This purports to be a psalm of David, and there is no reason to doubt that he was its author. There are no indications, however, of the occasion on which it was composed, nor is it possible now to ascertain that occasion. It is probably one of those which were composed in his leisure moments, with n... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THEE, O LORD, DO I LIFT UP MY SOUL - In meditation; in gratitude; in praise. The idea is, that the thoughts are lifted up from earth and earthly subjects to God. This is the beginning of the meditation; this gives character, perhaps, to the psalm. The state of mind is that of one who turns chee... [ Continue Reading ]
O MY GOD, I TRUST IN THEE - This is the first thought - a feeling that he had true confidence in God, and that in all the duties of life, in all his trials, and in all his hopes for the future, his reliance was on God alone. LET ME NOT BE ASHAMED - That is, let me never be so forsaken by thee as to... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, LET NONE THAT WAIT ON THEE BE ASHAMED - To “wait on the Lord” is an expression denoting true piety, as indicating our dependence on him, and as implying that we look to Him for the command that is to regulate our conduct and for the grace needful to protect and save us. Compare Isaiah 40:31. Se... [ Continue Reading ]
SHOW ME THY WAYS, O LORD - The “ways” of God are His methods of administering the affairs of the world; His dispensations; the rules which He has prescribed for Himself in the execution of His plans; the great laws by which He governs the universe. Deuteronomy 32:4, “all his ways are judgment; a God... [ Continue Reading ]
LEAD ME IN THY TRUTH - In the way which thou regardest as truth, or which thou seest to be true. Truth is eternal and unchanging. What God sees and regards as truth is true, because he sees things as they are; and when we have the divine estimate of anything, we understand what the thing is. It is n... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER, O LORD - That is, In thy future treatment of me, bring to remembrance what thou hast done, and treat me in the same manner still. The language is that of one who felt that God had always been kind and gracious, and who asked for the future a continuance of the favors of the past. If we wou... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER NOT THE SINS OF MY YOUTH - In strong contrast with God, the psalmist brings forward his own conduct and life. He could ask of God Psalms 25:6 to remember His own acts - what “He himself” had done; but could not ask him to remember His conduct - His past life. He could only pray that this mi... [ Continue Reading ]
GOOD AND UPRIGHT IS THE LORD - His character is benevolent, and he is worthy of confidence. He is not merely “good,” but he is equal and just in his dealings with people. This latter attribute is no less a reason for confidence in his character than the former. We need a God who is not merely benevo... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MEEK WILL HE GUIDE - The humble, the teachable, the prayerful, the gentle of spirit - those who are willing to learn. A proud person who supposes that he already knows enough cannot be taught; a haughty person who has no respect for others, cannot learn of them; a person who is willing to believ... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE PATHS OF THE LORD - All the ways that the Lord takes; all that He commands; all that He does. The “paths of the Lord” denote the course in which He himself walks, or His dealings with His creatures. In the previous verse, the psalmist had said that the Lord would teach “His way” to the “meek... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THY NAME’S SAKE, O LORD - See the notes at Psalms 23:3. The idea here is that God would do this on His own account, or for the honor of His own name. This is A reason, and one of the main reasons, why God ever pardons iniquity. It is that the honor of His name may be promoted; that His glorious... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT MAN IS HE - Who is he. The statement in this verse is intended to include every man; or to be universal. Wherever one is found who has the character here referred to, or whoever he may be, of him what is here affirmed will be true, that God will lead him in the way that he shall choose. THAT F... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS SOUL SHALL DWELL AT EASE - Margin: “shall lodge in goodness.” So the Hebrew. The idea is that of one “at home;” one who finds a comfortable and safe resting place; one who is not a wanderer or a vagrant. The word rendered in the text “at ease,” and in the margin “goodness,” means “good;” and the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SECRET OF THE LORD - On the word here rendered “secret,” see the notes at Job 15:8. It properly means a couch or cushion; and then, a divan or circle of friends sitting together; then, deliberation or consultation; then, familiar contact, intimacy; and then, a “secret,” - as if it were the resul... [ Continue Reading ]
MINE EYES ARE EVER TOWARD THE LORD - This is an indication of the habitual state of mind of the psalmist. He had said that God would lead and guide those who were meek, gentle, teachable, humble; and he now says that this was his habitual state of mind. He constantly looked to God. He sought His dir... [ Continue Reading ]
TURN THEE UNTO ME - Rather, the Hebrew means: “look upon me.” The idea, however, is that the face of God was, as it were, turned in another direction, or that He was not attentive to him; and he prays that He would turn and behold him; that He would see him in his trouble. AND HAVE MERCY UPON ME -... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TROUBLES OF MY HEART - The sorrows which spring upon the heart - particularly from the recollections of sin. ARE ENLARGED - Have become great. They increased the more he reflected on the sins of his life. O BRING THOU ME OUT OF MY DISTRESSES - Alike from my sins, and from the dangers which surr... [ Continue Reading ]
LOOK UPON MINE AFFLICTION AND MY PAIN - See Psalms 25:16. This is a repetition of earnest pleading - as if God still turned away from him, and did not deign to regard him. In trouble and distress piety thus pleads with God, and repeats the earnest supplication for His help. Though God seems not to r... [ Continue Reading ]
CONSIDER MINE ENEMIES - See Psalms 25:2. It is evident that one source of the trouble referred to in the psalm was the fact that he had cruel foes, and that he was apprehensive of their designs. The train of thought seems to be, in accordance with the remarks above, that enemies actually surrounded... [ Continue Reading ]
O KEEP MY SOUL - “My life;” or, keep “me.” The allusion is to all the perils which encompassed him, whether arising from his foes or his sins; and the prayer is, that the divine protection might be commensurate with the danger; that is, that he might not be destroyed, either by his enemies or by the... [ Continue Reading ]
LET INTEGRITY AND UPRIGHTNESS PRESERVE ME - The word here rendered “integrity” means properly “perfection.” See it explained in the notes at Job 1:1. The language here may refer either: (a) to God - as denoting His perfection and uprightness, and then the psalmist’s prayer would be that He, a right... [ Continue Reading ]
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 menti... [ Continue Reading ]