Psalm 25 [2]:
- The Prophet touched with the consideration of his sins, and also grieved with the cruel malice of his enemies,
6 Prayeth to God most fervently to have his sins forgiven.
7 Especially such as he had committed in his youth. He beginneth every verse according to the Hebrew letters, two or three except.
A Psalm of David.
- 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 goodness’ sake, O Lord.
- Gracious and righteous 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 name’s 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 trust in thee.
- Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.
- Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
As we saw before the singular manner in which David makes his petition to God, which is quite unlike the world, and the glorious manner in which this Psalm follows immediately after the other, weaving through wonderful topics that instruct and benefit the soul, so we see here in the first 3 verses the attitude David has towards his enemies, having a firm trust in the goodness of God’s providence and resolves devotedly to wait upon the Lord.
The world looks at Christians and wonders that they are not more full of action. As David who was promised the kingdom stayed his hand from Saul on two occasions when his servants were ready to end his reign in blood.
But David’s response is that of the godly man. Although Saul was his persecutor, and pursued his life, and perhaps he could have argued that his death was self-defense, yet he does not commit himself to the act and even prevents those around him from acting so violently without God’s approval.
God promised David the kingdom and he knew that it would come to him, therefore he would accept it from God’s hand and wait for that day it was delivered to him, even 7 years, rather than seize that day and take it by force.
The same attitude also you can see in his response towards Shimei who spoke evil of him and cursed him when he fled from his son. This therefore is the manner of the Christian’s behavior towards our enemies. We do not rashly seek to dethrone them, draw our swords against them, or speak out in vitriol and hostility, but we commit the cause into the hand of Christ and bear their stripes laid on our backs with patience, not raising our hand against them, but silently submit the cross, and wait for salvation from the Lord.
As it is written, “Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed it to him that judgeth righteously.” and again, “For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” and again, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
Therefore the believer hopes in God and trusts in Him to deliver him from all trouble, not lifting his hands against his enemies or returning evil for evil, but committing the same wholly unto the Lord who will surely redeem us out of all our troubles.
If your lust for vengeance is sated in this life and you seek to return the slander done to you to your enemies, how does this show you have any hope for a second judgment, when they will surely stand before God who is almighty?
Commit it therefore to the Lord and though He tary a while to test your patience, as it is written, “And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.” yet at the set time he will bring forth your justice as the noon day, and your enemies will be ashamed.
Calvin,
By this verse we learn, (what will appear more clearly afterwards,) that David had to do with men; but as he was persuaded that his enemies were, as it were, the scourges of God, he with good reason asks that God would restrain them by his power, lest they should become more insolent, and continue to exceed all bounds.
By the word trust he confirms what he had just said of the lifting up of his soul to God; for the term is employed either as descriptive of the way in which the souls of the faithful are lifted up, or else faith and hope are added as the cause of such an effect, namely, the lifting up of the soul.
And, indeed, these are the wings by which our souls, rising above this world, are lifted up to God. David, then, was carried upward to God with the whole desire of his heart, because, trusting to his promises, he thereby hoped for sure salvation.
When he asks that God would not suffer him to be put to shame, he offers up a prayer which is taken from the ordinary doctrine of Scripture, namely, that they who trust in God shall never be ashamed.
The reason which is added, and which he here pleads, to induce God to have pity upon him, ought also to be noticed. It is this, that he might not be exposed to the derision of his enemies, whose pride is no less hurtful to the feelings of the godly than it is displeasing to God.
Dickson,
The godly shall not want enemies, albeit they give no offence to the world: for carnal hope and expectation to obtain worldly gain by opposing of the godly, may, and usually doth, set the wicked on work against them; but they that look to have advantage that way, shall be close disappointed; for the godly shall escape their snare, and they shall lose their hoped advantage, and shall gain to themselves nothing save shame, and a mischief.
Opening Prayer.
Lesson 23.
[1.2.1.] The Contents of Holy Scripture. Pt. 1. The Old and New Testaments.
- Although the light of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom, and power of God, as to leave men inexcusable; yet are they not sufficient to give that knowledge of God, and of His will, which is necessary unto salvation. Therefore it pleased the Lord, at sundry times, and in divers manners, to reveal Himself, and to declare that His will unto His Church; and afterwards, for the better preserving and propagating of the truth, and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the Church against the corruption of the flesh, and the malice of Satan and of the world, to commit the same wholly unto writing: which maketh the Holy Scripture to be most necessary; those former ways of God’s revealing His will unto His people being now ceased.
Westminster Confession of Faith 1.2.
Under the name of holy Scripture, or the Word of God written, are now contained all the books of the Old and New Testaments, which are these:
Of the Old Testament
- Genesis.
- Exodus.
- Leviticus.
- Numbers.
- Deuteronomy.
- Joshua.
- Judges.
- Ruth.
- I Samuel.
- II Samuel.
- I Kings.
- II Kings.
- I Chronicles.
- II Chronicles.
- Ezra.
- Nehemiah.
- Esther.
- Job.
- Psalms.
- Proverbs.
- Ecclesiastes.
- The Song of Songs.
- Isaiah.
- Jeremiah.
- Lamentations.
- Ezekiel.
- Daniel.
- Hosea.
- Joel.
- Amos.
- Obadiah.
- Jonah.
- Micah.
- Nahum.
- Habakkuk.
- Zephaniah.
- Haggai.
- Zechariah.
- Malachi.
Of the New Testament
- The Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John.
- The Acts of the Apostles.
- Paul’s Epistles to the Romans.
- Corinthians I.
- Corinthians II.
- Galatians.
- Ephesians.
- Philippians.
- Colossians.
- Thessalonians I.
- Thessalonians II.
- To Timothy I.
- To Timothy II.
- To Titus.
- To Philemon.
- The Epistle to the Hebrews.
- The Epistle of James.
- The First and Second Epistles of Peter.
- The First, Second, and Third Epistles of John.
- The Epistle of Jude.
- The Revelation.
All which are given by inspiration of God, to be the rule of faith and life.
Intro. Review.
- Mankind left without excuse for Idolatry and Atheism.
- God reveals Himself to His Church.
- The Necessity of the Written Word.
- The enemies of the Church Smitten with the Word of God.
- The Former ways of God revealing Himself to His People.
- The Sufficiency of Scripture. Deut. 8:3
- i. For sound doctrine. 2 Tim. 3:16-17, Tit. 1:9, Ps. 19:7
- ii. For Growth and Sustenance. Acts 20:32, 1 Pet. 2:2
- iii. For refutation of error. John 17:17, 2 Tim. 4:2-4
- iv. For success in life. Josh. 1:8, Prov. 10:22
- v. For salvation. James 1:21, Luke 16:31, John 20:31
- The former ways are now ceased, and we are to seek no new revelation, but hear the word of God in the church. Rom. 10:17
Lesson.
Moses and Christ, the mediators of the old and new covenants.
Reading:
Deut. 28-30
John 14-17
Heb. 8:10- Heb. 9
Conclusion.
Closing Prayer.
YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/msVrOdHNxK0
Fearless Puritan: 