More than Poetry -Psalm 25 verses 1-11-

There is so much I love about Psalm 25. I was especially excited to find that the last blog post relates so well to a topic in this psalm: hope. Psalm 25 is a psalm of David, as stated by the subtitle, but many who have studied this psalm in depth have been unable to pin down its time and setting. However, it is speculated that someone added to this particular psalm many years after it was first written. This means that Psalm 25 may relate to the Israelites during their long exile in Babylon, but it certainly applies to Christians today, as strangers in the world.

Beyond what we see in the English translation, the psalm in Hebrew is a unique acrostic poem. Psalm 25 is one of nine alphabetic acrostic psalms, and it begins each verse with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. However, I read that both the Q (qoph) and the V (waw) are missing. An acrostic was most likely very difficult to write. (Believe me, I wouldn't have the patience. Couldn't imagine...)

Amazingly though, within the poetry is a true and resounding message of hope even amidst enemies, sin, rebellion, loneliness, and affliction. Because the psalm is so filled with meaning, I will focus on just the first 11 verses.

1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; 

2 in you I trust, O my God. 
   Do not let me be put to shame, 
   nor let my enemies triumph over me. 
3 No one whose hope is in you 
   will ever be put to shame,
   but they will be put to shame 
   who are treacherous without excuse. 

I love how in the very first verses David makes his testimony, "To you, O LORD." He "lifts up his soul," an act of complete abandonment of his thoughts and concerns to God, and proclaims his trust in Him. However, what makes this even more profound is how he addresses God as "LORD," which capitalized in the Bible signifies God's name, "Yahweh," or "I am." David trusts in a God who is, and has defined himself as, self-existing and self-sustained--the one who is, and has always been. Because of this he can confidently say in verse 3, "No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame."

4 Show me your ways, O LORD, 
   teach me your paths; 
5 guide me in your truth and teach me, 
   for you are God my Savior,
   and my hope is in you all day long. 
6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, 
   for they are from of old. 
7 Remember not the sins of my youth 
   and my rebellious ways; 
   according to your love remember me, 
   for you are good, O LORD.


Verses 4 through 7 are a beautiful and heartfelt prayer of someone who really wants to seek after God. for either a new believer or someone more established in the faith. We are constantly relying on God for  deliverance against temptation and evil. David calls on God to remember his great mercy and love, to not remember his own youthful sins and rebellion, but "according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD." David understands the nature of God as "good." even amidst his sufferings.

8 Good and upright is the LORD; 
   therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 
9 He guide the humble in what is right 
   and teaches them his way. 

The psalmist continues on this subject and in verses 8 and 9, affirms everything regarding the previous plea. Verses 4 and 5 are a plea for God's guidance and the promise of this psalm is that because God is good, he "instructs sinners," and "guides the humble" and "teaches them his way." We can rest in his guidance.

10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful 
   for those who keep the demands of his covenant. 
11 For the sake of your name, O LORD, 
   forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

These two verses are loaded with the Gospel. God covenant is one requiring perfect obedience, and David is honest about his sin toward God. Because David understands God's infinite goodness, he can take his own sin seriously. As believers we are to ask for forgiveness just as David does in verse 11.
:"Forgive my iniquity, though it is great." We know that God can, and has forgiven the sin of all believers. In Hebrews 4:15-16, Paul writes: 

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet he did not sin.¹⁶ Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We are forgiven of every sin, because of the sufferings of Jesus Christ, the one who was without sin and has perfectly kept the covenant. Psalm 25 is more than just poetry, but an example for us, complete with a message of hope. 

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There is always more to uncover about the psalms...Comment below if there was anything that really stood out to you. I'll be writing about the second part of this psalm this week.

Hope through the Pain

Psalm 73 Testimony

As I was growing up,  I did love to read the Bible but the Psalms really never stood out to me. I don’t even remember trying to read through them.  I think my belief was, “Well, I sing them in church every week, so do I really need to look at them anymore?” However, later I began to realize that I didn’t even know what I was singing.  I sang the words of the Psalms, but those words didn’t actually process in my head. Even after I came to this realization, I still didn’t desire to read the Psalms or try to study them.

 Then last year something happened that really changed my view on the Psalms...a very dear friend of mine died suddenly from an unknown heart defect he had had since birth.  I was truly devastated. In my grieving many people came beside me and comforted me, giving me many verses from God’s Word. I began to notice a reccurring theme: the majority of these verses came from the Psalms. Then a friend who knew I was hurting asked to do a study of the Psalms with me. Through this study I came to understand how truly beautiful and comforting the Psalms are.   I hope that through this blog you to can come to the same conclusion.

Psalm 73 was one of the first Psalms that I really began to study. I feel like this Psalm shows the deep pain that many people go through, and the questioning that comes with that pain. Some of you probably know what pain I’m talking about; whether it’s experiencing the death of a family member or friend, sickness, or divorce. It’s the pain that makes you want to hit something over and over again. It’s the pain that makes you not want to get out of bed every morning. It’s the pain that makes you question God’s goodness. “God if you really love me then why did my friend die?” Or “God, if you really love me then why did my parents get divorced?” We ask, “If God is all-powerful then why is my brother sick?” “Why did my sister walk away from the faith?” Asaph is asking similar questions. 

However, In the second half of this Psalm Asaph shows his understanding of how God works. He understands how utterly foolish he was for questioning the almighty God. He realizes how deeply God loves him. We all need to remember how deep God’s love is for us and how faithful God is even though we are so ignorant. Pain hurts. Pain seems unfair. But remembering how loving and faithful God is; then looking to the future where Christ will make everything known to us; where we will be perfected, and where everything will be glorious should give us hope. A hope that is above the pain.

Asaph chose God through the pain. I am choosing God through my pain. Will you choose God through your pain?

Below I am sharing different verses that show God’s promises and comfort  through our suffering. Don’t just read it, but really meditate on what it’s saying and how you can apply it to your life.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:4

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  Isaiah 55:8

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 1^st Peter 4:12-13

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. Psalm 46:1-2