Notes on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 25
The xxv. PSALM.
David notwithstanding the deep sense he had of his sins by reason of the great afflictions he lay under, yet confidently repairs to God in prayer for justice against his enemies, and merciemercy for himself, both in the pardon of his sins, and bestowing grace upon him, assuring himself, that herein he shall be heard because of Gods goodnes, and the many sweet promises which in the general he hath made to his people, which he applies to himself in particular. And so ends as he begins with prayer, forcibly urged upon God by the greatnes of his afflictions, the crueltie of his enemies, the uprightnes of his cause, and his peoples necessities.
A Psalm made by David.Psalm xxxv. A Psalm of David.
1 TO thee above,1UNto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O lord, doth my soul faithfully address it self, and its desires continually, and to no other.
2 O thou,2O my God, I trust in thee, let me not be ashamed: let not mine enemies triumph over me. that by many gracious and sweet promises, I know assuredly to be my God, in thee onelyonly do I put my trust, let not me therefore miscarry, and be defeated of my hopes, and so both I and my faith be rendred a scorn to my wicked enemies.
3 Yea,3Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed which transgress without cause. Lord, remember, what a tie of truth and goodness lies upon thee, towards them that in faith and holiness depend on thee, and walk with thee as I do; not to suffer such to miscarry, and fail of their confidence or reward, no, let mine enemies do so who trust in other things, and spitefully without any cause on my part, break all Laws of Justice and Charity towards me; so shalt thou magnifie thy faithfulness to the faithful, and thy Justice upon the wicked.
4 How ever other men walk towards me,4Shew me thy wayes, O Lord, teach me thy paths. yet my desire is to keep touch with thee, and therefore, O Lord, I pray thee, in all my trials, shew me thy promises and commandments, appertaining to my present case and condition, and teach me to understand what safety and reward there is in them, that I may never depart from them.
5 Powerfully enable me to stick close to thy word of truth by faith and obedience,5Lead me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art the God of my salvation, on thee do I wait all the day. refusing every false way and refuge. Thus instruct me both to do, and know thy will in the midst of my temptations, for thou art the God in whom I trust, for all manner of preservation in wel-doing, and wel-being, on thee do I constantly depend every hour, for every thing both for direction, and protection in all my trials.
6Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies, and thy loving kindnesses: for they have been ever of old.6 O Lord, forget not what fatherly pitty and love thou hast evermore born to thine, and what expressions and manifestations thou hast made thereof, upon all occasions as they have needed, for they never yet failed thy people; nor let them do so now to me, that plead that priviledge to be one of thine, to whom mercy successively belongs in my generation, as to them in theirs.
7Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me, for thy goodness sake, O Lord.7 Call not to mind my sins long since committed before I knew thee, nor the errors I was guilty of in that estate, now to inflict their punishment upon me, but contrarily according to that mercy thou hast in store for me and hast promised to me, do thou pardon them, and shew thy self gracious to me in mine afflictions, and that of thy meer and free goodness, O Lord, not for any motive or merit of mine.
8Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.8 Gracious and faithful is the Lord, therefore will he, and for no other reason, both pardon self-judgeing, and enable self-outed sinners to turn to him with all their hearts, and to walk before him in all welpleasing.
9The meek will he guide in judgement: and the meek will he teach his way.9 The humble and lowly-hearted that sensibly needs, and sincerely craves supply of grace and wisdom from God, he will give them a good understanding how to walk acceptably before him, so as to have his favour and protection, such shall not want supply of enlightning and enabling grace to know and do his will.
10All the paths of the Lord are mercy & truth, unto such as keep his covenant, and his testimonies.10 However, even the faithfull may think, some of Gods wayes he takes towards them, by the strangeness of them, to be unagreeable to that mercy and truth is in him and his promises. Yet be they never so contrary to flesh and bloud, they are all of them consonant to his grace and faithfulness, which he hath contracted with those that are in covenant with him, and walk accordingly in faith and obedience.
11 For thy truth and mercy sake,11For thy names sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity: for it is great. O Lord, and for no cause else, do away my sin out of thy sight which is great and manifold, and lies heavy on me, and which else will certainly bring upon me soar afflictions, as I have already felt they have done.
12 Few there are that reverence and fear the Lord,12What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. so as to seek to him to be pardoned their sins and made his servants, but in this I may comfort my self, and so may any else, that in so doing I nor they, shall not fail of our desires, but that God in his love and goodness to such an one will so direct and guide him, as that he shall not be given over to his own corrupt lusts, but shall be instructed and enabled to walk in such a way as he shall best accept.
13 And he that doth so,13His soul shall dwell at ease: and his seed shall inherit the land. though he may have troubles without, yet he may be sure of peace within, nor shall he be devoid of temporal blessings neither, but sooner or later in Gods good time, according to his covenant, he will reward his service upon him and his posterity, especially if they walk in his steps, even with outward mercies of peace and plenty, as we see it fulfilled to us according to promise made to our holy forefathers, and so I doubt not shall it be to me and mine as God hath promised.
14 However the godly are in the world neglected,14The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his covenant. yet with God they are in special favour, for in a gracious familiarity and good will, he sweetly imparts the sacred mistery of his good pleasure and purpose of their salvation in a spiritual way to the spiritual man, that fears to offend and desires to please him; which as a secret is hid from the knowledg of the world, who onelyonly partake his common and outward benefits. Yea, such he will teach with an intimate instruction and impression of his spirit upon their hearts, what are the covenant-graces, priviledges, and benefits belonging to, and on his part to be bestowed upon them, he will shew them the honour and happiness to be in covenant with him, as also what are the covenant-duties and gratuitous returns reciprocally to be performed on their parts to him, with enablement to do them in love and thankfulness, by writing his law in their hearts.
15Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.15 I will make nothing my trust but God, nor will I ever cease to wait upon the Lord, and pray unto him for deliverance, but be my case never so desperate, and my misery never so tedious, yet will I confidently and with a fixed mind exspect it; for according to his promise I know the time will come when I shall be set at liberty, and disintangled from my troublesome dangers.
16Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me: for I am desolate and afflicted.16 As mine eyes are towards thee, so, Lord, set thy face favourably to me-ward, whom thou hast seemed long to have neglected: Now therefore bethink thee, and let me at last find grace in thy sight, and give me a merciful deliverance, for I am without any help but thine, and greatly afflicted by many outward enemies, and inward trials.
17The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.17 My miseries strike deep into my soul, which is very sore oppressed with grief; O consider it in thy tender mercies, and deliver me out of my great afflictions.
18 Lord take me into thy consideration,18Look upon mine affliction, and my pain, and forgive all my sinnes. do but cast an eye upon the greatness of mine affliction and dolour, and let it move thee to compassion, and pardon of all those my sins that may have caused thy displeasure, that so I may find favour and receive some ease.
19 My state is very forlorn and perillous,19Consider mine enemies, for they are many, and they hate me with cruel hatred. if thou consider (as I pray thee do, and send help accordingly) mine enemies, for their number which is great, and for their hatred of me, which is to the death, and their pursuit is accordingly with extream violence.
20 They do all they can to take away my life;20O keep my soul and deliver me: let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in thee. O therefore do thou undertake to protect it from their rage, and deliver me out of their hands. Let me not miscarry by their power or policy, and so I and my faith be rendred scornful and scandalous to them, for I put my trust in thee, thy truth and goodness therefore fail me not.
21 Let the innocency of my cause,21Let integrity … uprightness preserve me: for I wait on thee. and my just behaviour in it, move thee to preserve me from the injustice of mine adversaries; for on thee in respect of thy righteous promises do I trust and wait to be righted against their wrongs.
22 O God,22Redeem Israel, O God; out of all his troubles. that in thy faithfulness didest deliver Israel our Father out of all his troubles, do the like by his seed, and bring them into a state of peace and rest by and under me, as shall the Church and faithful have one day by Christ.