25:1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
25:2 O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies
exult over me.
25:3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are
wantonly treacherous.
25:4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.
25:5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you
I wait all day long.
25:6 Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been
from of old.
25:7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your
steadfast love remember me, for your goodness' sake, O LORD!
25:8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
25:9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
25:10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep
his covenant and his decrees.
In what ways does God teach us? This Psalm depicts God as a teacher, but I'm wondering how God teaches us. How do we make this passage appear real to people who don't see God teaching them anything? How do we deal with those who wonder if God is teaching them in such things as the death of a loved one? Lots to ask here.
Thanks for the comment about the switch from prayer mode to God in 3rd person in verse 8. My commentary notes that this Psalm was an acrostic. My immediate response to the notation about the switch is that, "oh - it's like an old-fashioned melodrama, where the actor speaks an aside to the audience." It makes me smile. And I really like this Psalm. It's so full of yearning for God. I wonder if the Psalmist's aside is to himself or to an audience, or to somehow appeal to God.
Janice in KS
I too like this psalm with its yearning for God. As the first sunday of Advent, I want to use the idea of 'how do we waiting/yearn?" what is or how do we "actively yearn". The psalmist talks about confession, openness to mercy. Also there is the need to be open: "show me your ways". If anyone has something specfic illustrations or examples for these thoughts I would appreciate same. Deke of the North
It seems to me the psalmist is contrasting himself to the "wanton" sinners(v.3). He has sinned, at least in his youth(v.7), but begs, "Cut me some slack, Lord, I didn't mean to hurt you. Teach me to do better.(vs.4-5)" Not a bad prayer for those of us who know ourselves to be imperfect, yet yearn for more. Tom in TN(USA)
