* Biblical Hebrew, also called Classical Hebrew, is an archaic form of the Hebrew language, a language in the Canaanite branch of Semitic languages spoken by the Israelites in the area known as the Land of Israel, roughly west of the Jordan River and east of the Mediterranean Sea. The term "Hebrew" was not used for the language in the Hebrew Bible. Rather, it was referred to as the language of Canaan or Judaean in Ancient Greek and Mishnaic Hebrew texts.
The Hebrew language is attested in inscriptions from about the 10th century BC, when it was almost identical to Phoenician and other Canaanite languages, and spoken Hebrew persisted through and beyond the Second Temple period, which ended in the siege of Jerusalem (70 AD). It eventually developed into Mishnaic Hebrew, spoken until the fifth century AD.
>1. What does David, the author lift up to the Lord? What is it?
* Psalm 25:1-2 "To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me."
* The title of the psalm is simply "Of David".
* "To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul" -"Soul" in the original Hebrew is "nepesh" (a transliteration). Every English translation has "soul".
* "in you I trust"
* "Do not let me be put to shame"
* "nor let my enemies triumph over me."
>What in confidence does he tell God? (3)
* Psalm 25:3 "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."
* "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."
* Psalm 25, a prayer-psalm written by David is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The Hebrew alphabet has twenty-two letters and does not have case (upper and lower). Therefore, this poetic prayer has twenty-two verses.
The prayer begins by beseeching the Lord, "To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul." Praying and meditation should be an important ritual in my life. Jesus often went to empty quiet places to pray. (Luke 5:16) Many prayers are in the Bible including Jesus' prayer for his disciples and prayer on the Mount of Olives before Judas betrayed him to the high priest.
Jesus gave some wise advice about my prayer life, "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6:5-8)
David asks to not be put to shame nor let his enemies triumph over him. People, to gain an advantage over others try to get others to shame their enemies. David is requesting relief from the slander of his enemies. Jesus was often publicly and in secret slandered. He told me that if they slandered him, they would slander me. Lord quiet their voices. Soften their treacherous lies. Those who are treacherous without excuse please put to shame.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 25:1-3.
II. Remember Not my Sins (25:4-7)
>2. What is David asking for when he asks "show me your ways" and "teach me your paths"?
* Psalm 25:4 "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;"
* "Show me your ways"
* "teach me your paths"
*
>How does God guide his people in his truth? How does he teach us? Why? (5)
* Psalm 25:5 "guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long."
* "guide me in your truth"
* "for you are God my Savior"
* "my hope is in you all day long."
* The LORD has life paths set for mankind. A life path is a way to live; how to walk by faith in Jesus, live a righteous life, and interact with others and the environment. "Path" is "orah" (a transliteration) in Hebrew meaning "a well-trodden road or path" and "manner." It can also mean caravan because we do not walk the path alone. God's life paths include loving God and others. God has a life path set for each person. David asks the Lord Jesus to teach him these life paths, a wise request.
Another wise request follows the first. David asks the Lord God his Savior to guide him in truth and teach him. When interested in learning how to dance, play a musical instrument, or becoming an athlete I need someone to show me the way an expert does those things. I need a mentor. I put my hope in my mentor's wisdom and expertise.
If I am interested in dance I am shown Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers moves on a dance floor. If I am interested in playing the drums I am shown beats by Buddy Rich, Ringo Star, and Neil Pert. If I am interested in baseball I am shown Pete Rose, Jackie Robison, and Babe Ruth. If I am interested in righteous living the Holy Spirit shows me Jesus, the Son of God, and reminds me of the truth he taught. (John 15:26)
However, being shown and taught is only the beginning for all four of these human activities; dance, music, sports, and life require physical action. If I merely learn and do not do I am not a dancer, musician, athlete, and Christian. To be shown a path is one thing. To walk it is the point.
I too pray to the Lord Jesus as David "Show me, teach me, and guide me in your truth as I follow the footsteps of Jesus and others who followed me before me."
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 25:4-5.
>3. What does David ask to remember and forget? Is this possible? If so, how?
* Psalm 25:6-7 "Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD."
* "Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love"
* "for they are from of old"
* "Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways"
* "according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD."
* David's relationship with the Lord God must be very close because he asks for something most religions teach is too bold and impossible to ask for. David's request concerns what he wants the Lord Jesus to remember. "Remember your mercy and love. However, those sins of mine and my rebellious nature, forget them."
God does not forget. David knows that. What David is asking the Lord to do is to not deal with him according to his sins and rebellious ways. Poetically he wants God to act as if he is not and was not that way. How is this possible? Is this impossible?
God does express mercy and love. David knows that. Since this is true what David is asking the Lord to do is have his mercy and love be the way he deals with him. Poetically he wants God's mercy and love to be the rule of his judgment.
This is exactly the reason Jesus came. Those who came to Jesus to receive his mercy and love, he dealt with them according to mercy and love. Those who came to him to challenge him, he dealt with them according to their sins and rebellious ways.
What do I want today and tomorrow and forever more? Do I want mercy and love? Or do I want punishment and shame? Ask and it will be given to you." (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9)
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 25:6-7.
III. The Troubles of My Heart Have Multiplied (25:8-22)
* This drawing by an unknown artist is not in public domain.
>4. What does it mean to us personally that the Lord is good and upright according to verses 8 and 9?
* Psalm 25:8-9 "Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way."
* "Good"
* "upright"
* "therefore he instructs sinners in his ways."
* "He guides the humble in what is right"
* "teaches them his way."
>5. What are the demands of the old and new covenant? (10) What is promised if we keep them? (10, 14) What does it mean and imply "he makes his covenant known to them"? (14)
* Psalm 25:10 "All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant."
* Psalm 25:14 "The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them."
* "All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful"
* "for those who keep the demands of his covenant."
* "The LORD confides in those who fear him"
* "he makes his covenant known to them."
>6. How severe was David's iniquity? What is iniquity? Why does he ask forgiveness? (11)
* Psalm 25:11 "For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great."
* "For the sake of your name, O LORD"
* "forgive my iniquity, though it is great."
>7. Why might David be asking "Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord?" What must be done to spend our days in prosperity? How else does it benefit?
* Psalm 25:12-13 "Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land."
* "Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD?"
* "He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. "
* "He will spend his days in prosperity"
* "and his descendants will inherit the land."
* Jesus instructs his people though they are sinners because he is good and upright. If I am humble he will guide me in what is right and teach me his way. Jesus spent most of his ministry teaching to anyone and everyone who wanted to listen. Often he taught what is loving and faithful the entire day. He taught in parables. He taught practically. He taught through miracles. When he healed someone he told them they were healed because of faith in him. However, Jesus' teachings are of little value if I do not keep their demands, the demands of his new covenant.
David knew this yet he sinned greatly. After sin, he humbly presented them to the Lord and asked for forgiveness. (11) Many knew of David's faith in the Lord and knew he sinned. David realized that he had shamed the name of Jesus. So he asked for forgiveness for the sake of the Lord's name. In fear and humility, David presented himself to the Lord Jesus. He vowed repentance.
David committed himself to once again live in fear of the Lord. This fear would keep him from error. The Lord would continue to instruct him in the way he chose for David to live. David knew that if he kept to the way the Lord had for him the Lord would prosper his way and his descendants would be blessed.
If and when I sin I can go to the Lord Jesus in humility and ask for forgiveness. With a renewed commitment to keep to Jesus' teachings, I will obey the new covenant teachings. I will keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, the perfecter of my faith and he will release my feet from the snare. Once again I can walk the path of righteousness he has laid out for me.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 25:8-15.
>8. What does David mean by "release my feet from the snare"? What snared him? (15 including 7, 8, 11, & 18) What does he mean by "be gracious to me"? What was the result of his sin? (16-17)
* Psalm 25:15-17 "My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish."
* "My eyes are ever on the LORD,"
* "for only he will release my feet from the snare."
* "Turn to me and be gracious to me"
* "for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish."
* David is suffering the consequences of his sins. He mentions his sins four times. (7, 8, 11, 18) They are not mentioned in detail or specifics, only that they are great, and many and they came from his rebellious nature. The rebellious nature is in everyone.
Sins have consequences. God will forgive sins if I am not merely sorry for them, but also wanting to change my ways. Yet, even though my sins are forgiven and I change my ways. my sins still have consequences.
Sins bring shame. (2,3) They trap and hold a person down like a snare. (15) Sins bring loneliness, distress, and affliction. (16, 18) They trouble the heart. Left to fester sins grow, multiplying in number. (17) The sinner has to lie to cover up his guilt. More lies cover upon lies till they become unmanageable. Sins multiply enemies. (19)
David is seeking the Lord for forgiveness. He wants relief. He accepts that the Lord's ways are good. He wants to change. He asks to be taught God's ways. In fear, David turns to his Savior, "Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins." The prayer of the forlorn, the desperate, and the repentant.
Sin doesn't have to be the end. No one forces me to stay on the path of sin except me. The misery caused by my sin is my fault alone. Sin leads to death. Yet, hope exists in God's forgiveness. When I plee for mercy and forgiveness to God, he will hear and forgive. When forgiven I should not get mad at God when I deal with the consequences of my sin.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 25:16-18.
>9. How does verse 18 further help us understand the results of sin? What were people's reaction when David's iniquity was exposed? (19)
* Psalm 25:18-19 "Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!"
* "Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins."
* "See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!"
* Enemies are made. They do not preexist. Enemies are brought about for several reasons. Enemies are sometimes produced by no fault of our own, and other times are produced by my ill actions, words, or sin. Having enemies is known by every generation, culture, and society. Why should I be excluded? Having an enemy knows no boundary. What pleasant emotion and thought is found in the heart of a mortal enemy? An enemy does not always have to be an enemy, though it often is.
David had enemies, mentioned 22 times in the Psalms. In Psalm 25, after asking for forgiveness, he prays, "See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!" (19) David asks the Lord to guard his life and rescue him from his enemies. Sometimes praying to be delivered from the trap of an enemy is the only recourse I have. However, other responses to an enemy exist.
Proverb 24:17 says, "Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from him." Proverbs 25:21-22 and Romans 12:20 say, "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you."
Similarly, Jesus taught, "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48)
Pray for deliverance from the enemy and pray for their salvation and our reconciliation.
Listen to the above comments on Psalm 25:19_22.
>10. What is David concluding two requests? What David the only person who was affected by his iniquities? (22)
* Psalm 25:20-22 "Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you. Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!"
* "Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you."
* "May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you."
* "Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!"
