Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Reflections on Psalm 25



In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.
I trust in you;
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous without cause.
Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,
    and my hope is in you all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth
    and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.
Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
He guides the humble in what is right
    and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, Lord,
    forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?
    He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
    and their descendants will inherit the land.
14 The Lord confides in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress
    and take away all my sins.
19 See how numerous are my enemies
    and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me;
    do not let me be put to shame,
    for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
    because my hope, Lord, is in you.
22 Deliver Israel, O God,
    from all their troubles!


This Psalm calls out for a deliverer. It does not just ask for any deliverer though. It asks for a deliverer that is familiar with the person in need of rescue.

The Psalmist calls the one he is praying to the one whom he "puts his trust". He calls his deliverer his guide. He asks the one who he cries out to to see the best in him, to forget his sins, and to remember the love that He has for him. He looks in prayer for the strong man who is one his side, who can make his case, and rescue him.

What an appropriate Psalm as we approach the Advent season. When we look at Christ, we look at one who can identify with everything we went through because he came to earth and lived a life like we did. He can take away our sins, and he can both create a way for us to have new life and show us the way to live it.

What wonderful instructions and reminders this Psalm has. It gives us some great things to think about today!

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