Psalm 25:14 Kommentar

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 secret of the Lord is with them that fear him,.... The secret of his purposes with them; as his purpose according to election; his resolution to redeem his chosen ones by his Son; his design to call them by his grace; his predestination of them to the adoption of children, and eternal life; which are the deep things of God the Spirit of God reveals; and all which are made manifest to them in effectual calling; and the secret of his providences is with them; some are made known to them that fear the Lord before they come to pass; as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah to Abraham, with many other instances in the Old Testament; see Amo 3:7; and what is the book of the Revelation but a revelation of the secrets of Providence, from the time of Christ and his apostles, to the end of the world? some they observe and take notice of while they are performing, and see the gracious designs of God in them, for their good and his glory; and though some of his ways of Providence are past finding out, and his footsteps are not known as yet; hereafter his judgments will be made manifest, and the whole scene will be opened to the saints, and be clear to their view: the secret of his love, free grace, and favour, is with them, which was in his heart from everlasting, and lay hid in his thoughts, which are as much higher than ours as the heavens are higher than the earth; and which is made manifest in regeneration, and then shed abroad in the hearts of his people: secret communion with God is enjoyed by those that fear him, which is what the world knows nothing of, and the joy that results from it is what a stranger intermeddles not with; the Lord has his chambers and secret places, into which he brings them, and where they dwell. The secret of his Gospel is with them; and the mysteries of it, which were kept secret since the world began; as the mystery of a trinity of Persons in the Godhead; the union of the two natures in Christ; the regeneration of the Spirit; the union of the saints to Christ, and their communion with him; the calling of the Gentiles; the resurrection of the dead; and the change of living saints; and he will show them his covenant: the covenant of grace, which was made with Christ for them from eternity, is made known to them in time, when they are called by the grace of God, and made partakers of the grace of the covenant, then the Lord reveals himself as their covenant God and Father; shows them that his Son is their surety, Mediator, Redeemer, and Saviour; puts his Spirit into them to implant covenant grace in them, to seal up the blessings of it to them, and bear witness to their interest in them, as pardon, justification, and adoption; and to apply the exceeding great and precious promises of it to them.

"The Lord is the stay of them that fear Him" [Psalm 25:14]. Fear seems to belong to the weak, but the Lord is the stay of them that fear Him. And the Name of the Lord, which has been glorified throughout the whole world, is a stay to them that fear Him. "And His testament, that it may be manifested unto them." And He makes His testament to be manifested unto them, for the Gentiles and the bounds of the earth are Christ's inheritance.

Fear of people imparts a lack of confidence, but fear of God provides support for hope.

As to the third he says, "The Lord is a stronghold for those who fear him." And first he presents the strengthening of operative power. Second, he presents the end, and the covenant. He says therefore: other men are weakened on account of worldly fear, because they waver; but the fear of God makes them strong: because, as it is said in Sir. 34: "He who fears the Lord will tremble at nothing." And therefore it is added: his hope is a stronghold; and he is strengthened by this until God manifests to him his covenant, that is, his possession. This covenant, therefore, is either the promise he makes about the coming of Christ, which coming was manifested to the God-fearing Simeon; or the promise concerning eternal life: Jn. 14: "I will love him and will manifest myself to him." Jerome has it thus: "The secret of the Lord is for those who fear him; his covenant will be manifested to him." For the promise of eternal life is in secret, as it is said in Is. 64: "Eye has not seen, O God, apart from you, what you have prepared for those who love you." And this is given to those who fear him: Ps. 30: "How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you have hidden for those who fear you." And this secret is the covenant he promised to those who fear him: Mal. 4: "For you who fear my name, the sun of justice shall arise."

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).

The reason of the blessing explained--the pious enjoy communion with God (compare Pro 3:21, Pro 3:12), and, of course, learn His gracious terms of pardon.

The lxx renders סוד, κραταίωμα, as though it were equivalent to יסוד. The reciprocal נוסד, Psa 2:2 (which see), leads one to the right primary signification. Starting from the primary meaning of the root סד, "to be or to make tight, firm, compressed," סוד signifies a being closely pressed together for the purpose of secret communication and converse, confidential communion or being together, Psa 89:8; Psa 111:1 (Symm. ὁμιλία), then the confidential communication itself, Psa 55:15, a secret (Aquila ἀπόῤῥητον, Theod. μυστήριον). So here: He opens his mind without any reserve, speaks confidentially with those who fear Him; cf. the derivative passage Pro 3:32, and an example of the thing itself in Gen 18:17. In Psa 25:14 the infinitive with ל, according to Ges. ֗132, rem. 1, as in Isa 38:20, is an expression for the fut. periphrast.: faedus suum notum facturus est iis; the position of the words is like Dan 2:16, Dan 2:18; Dan 4:15. הודיע is used of the imparting of not merely intellectual, but experimental knowledge. Hitzig renders it differently, viz., to enlighten them. But the Hiph. is not intended to be used thus absolutely even in Sa2 7:21. בּריתו is the object; it is intended of the rich and deep and glorious character of the covenant revelation. The poet has now on all sides confirmed the truth, that every good gift comes down from above, from the God of salvation; and he returns to the thought from which he started.