EXPRESSIONS

Custom Search

 Kristen Agnew Lippert
 Publisher

*Note: The all-caps "LORD" is a translation that represents the respectful Hebrew term for God's name. Old Testament writers would not fully use God's name, out of reverence. 

Making praise a habit comes with confessing our sin, as we see in Psalm 25. Select lines from the psalm (English Standard Version, 2007) appear in this note, along with some of my thoughts on what waiting for God's deliverance can mean in daily life.

"To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul...Let me not be put to shame...They shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous." (~v. 1-3)

Here, the writer David expresses his trust in God's ability to deliver him from shame and guilt. He observes that shame waits for those who are excessively deceitful and those who betray others. But David "waits for" God-- he expects God to lead him in a right way, and he asks God to do this in the next verses:

"...Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long"  (v. 4-5)

All throughout the day, David remembers God's ability to save him. He has a deep hope and trust in God's character:

"Remember Your mercy, O LORD, and Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old" (v. 6)

God's mercy is timeless, and His love has endured throughout the generations of humanity- through decades, centuries, and millennia... Why would we not expect God to continue being merciful and loving?  Even as David remembers his own sins, he asks God to forget them:

"Remember not the sins of my youth... according to Your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of Your goodness, O LORD!" (v. 7)

David knows his past has been filled with mistakes. He regrets what he has done, and desires to turn from his younger ways. He calls on God's goodness to be part of this forgiveness.  We can do this when we confess our sins to God- as we come to God humbly, He will show us the right way to do things:

"He leads the humble in what is right, and  teaches the humble His way" (v. 9)

We know from other scriptures that pride has no place in God's presence. Who are we to come before our Creator with arrogance, as if we hold the world together or can dictate its course? How could we know love without Him?

"All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness..." (v. 10)

Constant, unwavering are His love and loyalty. Let's depend on God to be true to His name: "For Your name's sake, O LORD,  pardon my guilt, for it is great" (v. 11)

Express Your View