PSALM 25 “Good Theology and Prayer”

 

SUPERSCRIPT:  A Psalm of David. 

Good theology is fundamental to prayer. God  responds to His own handwriting. Show God His handwriting!

This Psalm, like so many Psalms is a personal prayer to God. It clearly is a prayer attributed to his later years, for he prays in 25:7 “Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions…”. 

This is  an acrostic poem.[1] The 22 verses of this Psalm in the original begin each begin with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is an aid to memorisation.

We are not sure what the occasion is. He has to deal with his enemies (vv.2,19) as well as his own sin (vv.7,11,18) and  vulnerability (let me not be put to shame vv.2,20) and  personal trials  such  as  a sense of loneliness, affliction, a troubled heart, distress (vv.16-18).

We do not discern a particular structure in this prayer.  If we follow the Psalm we   see the following …

1.   25:1-3  David confidently trusts in God when assailed by  his enemies.

2.  25:4-5 David desires to be led in the way of truth.

3.  25:6-7  David desires that God would deal with him in mercy.

4.  25:8-9 David reaffirms his belief that God will guide those who trust Him.

5.  25:10  David  affirms God’s covenantal kindness

6.  25:11  David asks to be pardoned of  his sin.

7.  25:12-15 David affirms that God will instruct and guide those who fear Him.

8.  25:16-21  David pleads  with God for deliverance from all trouble.

9.  25:22 David pleads for God’s redemption of Israel, the people of God.

If we stand back and survey the Psalm as a whole, this is actually a wonderful study in praying the attributes of God – reminding ourselves of who God is and what He is like. God’s attributes are the characteristics which define God, which explain what God is like.  

The attributes of God gleaned from this Psalm are the following….

1.      God can be trusted. (v.2)

2.      God is faithful (v.3)

3.      God speaks truth (vv.4-5)

4.      God is  a Saviour (v.5)

5.      God’s  is merciful and  covenantally loving (vv. 6,11)

6.      God is good and upright (v.8)

7.      God is forgiving (vv.11,18)

8.      God is  the instructor of the  God fearing (vv.12- 14)

9.      God is our deliverer (vv.15,17)

10.  God is gracious (v.16).

11.   God is the guardian of our soul and our refuge (v.20)

In prayer  remind  yourself of  God’s attributes. The better you know God the more confidence and boldness  you will  show in  your prayer. There are a number of subjects, which flow freely from David’s heart. Remember that this is a prayer, and prayer does not always follow a structure. It is like water gushing from a spring and running from the heart and the lips. This is a wonderful study in heartfelt prayer to God. Let’s learn from David. Let’s see how this Psalm helps us to find our rest in God when we travel on this highway called life, through many perplexities and against the background of our own sinfulness, vulnerabilities and personal trials. 

David  faces  two common sets of troubles: the trouble that comes from  the outside and the trouble that  comes from within. Troubles without and fears within! (2 Corinthians 7:5)

1.   Troubles  without

David is struggling because his life or his reputation is in danger. He is facing real enemies -  See verses 2 &19. David’s life is far from being a tame existence. Your life as a Christian  is not a tame existence. You will be familiar with the pounding heart and the sweaty hands as you must face life in a fallen world.

2.  Fears within

 (i)           David is struggling with loneliness and inward afflictions. See v.16. The trouble is felt in his heart. He feels distressed  v.17

(ii)          David feels the inward weight of past sin  (vv.7,11,18), and  far from  forgetting the sins of his youth he vividly remembers these.  Look at verse 17 again:  "The troubles of my heart are enlarged."

Outward and inward trials have the ability to deeply unsettle our souls. The ground under our feet seems shaky. We feel as if we lose our bearings. We feel uncertain. We feel as if God is far away.  What do we need  most at such a time?

Prayer! 

There are at least 18 petitions in this Psalm.

The definition of  a petition is to make a request. So when we come to God in petition we are asking Him to do something - either for ourselves or others.  [See the petitions in the Lord’s prayer  - Matthew 6:9-13]

Petitions

·         Let me not be put to shame…

·         Let not my enemies exult over me …

·         Make me to know your ways O Lord… teach me your paths; lead me in your truth and teach me…

·         Remember your mercy…  and your steadfast love …

·         Remember not the sins of my youth… 

• etc.

David comes to God with his outer  and inner challenges and he pleads with God to help him, to lead him in His ways, his paths, his truth (vv.4&5) 

WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM  DAVID’S PRAYER ?

David’s prayer rests on...

·         the nature of God’s character (see attributes)

·          but in particular God’s mercy and steadfast love (v.6)

·         The fact that  God  loves and instructs  the contrite sinner (v.8)  in heart – the humble (v.9); those who fear God receive His instruction, friendship  (vv. 12,14).

RESULTS 

Faith in God as expressed in prayer  is the way  to  spiritual stability. Faith is informed by good theology. 

The counsel that you hear in Psalm 25 is . . .

1.     Being a man woman of God does not  exempt you from  outward and inward trouble.

2.    When you are assailed from without and within  you should come to God in prayer  and petition and bring all your struggles with no hesitation.

3.    Be prepared to wait on God for the answer to your prayer (vv.3,5,21) Waiting on God implies acceptance of His timing in His wisdom.

4.    Be  completely humble and transparent  before God. Confess sin.  Fear God

5.    Stand on the revealed character of God. Learn to know His attributes. Pray them.

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[1] Other acrostic  uses are found in Psalms 34; 37; 111:1-10; 112:1-10; 119; 145.  Proverbs 31:10-32;  the Lamentations of Jeremiah, except the last chapter. In the Psalm before us, the general order of the Hebrew alphabet is observed, with the following exceptions: the two first verses commence with the Hebrew letter א ('), the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet; while the second letter, ב (b), is omitted. The Hebrew letters, ו (w) and ק (q), are also omitted, while two verses begin with the Hebrew letter ר (r), and at the close of the psalm, after the Hebrew letter ת (t), the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet - another verse is added, beginning with the Hebrew letter פ (p). We cannot account for these variations.