanding and wisdom. Keep in mind what David said in verse 5, On thee do I wait all the day. Anything we receive from God is worth the wait. Impatience is our next biggest hindrance; the first being unbelief.

• Psalm 25:6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.

God never changes. He stays the same. It is His creation that changes. We stray from His word, He doesn't stray from us.

• Psalm 25:7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.

If we repent of sin, God will forgive and never remember the sins of our youth. That is the sole reason Jesus died on the cross. He died to pay the penalty for every sin that we have ever committed. It is up to us to accept this free gift of salvation or to reject it.

• Psalm 25:8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.

The bible is the roadmap to eternal life. It will teach sinners how to find salvation and believers how to live holy. Praise the Lord for this unspeakable gift.

• Psalm 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

A meek person is teachable and will accept truth. If we are not meek, we can't be taught. Try to teach a know-it-all and you will get nowhere.

• Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

When we determine to keep His covenants and testimonies, God will pour out more and more of His mercy and truth upon us. The more we have the more we receive of His word. The more we seek God, the more we will want to seek God.

• Psalm 25:11 For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

The secret to getting victory over sin and living in holiness is to ask for God to pardon or forgive that sin. We then must be willing to turn away from our sin.

• 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Confession is made to God not necessarily to man. There may be times when we have to confess to others to right a wrong but that doesn't save us from sin. We must confess to God and ask for Him to forgive our sins.

• Psalm 25:12 What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.

Many of us do not like to speak of the fear of God and some try to change this to mean awe or respect. Naturally we should have awe and respect for God but this means that we should fear the Lord. The fear of God is the beginning of right living. Without the fear of God, we start to move away from Him both as an individual, as a congregation and as a nation.

• Deuteronomy 8:6 Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.

We fear the police officer if we are not obeying the laws of the land, how much more should we fear to sin against our creator and our God?

• Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,

I love how scriptures in other books of the bible confirm the scriptures we are presently reading.

• Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Many have written songs based on some of the psalms. When we love and fear the Lord, it becomes natural to praise and worship Him both in prayer and in song.

• Proverbs 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

A fountain of life. What a beautiful thought. To fear the Lord is to depart from the snares of death and embrace the fountain of life. This doesn't mean that the body doesn't die but the soul and spirit will be preserved forever and receive a new body that cannot die. This was God's intent when He created us.

• Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

To the early church, the fear of the Lord was associated with comfort of the Holy Spirit and being edified or built up in God's word.

• Psalm 25:13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

 Those that obey the Lord and walk before Him will inherit the earth.

• Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

A teachable spirit is one that learns the most from God.

Evil will not continue forever. Those that do not repent and come God's way through Jesus Christ, will lose their souls for eternity.

• Psalm 25:14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
• 15 Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
• 16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
• 17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
• 18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.
• 19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
• 20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
• 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
• 22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

Israel here means actual Israel but included in Israel are those that are adopted into the promised salvation of Israel by faith in Jesus Christ. The church does not ever replace Israel but becomes part of them by faith in Jesus. Believing Gentiles are grafted into the olive tree which is Christ. 

• Romans 11:17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 
• 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 
• 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 
• 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 
• 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 
• 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 
• 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 
• 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? 
• 25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 
• 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 
• 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

Because of sin and departing from God in the Old Testament and the sin of rejecting the Messiah in the New Testament, Israel has suffered much trouble. Wicked nations have tried to annihilate them from off the face of the whole earth. God will one day bring Israel back to Him and punish the wicked nations who persecuted both them and the faithful believing Gentiles also.

All those who lift up their hands against Israel or against faithful believers in Jesus Christ will suffer the judgment of God if they do not repent and turn from their wickedness. This I can promise you. The fear of God will cause us to avoid the hatred and the condemnation people have for Israel and believers in Jesus. 

• Deuteronomy 32:43 Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people: for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.

Nations that bless Israel and fear God will be blessed. Those that torment and persecute Israel will be wiped off the face of the earth.

• 2Thessalonians 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 
• 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 
• 9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;

Now is the time to get right with God before the day of vengeance and judgment. God prefers to save rather than destroy.

• Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

The only thing that I can add here is this: Vengeance belongs only to God. We are not to act as self-appointed agents of the Lord to take vengeance upon people who do not believe or who disagree with us. Some in past centuries have actually killed in the name of the Lord thinking they were doing God a service. In most situations like that, the innocent, not the guilty are killed. That is why vengeance belongs to God only.

An exception would be those that are drafted into a situation where they must defend their country or another innocent country in times of war. Also an exception is in keeping law and order, such as a police officer. The bible allows for that kind of order and it is necessary to keep peace.

But to the faithful in Christ who are persecuted for their faith, God will take vengeance. Our job now is to spread the gospel to all who will listen and let God do the judging. -DC

Psalm 26

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