Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 25:22

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 25:22. Redeems Israel, O God — The people are prayed for in the preceding verses as if one person; now he includes the whole, lest his own personal necessities should narrow his heart, and cause him to forget his fellow sufferers.

This verse stands out of the order of the Psalm; and does not appear to have formed a part of the alphabetical arrangement. It is a general prayer for the redemption of Israel from captivity; and may well be applied to those of the true Israel who are seeking for complete redemption from the power, the guilt, and the pollution of sin; and from all the troubles that spring from it. And let it be ever known, that God alone can redeem Israel.

ANALYSIS OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH PSALM

This Psalm is a continued earnest prayer of a man or a people pressed with danger and enemies, and sensible of God's heavy displeasure against sin. It consists of five petitions.

I. His first petition is, that his "enemies not triumph over him," Psalms 25:2; Psalms 25:3.

II. His second is for instruction, Psalms 25:4; Psalms 25:5, which he urges, Psalms 25:8-10; Psalms 25:12-14.

III. His third is for mercy and forgiveness, Psalms 25:6; Psalms 25:7; Psalms 25:11.

IV. His fourth is a renewal of his first, Psalms 25:15-17, c., with many arguments.

V. His fifth is for Israel in general, Psalms 25:22.

I. He begins with the profession of his faith and confidence in God, without which there can be no prayer: " Unto thee, O Lord," c. he relies not on, nor seeks after, any human help. And upon this living hope, he prays -

1. For this life, that it shame him not, as it does where a man hopes, and is frustrated: "Let me not be ashamed." Make it appear that I hope not in thee in vain.

2. "Let not mine enemies triumph over me." Glorying that I am deserted. This petition he urges by this argument: The example may prove dangerous, if thou send me no help but it will be to thy glory, if I be relieved. If he were delivered, the faith and hope of others would be confirmed; if deserted, the good would faint and fail, the wicked triumph: therefore he prays, O, let none that wait on thee be ashamed; but let them be ashamed who transgress, that is, they that do me wrong maliciously, without my cause being given by myself.

II. He petitions for instruction, that he may be always guided and governed by the word of God, that he sink not under the cross, but rely on God's promises.

1. "Show me thy ways, and teach me thy paths." Show me that thou often dealest severely with thy best servants: bringest down, before thou exaltest; mortifiest, before thou quickenest; and settest the cross before the crown. Teach me - show me, that this is thy way.

2. "Lead me in thy truth, and teach me." Cause me to remember that thy promises are firm and true; yea and amen to those who trust in thee. This makes me hope still: "Thou art the God of my salvation."

III. His third petition is for mercy. He prays for mercy, and the removal of the sin that obstructs it.

1. "Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies, c., which have been ever of old" i.e., deal mercifully with me as thou hast ever done with those who flee to thee in their extremity.

2. He prays for the remission of the sins of his youth: "Remember not the sins of my youth." This petition he repeats, Psalms 25:11: "For thy name's sake pardon mine iniquity;" and upon this confession: "For it is great."

The psalmist here breaks off prayer; and, to confirm his confidence, speaks of the nature and person of God. It is necessary sometimes, even in the midst of our prayers, to call to mind the nature of God, and his ways with his people, lest, through a sense of our unworthiness or great unfaithfulness, we should be discouraged. And this course David takes; he says,

1. "Good and upright is the Lord." 1. Good, for he receives sinners gratis. 2. Upright - constant and true in his promises; therefore he will teach sinners in the way.

2. "The meek will he guide in judgment." He will not suffer them to be tempted above their strength; will teach them what to answer; and will not proceed with rigour, but will interpret all in the most favourable sense.

3. In a word, "All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth." 1. Mercy, in that he freely offers the remission of sins, the graces of his Spirit, support in distresses, and at last eternal life, to those who by faith and a good conscience walk before him: "Keep his covenant and his testimonies;" for the words of the covenant are: "I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed;" upon which follows: "Walk before me, and be thou perfect."

4. Upon the confidence of which promises and covenant the psalmist repeats his prayer: "O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great," Psalms 25:11.

The psalmist now admires the happiness of him who trusts in God: "What man is he that feareth the Lord!" This happiness he sets forth by the fruits that follow his piety: -

1. The first fruit he shall gather is instruction and direction in his vocation, and private life: "Him shall he teach in the way," c.

2. The second is, that his happiness shall not be momentary, but firm and lasting: "His soul shall dwell at ease."

3. The third is, that he shall be happy in his posterity: "His seed shall inherit the land."

4. The fourth is, that the redemption of mankind by Christ Jesus, with all the effects of it, pardon, holiness, c., which is a secret unknown to the world, shall be revealed and applied to him: "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will show them his covenant."

IV. Being confirmed by these promises, and cheered with these fruits, he,

1. Testifies his faith in God for deliverance: "My eyes are ever toward the Lord he will pluck my feet out of the net."

2. He then renews his former prayer, it being nearly the same as that with which he began. It is conceived in several clauses: 1. "Turn thee unto me." 2. "Have mercy upon me." 3. "O bring me out of my distresses." 4. "Look upon my affliction and trouble, and forgive me all my sins." 5. "Consider mine enemies." 6. "O keep my soul, and deliver me." 7. "Let me not be ashamed." 8. "Let integrity and uprightness preserve me."

Petitioners, and men in misery, think they can never say enough. This makes him often repeat the same thing. The sum is, that God would hear and grant him defence and deliverance in his dangers; remission of sins which caused them; and protect, direct, and govern him in his troubles.

3. That he might prevail in his suit, like an excellent orator, he uses many arguments to induce God to be propitious to him: -

1. His faith and trust in his promises: "Mine eyes are ever towards the Lord."

2. The danger he was now in: "His feet were in the net."

3. He was oppressed, alone, and had none to help him: "I am desolate and afflicted."

4. His inward afflictions and pain were grievous: "The troubles of my heart are enlarged."

5. His enemies were many, powerful, merciless, cruel: "Mine enemies are many - and hate me with cruel hatred."

6. And yet I am innocent, and desire to be so; and am thy servant: "Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait upon thee."

V. The psalmist having thus, through the Psalm, prayed for himself, at last offers up a short but earnest petition for the whole Church; which proceeds from that fellowship or communion which ought to be among all saints: "Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles!" Turn our captivity, and forgive the sins which have occasioned it.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 25:0 Forgiveness and guidance

In the distressing circumstances surrounding this psalm, David is concerned that his enemies should not triumph over him. This is not only to save him from personal shame, but also to save his faith from being shaken. The rebels, not the faithful, are the ones who should be defeated (1-3). David wants to know more of God and his ways, so that in all the affairs of life he will do what is right (4-5). If past sins are the cause of his present troubles, he prays that God, in his mercy and love, will forgive them (6-7).
As he thinks of the goodness of God towards humble and repentant sinners, David is encouraged to believe that God will forgive him. More than that, God will lead him into a life of truer understanding, obedience and faithfulness (8-11). The more people revere and obey God, the more they find that God is their friend. They know more of God and are more assured in their salvation (12-14).
In his present danger David is lonely and fearful. But he keeps his eye fixed on God, trusting in him alone for help (15-17). He asks again for forgiveness of his sins and deliverance from his enemies (18-21). He asks also that God will save the nation from its troubles. If he can be the saviour of the individual, surely he can be the saviour of the nation (22).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“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. Consider mine affliction and my travail; 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 put to shame, for I take refuge in thee. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for thee. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.”

“Desolate… afflicted… troubles enlarged” (Psalms 25:16-17). Also “distresses, affliction, travail, enemies” (Psalms 25:16-19). Behold here the fruits of sin! There can be no doubt of the personal nature of this psalm. The agony of a soul oppressed with the burning consciousness of sins committed is clearly in the forefront of a passage like this.

“Forgive all my sins” (Psalms 25:18). This is the final plea for forgiveness (Psalms 25:7; Psalms 25:11; Psalms 25:18). “We still do not know the exact relation between his sins and his suffering, except that the removal of the former seems an essential prerequisite to the relief of the latter. Otherwise, the request to consider affliction and forgive sins would be strange indeed.”Anthony L. Ash, Jeremiah and Lamentations (Abilene, Texas: A.C.U. Press, 1987), p. 1O2.

“Let integrity and uprightness preserve me” (Psalms 25:21). It should be noted here that David does not say, “Let MY integrity and uprightness preserve me. It is the uprightness of Jehovah (Psalms 25:8) to which David is here looking.

We have already noted that the human mind instinctively connects suffering and distress with sin, whether or not such is actually the case. “Even when we cannot trace any direct connection between trouble and sin, every affliction suggests the general fact that we are sinners, and that all our troubles are originated in that fact.”Barnes’ Notes on the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, a 1987 reprint of the 1878 edition), p. 228.

“Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles” (Psalms 25:22). “This is not a trivial appendage, nor a loose and inappropriate addition. We are never to become so immersed in our own problems as to forget the needs of all of God’s people.”H. C. Leupold, p. 226. Also, this verse has the utility of contrasting the needs of all Israel with the individual and personal needs of the petitioner in this psalm. This refutes the notion that the entire psalm should be understood as a prayer for the relief of the distressed nation of Israel.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Redeem Israel - Redeem or save thy people - the word “Israel” here being used, as elsewhere, to denote the people of God.

Out of all his troubles - Save thy people from persecution, and from trial of all kinds. The prayer of the psalmist had, before this, related mainly to himself. He had made mention of his own troubles and sorrows, and had earnestly sought relief. The psalm, however, closes appropriately with a reference to others; to all the people of God who might be in similar circumstances. Religion is not selfish. The mind under the influence of true piety, however intensely it may feel its own trouble, and however earnestly it may pray for deliverance, is not forgetful of the troubles of others; and prayers for their comfort and deliverance are freely mingled with those which the afflicted children of God offer for themselves. This verse may be, therefore, taken as an illustration of the nature of true piety: piety that seeks the welfare of all; piety that does not terminate in itself alone; piety that desires the happiness of all people, especially the deliverance of the suffering and the sad. It should, however, be added that this verse is no part of the alphabetical series in the psalm - that having been ended, in Psalms 25:21, with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This verse commences with the Hebrew letter pe (p). Some have supposed that it was added to the psalm when it was prepared for public use, in order to make what was at first applicable to an individual appropriate as a part of public worship - or because the sentiments in the psalm, originally having reference to one individual, were as applicable to the people of God generally as to the author of the psalm. There is some plausibility in this conjecture.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

22.Do thou, O God! redeem Israel. By this conclusion David shows of what character the enemies were of whom he complained. From this it would appear that they were domestic enemies, who, like some disease raging within the bowels, were now the cause of trouble and vexation to the people of God. By the word redeem, which he here employs, we may infer that the Church was at that time oppressed with hard bondage; and, therefore, I have no doubt that in this psalm he alludes to Saul and others who reigned with him in a tyrannical manner. At the same time, he shows that he has respect not merely to his own benefit, but that he comprehends in his prayer the state of the whole realm, just as the mutual communion and connection which subsist among the saints require that every individual, deeply affected by a sense of the public calamities which befall the Church at large, should unite with all the others in lamentation before God. This contributed in no small degree to confirm the faith of David, when, regarding himself as in all things connected with the whole body of the faithful, he considered that all the afflictions and wrongs which he endured were common to himself with them. And we ought to regard it as of the greatest importance, that in accordance with this rule, every one of us, in bewailing his private miseries and trials, should extend his desires and prayers to the whole Church.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 25:1-22

Psalms 25:1-22 :

Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not my enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Show 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 day. Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy loving-kindnesses; for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD ( Psalms 25:1-7 ).

Now David is changing his tune. Earlier he was saying, "Lord, remember my righteousness, and do good to me for my righteousness' sake." And now as he is growing a little older, and he is looking back in retrospect, he is saying, "Lord, don't remember the sins of my youth. According to Your mercy remember me. When You think about me, Lord, let it be covered with Your mercy. And for Your goodness' 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. The paths of the LORD are mercy and truth [all of the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth] unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies ( Psalms 25:8-10 ).

So all of God's ways towards you are mercy and truth if you keep His covenant and walk in His testimonies.

For thy name's sake ( Psalms 25:11 ),

Remember we were dealing with this this morning. "For thy name's sake." He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name's sake. Now David is saying,

For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. What is man that he fears 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 reverence him; and he will show them his covenant ( Psalms 25:11-14 ).

God's secret. Oh, the glorious mysteries. What is the secret of the Lord? Paul tells us the secret of the Lord. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory. That is God's secret. It is a mystery hid from the beginning of the world now revealed to the church, Christ in you, the hope of glory. He reveals it to those who keep His covenant.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 25

David appealed to God for wisdom and forgiveness because of His goodness to Israel. This is one of the acrostic psalms in which each verse in the Hebrew Bible begins with the succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet, here with an occasional irregularity. Two verses begin with the letter resh, the letters waw and qof are absent, and the last verse begins with the letter pe, which is out of normal alphabetical order. The psalm is an individual lament that transforms at the end into a communal lament (cf. Psalms 34). It pictures life as a difficult journey that we cannot make successfully by ourselves. [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 140.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. Repetition of the request 25:8-22

The same petitions for guidance and pardon recur, but this time the basis of David’s request is the character of God. Psalms 25:8-10 develop the psalmist’s prayer for instruction and guidance in Psalms 25:4-5, and Psalms 25:11 develops his prayer for forgiveness in Psalms 25:6-7.

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The psalmist proceeded to ask the Lord to deliver him out of his distress. He was trusting in God’s deliverance (Psalms 25:15). Evidently David regarded his present sufferings and the affliction of the nation he led, whatever those troubles may have been, as due to his own sins in some measure.

To experience God’s guidance and deliverance, God’s people must confess their sins and appeal to Him to be faithful to His promises to forgive. They will find direction in His revealed Word, and will experience deliverance in His appointed time. Therefore, we who are believers can take courage while repenting.

"This whole approach to divine guidance is personal and mature, unlike the basically pagan search for irrational pointers and omens (cf. Isaiah 47:13)." [Note: Kidner, p. 116.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. David was not only concerned for himself, but for the whole nation of Israel, which was involved in trouble through this unnatural rebellion of his son, and many of his subjects; and no doubt he may have a further view to the redemption of the church of God, the spiritual Israel, by the Messiah; and his sense may be, that God would send the promised Redeemer and Saviour, to redeem his people from all their iniquities; from the law, its curses and condemnation; to ransom them out of the hands of Satan, that is stronger than they; and to deliver them from all their enemies, and from death itself, the last enemy, which will put an end to all their troubles, Isaiah 35:10.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      15 Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.   16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.   17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.   18 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.   19 Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.   20 O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.   21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.   22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

      David, encouraged by the promises he had been meditating upon, here renews his addresses to God, and concludes the psalm, as he began, with professions of dependence upon God and desire towards him.

      I. He lays open before God the calamitous condition he was in. His feet were in the net, held fast and entangled, so that he could not extricate himself out of his difficulties, Psalms 25:15; Psalms 25:15. He was desolate and afflicted,Psalms 25:16; Psalms 25:16. It is common for those that are afflicted to be desolate; their friends desert them then, and they are themselves disposed to sit alone and keep silence, Lamentations 3:28. David calls himself desolate and solitary because he depended not upon his servants and soldiers, but relied as entirely upon God as if he had no prospect at all of help and succour from any creature. Being in distress, in many distresses, the troubles of his heart were enlarged (Psalms 25:17; Psalms 25:17), he grew more and more melancholy and troubled in mind. Sense of sin afflicted him more than any thing else: this it was that broke and wounded his spirit, and made his outward troubles lie heavily upon him. He was in affliction and pain,Psalms 25:18; Psalms 25:18. His enemies that persecuted him were many and malicious (they hated him), and very barbarous; it was with a cruel hatred that they hated him, Psalms 25:19; Psalms 25:19. Such were Christ's enemies and the persecutors of his church.

      II. He expresses the dependence he had upon God in these distresses (Psalms 25:15; Psalms 25:15): My eyes are ever towards the Lord. Idolaters were for gods that they could see with their bodily eyes, and they had their eyes ever towards their idols, Isaiah 17:7; Isaiah 17:8. But it is an eye of faith that we must have towards God, who is a Spirit, Zechariah 9:1. Our meditation of him must be sweet, and we must always set him before us: in all our ways we must acknowledge him and do all to his glory. Thus we must live a life of communion with God, not only in ordinances, but in providences, not only in acts of devotion, but in the whole course of our conversation. David had the comfort of this in his affliction; for, because his eyes were ever towards the Lord, he doubted not but he would pluck his feet out of the net, that he would deliver him from the corruptions of his own heart (so some), from the designs of his enemies against him, so others. Those that have their eye ever towards God shall not have their feet long in the net. He repeats his profession of dependence upon God (Psalms 25:20; Psalms 25:20) --Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in thee; and of expectation from him--I wait on thee,Psalms 25:21; Psalms 25:21. It is good thus to hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.

      III. He prays earnestly to God for relief and succour,

      1. For himself.

      (1.) See how he begs, [1.] For the remission of sin (Psalms 25:18; Psalms 25:18): Forgive all my sins. Those were his heaviest burdens, and which brought upon him all other burdens. He had begged (Psalms 25:7; Psalms 25:7) for the pardon of the sins of his youth, and (Psalms 25:11; Psalms 25:11) for the pardon of some one particular iniquity that was remarkably great, which some think, was his sin in the matter of Uriah. But her he prays, Lord, forgive all, take away all iniquity. It is observable that, as to his affliction, he asks for no more than God's regard to it: "Look upon my affliction and my pain, and do with it as thou pleasest." But, as to his sin, he asks for no less than a full pardon: Forgive all my sins. When at any time we are in trouble we should be more concerned about our sins, to get them pardoned, than about our afflictions, to get them removed. Yet he prays, [2.] For the redress of his grievances. His mind was troubled for God's withdrawings from him and under the sense he had of his displeasure against him for his sins; and therefore he prays (Psalms 25:16; Psalms 25:16), Turn thou unto me. And, if God turn to us, no matter who turns from us. His condition was troubled, and, in reference to that, he prays, "O bring thou me out of my distresses. I see no way of deliverance open; but thou canst either find one or make one." His enemies were spiteful; and in reference to that, he prays, "O keep my soul from falling into their hands, or else deliver me out of their hands."

      (2.) Four things he mentions by way of plea to enforce these petitions, and refers himself and them to God's consideration:-- [1.] He pleads God's mercy: Have mercy upon me. Men of the greatest merits would be undone if they had not to do with a God of infinite mercies. [2.] He pleads his own misery, the distress he was in, his affliction and pain, especially the troubles of his heart, all which made him the proper object of divine mercy. [3.] He pleads the iniquity of his enemies: "Lord, consider them, how cruel they are, and deliver me out of their hands." [4.] He pleads his own integrity, Psalms 25:12; Psalms 25:12. Though he had owned himself guilty before God, and had confessed his sins against him, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of his conscience that he had done them no wrong, which was his comfort when they hated him with cruel hatred; and he prays that this might preserve him, This intimates that he did not expect to be safe any longer than he continued in his integrity and uprightness, and that, while he did continue in it, he did not doubt of being safe. Sincerity will be our best security in the worst of times. Integrity and uprightness will be a man's preservation more than the wealth and honour of the world can be. These will preserve us to the heavenly kingdom. We should therefore pray to God to preserve us in our integrity and then be assured that that will preserve us.

      2. For the church of God (Psalms 25:22; Psalms 25:22): Redeem Israel, O God! out of all his troubles. David was now in trouble himself, but he thinks it not strange, since trouble is the lot of all God's Israel. Why should any one member fare better than the whole body? David's troubles were enlarged, and very earnest he was with God to deliver him, yet he forgets not the distresses of God's church; for, when we have ever so much business of our own at the throne of grace, we must still remember to pray for the public. Good men have little comfort in their own safety while the church is in distress and danger. This prayer is a prophecy that God would, at length, give David rest, and therewith give Israel rest from all their enemies round about. It is a prophecy of the sending of the Messiah in due time to redeem Israel from his iniquities (Psalms 130:8) and so to redeem them from their troubles. It refers also to the happiness of the future state. In heaven, and in heaven only, will God's Israel be perfectly redeemed from all troubles.