Psalms 25
Old Testament Ā· King James Version
Psalm 25 is an alphabetic prayer that joins trust, instruction, confession and lament. The speaker asks the LORD to teach his paths, remember mercy rather than youthful sins, forgive great iniquity, disclose covenant friendship, and deliver from loneliness, distress and enemies. The final petition widens from the individual to Israel. The psalm does not turn guidance into infallible private revelation, prosperity into a wealth guarantee, land language into a modern territorial deed, or enemy language into permission for retaliation.
Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodnessā sake, O Lord.
Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
For thy nameās sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.
The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.
Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.
Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.
O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.
Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
Context
The superscription identifies Psalm 25 as āOf David.ā Its Hebrew form is broadly alphabetic, though the acrostic pattern is not perfectly regular. No precise historical crisis is named. The poem repeatedly alternates between petition, reflection on the LORDās character, confession and renewed appeal, culminating in verse 22 with a prayer for Israel.
Themes & application
- Trust without shame
- Learning the LORDās ways
- Truth and patient waiting
- Ancient mercy and steadfast love
- Forgiveness and remembered sin
- Humility and instruction
- Covenant love and faithfulness
- Fear of the LORD
- Covenant counsel
- Deliverance from the net
- Loneliness and distress
- Integrity and uprightness
- Redemption of Israel
Psalm 25 is an alphabetic prayer that joins trust, instruction, confession and lament. The speaker asks the LORD to teach his paths, remember mercy rather than youthful sins, forgive great iniquity, disclose covenant friendship, and deliver from loneliness, distress and enemies. The final petition widens from the individual to Israel. The psalm does not turn guidance into infallible private revelation, prosperity into a wealth guarantee, land language into a modern territorial deed, or enemy language into permission for retaliation.
Key verses
The prayer begins by lifting the whole self to the LORD, expressing directed dependence rather than self-sufficiency.
Application: The prayer begins by lifting the whole self to the LORD, expressing directed dependence rather than self-sufficiency.
Commonly misread: Lifting the soul is devotional language, not dissociation or contempt for the body.
The speaker asks the LORD to make his ways known and teach his paths, presenting guidance as learned discipleship.
Application: The speaker asks the LORD to make his ways known and teach his paths, presenting guidance as learned discipleship.
Commonly misread: Guidance should not be reduced to treating every impulse, dream or inner voice as infallible revelation.
For the sake of Godās name the speaker asks pardon for iniquity precisely because it is great; confession and grace meet without minimizing wrong.
Application: For the sake of Godās name the speaker asks pardon for iniquity precisely because it is great; confession and grace meet without minimizing wrong.
Commonly misread: Calling iniquity āgreatā does not erase the possibility of forgiveness or justify hopelessness, self-hatred or self-punishment.
The LORDās intimate counsel or friendship is with those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them.
Application: The LORDās intimate counsel or friendship is with those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them.
Commonly misread: The LORDās āsecret/counselā is covenant intimacy, not an esoteric elite, occult knowledge or infallible private revelation.
The closing petition widens the horizon: āRedeem Israelā gathers the individual lament into concern for the covenant peopleās many troubles.
Application: The closing petition widens the horizon: āRedeem Israelā gathers the individual lament into concern for the covenant peopleās many troubles.
Commonly misread: The prayer for Israel is a covenantal biblical petition, not a blank cheque for any modern government, military policy or territorial claim.
Common misreadings of Psalms 25
Misreading: Remembered sin should lead toward mercy and repentance, not toxic shame or obsessive replay of past mistakes.
In context: Youthful sins and transgressions are placed under mercy: the speaker asks to be remembered according to steadfast love and goodness.
Misreading: Calling iniquity āgreatā does not erase the possibility of forgiveness or justify hopelessness, self-hatred or self-punishment.
In context: For the sake of Godās name the speaker asks pardon for iniquity precisely because it is great; confession and grace meet without minimizing wrong.
Misreading: Prosperity/goodness and land inheritance do not promise wealth to every believer or create a modern territorial title deed.
In context: The faithful person is pictured dwelling in goodness, with descendants inheriting the land; the imagery belongs to covenant blessing, not a universal wealth formula.
Misreading: The LORDās āsecret/counselā is covenant intimacy, not an esoteric elite, occult knowledge or infallible private revelation.
In context: The LORDās intimate counsel or friendship is with those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them.
Misreading: The pairing of affliction and forgiveness does not prove that every illness, trauma or hardship is punishment for a specific sin.
In context: The prayer asks God to see affliction and pain and forgive all sins, holding suffering and confession together without explaining every suffering as punishment.
Misreading: Enemy language must not be mapped onto ethnic, religious, political or personal groups as a license for hatred or retaliation.
In context: The speaker asks God to see the many enemies and their violent hatred; the threat is named without giving the worshiper a mandate for revenge.
Misreading: The prayer for Israel is a covenantal biblical petition, not a blank cheque for any modern government, military policy or territorial claim.
In context: The closing petition widens the horizon: āRedeem Israelā gathers the individual lament into concern for the covenant peopleās many troubles.
Cross-references
- Psalm 23:3 ā Trust, guidance, mercy and confession
- Psalm 24:4 ā The LORD teaches the humble and keeps covenant
- Psalm 16:11 ā Turn to me and redeem
Frequently asked questions about Psalms 25
Is Psalm 25 an acrostic?
What does āteach me your pathsā mean?
Why does verse 11 call the iniquity great?
What is the āsecretā or ācounselā of the LORD in verse 14?
Why does verse 22 mention Israel?
Sources & editorial notes
- Translation
- Commentary anchored to the siteās public-domain Psalm 25 text.
- Authorship
- The superscription identifies Psalm 25 as āOf David.ā Its Hebrew form is broadly alphabetic, though the acrostic pattern is not perfectly regular. No precise historical crisis is named. The poem repeatedly alternates between petition, reflection on the LORDās character, confession and renewed appeal, culminating in verse 22 with a prayer for Israel.
- Editorial process
- Psalm 25 is an alphabetic prayer that joins trust, instruction, confession and lament. The speaker asks the LORD to teach his paths, remember mercy rather than youthful sins, forgive great iniquity, disclose covenant friendship, and deliver from loneliness, distress and enemies. The final petition widens from the individual to Israel. The psalm does not turn guidance into infallible private revelation, prosperity into a wealth guarantee, land language into a modern territorial deed, or enemy language into permission for retaliation.
References
- Commentary anchored to the siteās public-domain Psalm 25 text. ā Biblical text
- The superscription identifies Psalm 25 as āOf David.ā Its Hebrew form is broadly alphabetic, though the acrostic pattern is not perfectly regular. No precise historical crisis is named. The poem repeatedly alternates between petition, reflection on the LORDās character, confession and renewed appeal, culminating in verse 22 with a prayer for Israel. ā Trust, guidance, mercy and confession
- Psalm 23; Psalm 24; Psalm 16 ā The LORD teaches the humble and keeps covenant
Author: The Lord Will Editorial Team Ā· Reviewed by: Ugo Candido Ā· Updated: 2026-08-10