Psalms 25:8 - Meaning and Application

God’s promises are joined here with David’s prayers. In the earlier part of the psalm there were many requests, and there will be many more in the part that follows. In the middle, David stops to think about God’s promises, and by strong faith he draws comfort from them as from rich and satisfying food.

The promises of God are not only the best support for prayer, because they show us what to ask for and strengthen our faith and hope. They are also a kind of answer to prayer already. If we pray according to God’s promise, then we can read the promise as God’s reply. We should believe the prayer is heard because the promise will be kept.

Yet in the middle of these promises, one request seems to come in suddenly, and it would fit naturally after verse 7. That request is, “Pardon my iniquity” (Psalm 25:11). But prayers for forgiveness are never out of place. We mix sin into everything we do, so we should also mix prayers for pardon into all our worship.

David gives two reasons for this request. One is very natural: “For your name’s sake, pardon my iniquity,” because God has made his name known as gracious and merciful, forgiving iniquity, for his glory, for his promise, and for his own sake (Isaiah 43:25). The other reason is striking: “Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.” The greater the sin, the more God’s mercy is honored when he forgives it. It is the glory of a great God to forgive great sins, to forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin (Exodus 34:7).

If sin is great, then I am ruined forever unless infinite mercy steps in to forgive me. It is great, and I see that it is great. The more clearly we see how evil our sin is, the better prepared we are to find mercy with God. When we confess sin, we must speak plainly about how serious it is.

Now let us look at the great and precious promises in these verses. First, we should ask who these promises belong to, and who may expect to benefit from them. We are all sinners, so can we expect any good from them? Yes. “He will teach sinners” (Psalm 25:8), even though they are sinners. Christ came into the world to save sinners, and to do that he also came to teach sinners and call them to repentance.

These promises are sure for those who, though they have been sinners and have gone astray, now keep God’s word. They belong to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies (Psalm 25:10), who take his commands as their rule and his promises as their portion. They have chosen God to be their God, so they live by that truth. They have given themselves to be his people, so they try to live as his people should live.

Even though the weakness of the flesh makes them break God’s commands at times, they do not break the covenant itself. When they do wrong, they turn back by sincere repentance. And by faith they hold firmly to God as their God. These promises also belong to those who fear him (Psalm 25:12, 14), who stand in awe of his greatness, worship him with reverence, obey him willingly, and fear to offend him.

Second, what supports these promises, and why should we trust them? Two things confirm them. One is God’s character. We value a promise by the character of the one who makes it. We can trust God’s promises because the Lord is good and upright, and so he will keep his word. He is too kind to deceive us, and too true to break his promise. He who promised is faithful, and he will do it. He was good in making the promise, so he will be upright in keeping it.

The other support is that everything God says and does matches his own nature (Psalm 25:10). “All the paths of the Lord” means all his promises and all his providences. They are mercy and truth, just like he is. All God’s dealings with his people come from the mercy of his purpose and the truth of his promises. Everything he does comes from covenant love. In all of it, his mercy is shown and his word is fulfilled.

What great comfort this gives to God’s people. Whatever troubles they face, all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth. That will become clear when they reach the end of their journey.

Third, what are these promises? One major promise is that God will teach and guide them in the path of duty. This is especially stressed because it answers David’s prayer, “Show me your ways and teach me” (Psalm 25:4, 5). We should set our minds most on the promises that fit our present need.

He will teach sinners in the way because they are sinners and need teaching. When they see their sin and want instruction, he will teach them the way back to God, the way to a well-founded peace of conscience, and the way to eternal life. Through the gospel he makes this way known to all, and by his Spirit he opens the mind and guides repentant sinners who seek it. The devil leads people blindfolded to hell, but God opens their eyes, shows things truly, and leads them to heaven.

“The meek will he guide.” He will teach the meek, meaning those who are humble, low in their own eyes, cautious about trusting themselves, eager to be taught, and honestly resolved to follow God’s guidance. Their heart says, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.” He will guide such people in judgment, meaning by the rule of the written word. He will guide them in what is practical, what concerns sin and duty, so they may keep a clear conscience. He will also guide them wisely, fitting his instruction to their case, teaching sinners with wisdom, tenderness, and compassion, and giving them what they can bear.

He will teach them his way. All true believers make God’s way their own way, and they want to be taught that path. Those who do will be taught and led in it. “Him that fears the Lord” he will teach in the way that he shall choose, whether that means the way God chooses or the way the godly person chooses. In the end, it is the same, because the one who fears the Lord chooses what pleases him. If we choose the right way, the One who directed our choice will also direct our steps and lead us in it. If we choose wisely, God will give us grace to walk wisely.

Another promise is that God will give them inward peace. “His soul shall dwell at ease,” or, as the margin says, shall lodge in goodness (Psalm 25:13). Those who give themselves to the fear of God and allow themselves to be taught by God will be at ease, unless they bring trouble on themselves. A soul made holy by God’s grace, and even more a soul comforted by God’s peace, dwells at ease. Even when the body is sick and in pain, the soul can still dwell at ease in God, return to him, and rest in him as its home. Many things can make us uneasy, but the covenant of grace is enough to outweigh them all and keep us at peace.

He will give them, and their children after them, as much of this world as is truly good for them: “His offspring shall inherit the earth.” After our concern for our own souls, we should also care about our children. God has a blessing ready for the children of the upright. Those who fear God will inherit the earth. They will have enough for their needs and the comfort that comes with it, and their children will benefit from their prayers after they are gone.

He will also bring them into the secret of fellowship with himself (Psalm 25:14): “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear him.” They understand his word, because if anyone does God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God (John 7:17). Those who receive the truth with love and feel its power in their own lives understand its mystery best. They also understand the meaning of his providence, and they often see more clearly than others what God is doing with them. “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” (Genesis 18:17). God calls them not servants, but friends, as he did Abraham. They know by experience the blessings of the covenant, that is, God’s binding promise to save and bless his people, and they know the joy of fellowship that gracious souls have with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. This honor belongs to all his saints.