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Psalms 25

22 verses

TL;DR

A psalm of trust and plea, the psalmist seeks God’s guidance, mercy, and deliverance while affirming faithfulness to covenant.

Summary

The psalm begins with the psalmist lifting his soul to the LORD, expressing trust and asking for protection against shame and enemies (v.1‑2). He calls for instruction in God’s ways and asks to be led in truth, emphasizing God’s role as savior and the value of mercies (v.3‑7). The psalm highlights God’s righteousness, teaching the meek and granting mercy to those who keep His covenant (v.8‑10). The psalmist acknowledges his fear of the LORD, his desire for peace, and asks for the revelation of God’s covenant (v.11‑14). He turns to God in distress, pleading for rescue from affliction and forgiveness of sins, and for protection against enemies (v.15‑19). The psalm concludes with a plea for personal deliverance, integrity, and a final request for Israel’s redemption from troubles (v.20‑22).

Outline
  1. Prayer for guidance and mercy
  2. Affirmation of God’s justice and instruction to the faithful
  3. Plea for personal and communal deliverance
Themes
Trust in GodMercy and JusticeCovenant Fidelity
Keywords
trustmercycovenantjusticedeliverancefaithfulnessinstruction
People
the psalmistLORDIsrael
Places
Things
mercieslovingkindnessescovenanttruthpathsjudgmentnet
Key Verses
  • Psalms 25:10: states that all of the LORD’s ways are mercy and truth for those who keep His covenant
Questions
  • How does the psalmist balance expressions of trust with pleas for mercy?
  • What does the psalm reveal about the relationship between sin, forgiveness, and covenant?
  • In what ways does the psalm speak to both personal and communal concerns?
Sentiment

mixed
Hopeful yet in distress