This Psalm basically opens each line with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, moving consecutively through the Hebrew alphabet. It does not, however, do this totally consistently for W and Q are omitted and R is repeated where Q would have been. This latter may simply have been because what the writer wanted to say at that point did not provide him with an opportunity to open the line with Q, a word beginning with R providing what he wanted. The final line then repeats P which was used earlier. Interestingly the same phenomenon as this latter occurs in Psalms 34, and there also W is omitted, although Q is included. We have endeavoured to demonstrate this, a little inadequately, with English letters.
One lesson this arrangement brings home to us is that those who wrote the inspired word did it with perspiration as well as inspiration. God worked through their artistic abilities in order to produce His word. Thus they were not just channels, they were active participators. Any view of inspiration that does not take that into account is therefore false.
The Psalm can be divided into three sections, with a postscript.
· The first part is a prayer for protection and guidance from YHWH (Psalms 25:1-7).
· The second part describes the character of God and how He deals with those who fear Him (8-14).
· The third part is a further prayer, a prayer for deliverance from distress (15-21).
· The final verse is probably an inspired addition in order to fit the Psalm for corporate worship.
But there is also a pattern running through it. The opening ideas in Psalms 25:1-4 are paralleled by the closing ideas in Psalms 25:19-22 (see in the commentary below), while the prayer in Psalms 25:5-7, is paralleled in terms of its certain fulfilment because of the nature of God in Psalms 25:8-10, and is applied to all God's people in Psalms 25:11-15. It is on the basis of this certainty that he makes his final plea in Psalms 25:15-21 (see in the commentary below).
Thus an alternative division is:
· An initial plea followed by the expression of confidence in its fulfilment (1-3).
· A plea for guidance for himself, and that YHWH will remember His covenant promises, and that he will not remember his sins (4-7).
· A confident assertion that YHWH will guide those who look to Him, and will remember His covenant towards them, followed by a further plea for the forgiveness of his iniquity (8-11).
· An indication that the one who fears YHWH will be taught by Him, and that He will reveal to them His secret things and will show His covenant to them, followed by a promise that He will pluck their feet out of the snare (12-15).
· A final plea for deliverance out of his afflictions, forgiveness for his sins, and rescue from the hands of his enemies, so that his soul might be kept in integrity and uprightness (16-21).
· A final prayer for the redemption of Israel out of all its troubles (Psalms 25:22).
Prior to considering it verse by verse we will first give a rendering of the whole Psalm so that the alphabetic sequence and the parallels in each stanza can be observed (the letters are in the order of the Hebrew alphabet).
Heading.
‘A Psalm of David.'
A ‘To you, O YHWH,
Do I lift up my soul, O my God.
B ‘In you have I trusted, let me not be put to shame.
Do not let my enemies triumph over me.'
G ‘Yes, none who wait for you will be put to shame.
They will be put to shame who deal treacherously without cause.'
D ‘Show me your ways, O YHWH.
Teach me your paths.'
H ‘Guide me in your truth,
And teach me.
For you are the God of my salvation,
For you do I wait all the day.'
Z ‘Remember, O YHWH, your tender mercies,
And your lovingkindness, for they have been ever of old.'
CH ‘Do not remember the sins of my youth,
Nor my transgressions.
According to your lovingkindness remember you me,
For the sake of your goodness, O YHWH.'
T ‘Good and upright is YHWH.
Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way.'
Y ‘The meek will he guide in justice,
And the meek will he teach his way.'
C ‘All the paths of YHWH are lovingkindness and truth.
To such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.'
L ‘For your name's sake, O YHWH,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.'
M ‘What man is he who fears YHWH?
Him will he instruct in the way that he will choose.'
N ‘His soul will dwell at ease,
And his seed will inherit the land.'
S ‘The friendship of YHWH is with those who fear him,
And he will show them his covenant.'
GH ‘My eyes are ever towards YHWH;
For he will pluck my feet out of the net'.
P ‘Turn you to me, and have mercy on me,
For I am desolate and afflicted.'
TS ‘The troubles of my heart are enlarged.
Oh, do you bring me out of my distresses'.
R ‘Consider my affliction and my travail,
And forgive all my sins.'
R ‘Consider my enemies, for they are many,
And they hate me with cruel hatred.'
SH ‘Oh keep my soul, and deliver me.
Do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.'
T ‘Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait for you.'
P ‘Redeem Israel, O God,
Out all of his troubles.'
We will now consider the Psalm in detail.
Heading.
‘A Psalm of David.'
We have here again an indication that this is one of the Psalms associated with the house of David, and many see it as an indication that David wrote the Psalm, although no indication is given of any particular time in his life to which it might apply. But it is clearly written by someone in his maturity for he refers to the sins of his youth,