Psalm 25:9 Komentář

This psalm is full of devout affection to God, the out-goings of holy desires towards his favour and grace and the lively actings of faith in his promises. We may learn out of it, I. What it is to pray (Psa 25:1, Psa 25:15). II. What we must pray for, the pardon of sin (Psa 25:6, Psa 25:7, Psa 25:18), direction in the way of duty (Psa 25:4, Psa 25:5), the favour of God (Psa 25:16), deliverance out of our troubles (Psa 25:17, Psa 25:18), preservation from our enemies (Psa 25:20, Psa 25:21), and the salvation of the church of God (Psa 25:22). III. What we may plead in prayer, our confidence in God (Psa 25:2, Psa 25:3, Psa 25:5, Psa 25:20, Psa 25:21), our distress and the malice of our enemies (Psa 25:17, Psa 25:19), our sincerity (Psa 25:21). IV. What precious promises we have to encourage us in prayer, of guidance and instruction (Psa 25:8, Psa 25:9, Psa 25:12), the benefit of the covenant (Psa 25:10), and the pleasure of communion with God (Psa 25:13, Psa 25:14). It is easy to apply the several passages of this psalm to ourselves in the singing of it; for we have often troubles, and always sins, to complain of at the throne of grace. A psalm of David.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 25 A Psalm of David. This is the first of the psalms which is written in an alphabetical order, or in which the first word of every verse begins with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order, though it is not strictly and regularly observed; the reason of this manner of writing is not very obvious; the (r) Jews confess their ignorance of it; it may be to engage the attention to what is said, or to assist the memory in laying it up, and retaining it there. The occasion of the psalm seems to be the troubles David was in on account of an unnatural rebellion raised against him by some of his subjects, at the head of which was his own son Absalom; he speaks of himself as in a net, and in great affliction, distress, and trouble, by reason of his enemies, Psa 25:15; and as being brought to a sense of his former sins, for which he desires pardon, Psa 25:7. (r) Kimchi in loc.

The meek will he guide in judgment,.... Or "the miserable" (z) and afflicted; such as see themselves to be wretched and miserable, lost and undone; and cry out, What shall we do to be saved? and who are meek and lowly, are humbled under a sense of their sins, are poor in spirit, and of broken and contrite hearts; these the Lord will guide by his Spirit into the truth, as it is in Jesus; even the great truth of salvation by him; and in the way of his judgments, statutes, and ordinances; and will give them a true judgment and a right discerning of things that differ; and he will lead them on in judgment, or gently; see Jer 10:24; into every truth of the Gospel by degrees, and as they are able to bear them; and the meek will he teach his way; of justifying sinners by the righteousness of his son; for such who are humble and confess their sins and unworthiness, and throw themselves on the mercy of God in Christ, are declaratively justified by the Lord, when the proud boasting Pharisee is an abomination to him. (z) "miseros", Gejerus, Michaelis.

"He will guide the meek in judgment." He will guide the meek, and will not confound in the judgment those that follow His will, and do not, in withstanding It, prefer their own. "The gentle He will teach His ways" [Psalm 25:9]. He will teach His ways, not to those that desire to run before, as if they were better able to rule themselves; but to those who do not exalt the neck, nor lift the heel, when the easy yoke and the light burden is laid upon them. [Matthew 11:30]

By using the term meek he excludes the proud and exalted.… “The mild” are just the opposite of the proud, who kick against the easy yoke and light burden with a freedom that does harm to them; God will teach those who do without grumbling what they know has been commanded. The distinction between mild and meek appears to be this: the meek are those who are not disturbed by the flame of fury, but they continue constantly with a gentleness of mind. But others are called mild (mansueti), as if they had been conditioned by the hand (manu sueti), that is, they endure injuries without returning evil for evil.

The second effect is that he directs penitents; hence he says, "He will guide the meek in judgment." Now a beast is tamed when, having laid aside its fierceness, it submits to men; so men, when they lay aside sins, submit to God; and therefore he says, "in judgment," namely of correction, because through the judgment of correction they advance to better things, and in the future judgment they will advance more, in which penitents will attain the inheritance of eternal life and will hear the sentence in their favor: Prov. 16: "It is for a man to prepare his mind, and for the Lord to govern the tongue." Meekness is a virtue that mitigates anger, which anger greatly impedes knowledge and is found especially in males. This virtue ought especially to be sought; hence Dionysius says in his Letter to Demophilus that Moses, on account of his exceeding meekness, was worthy of the divine apparition. The third effect is that he instructs the just; hence he says, "He will teach the gentle his ways." One is called meek who is led from fierceness to piety or humility; but the gentle are those who have always been such. These receive mercy from God, because the Lord's discipline is acquired by a person insofar as he is a man, not insofar as he is a beast: Job 33: "He teaches us more than the beasts of the earth." What is proper to man, namely reason, is perverted through the passion of the irascible and concupiscible appetites; and meekness tempers the passion of the irascible, and temperance the passion of the concupiscible. And therefore those who are gentle merit receiving the Lord's teaching: Is. 28: "Whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom shall he make understand the message? Those weaned from milk, those drawn from the breasts."

The general tone of this Psalm is that of prayer for help from enemies. Distress, however, exciting a sense of sin, humble confession, supplication for pardon, preservation from sin, and divine guidance, are prominent topics. (Psa. 25:1-22) lift up my soul-- (Psa 24:4; Psa 86:4), set my affections (compare Col 3:2).

in judgment--rightly.

The shortened form of the future stands here, according to Ges. ֗128, 2, rem., instead of the full form (which, viz., ידרך, is perhaps meant); for the connection which treats of general facts, does not admit of its being taken as optative. The ב (cf. Psa 25:5, Psa 107:7; Psa 119:35) denotes the sphere of the guidance. משׁפּט is the right so far as it is traversed, i.e., practised or carried out. In this course of right He leads the ענוים, and teaches them the way that is pleasing to Himself. ענוים is the one word for the gentle, mansueti, and the humble, modesti. Jerome uses these words alternately in Psa 25:9 and Psa 25:9; but the poet designedly repeats the one word - the cardinal virtue of ענוה - here with the preponderating notion of lowliness. Upon the self-righteous and self-sufficient He would be obliged to force Himself even against their will. He wants disciples eager to learn; and how richly He rewards those who guard what they have learnt!