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Psalm 25

Teach Me Your Ways

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By David.

A Prayer for Protection

To you, O Lord, I will lift up my soul.
In you I have trusted, O my God.
Do not let me be put to shame.
Do not let my enemies triumph over me.
All who hope in you will never be put to shame,
but those who are treacherous for no reason will be put to shame.

A Prayer for Forgiveness

Make known to me your ways, O Lord.
Teach me your paths.
Make me walk in your truth and teach me,
because you are the God who saves me.
In you I hope all day long.
Remember, O Lord, your compassion and your mercy,
for they are from eternity.[a]
Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.
According to your mercy remember me,
because of your goodness, O Lord.
Good and upright is the Lord.
Therefore, he instructs sinners in the right way.
He directs the humble to what is just,
and he teaches the humble his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth
    for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For the sake of your name, O Lord,
you forgive my guilt, although it is great.

A Prayer for a Godly Life

12 Who, then, is the man who fears the Lord?
The Lord will instruct him in the way he chooses.
13 That man will enjoy a good life,
and his descendants will possess the land.
14 The guidance[b] of the Lord is with those who fear him.
His covenant will give them knowledge.

A Second Prayer for Protection

15 My eyes are always on the Lord,
because he frees my feet from the net.
16 Turn toward me and be gracious to me,
because I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The distress of my heart increases.[c]
Bring me out of my anguish.
18 See my affliction and my trouble,
and take away all my sins.
19 See my enemies—
how they have increased,
and how violently they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me.
Do not let me be put to shame,
for I have taken refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
    because I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 25:6 Or from of old
  2. Psalm 25:14 The Hebrew word used here implies the kind of advice given by a close friend and confidant.
  3. Psalm 25:17 Or, following an alternate reading of the Hebrew, relieve the distress of my heart

Psalm 25[a]

Of David.

In you, Lord my God,
    I put my trust.(A)

I trust in you;(B)
    do not let me be put to shame,
    nor let my enemies triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you
    will ever be put to shame,(C)
but shame will come on those
    who are treacherous(D) without cause.

Show me your ways, Lord,
    teach me your paths.(E)
Guide me in your truth(F) and teach me,
    for you are God my Savior,(G)
    and my hope is in you(H) all day long.
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,(I)
    for they are from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth(J)
    and my rebellious ways;(K)
according to your love(L) remember me,
    for you, Lord, are good.(M)

Good and upright(N) is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs(O) sinners in his ways.
He guides(P) the humble in what is right
    and teaches them(Q) his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful(R)
    toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.(S)
11 For the sake of your name,(T) Lord,
    forgive(U) my iniquity,(V) though it is great.

12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord?(W)
    He will instruct them in the ways(X) they should choose.[b]
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,(Y)
    and their descendants will inherit the land.(Z)
14 The Lord confides(AA) in those who fear him;
    he makes his covenant known(AB) to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the Lord,(AC)
    for only he will release my feet from the snare.(AD)

16 Turn to me(AE) and be gracious to me,(AF)
    for I am lonely(AG) and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles(AH) of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.(AI)
18 Look on my affliction(AJ) and my distress(AK)
    and take away all my sins.(AL)
19 See how numerous are my enemies(AM)
    and how fiercely they hate me!(AN)

20 Guard my life(AO) and rescue me;(AP)
    do not let me be put to shame,(AQ)
    for I take refuge(AR) in you.
21 May integrity(AS) and uprightness(AT) protect me,
    because my hope, Lord,[c] is in you.(AU)

22 Deliver Israel,(AV) O God,
    from all their troubles!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 25:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 25:12 Or ways he chooses
  3. Psalm 25:21 Septuagint; Hebrew does not have Lord.