Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Prayer for Help, Guidance, and Forgiveness – Psalm 25 Submitted by Kay Crumley
Most of us have experienced a time in our lives where things just don’t seem to be going well. There are many reasons to feel that sense of defeat and hopelessness. David opens this prayer declaring his trust in God and His protection. David proclaims, in verses 1-2 that he has put his trust in God. He states that in both verses. Repeating that trust is a way to demonstrate his total confidence in God to be faithful to him. He is assured that anyone who trusts in God will not be put to shame or disgrace. He fully believes that God will not allow him to be put to shame by allowing his enemies to defeat him. Those who hope or trust in God will be protected from shame. The reverse is that those who do not trust in God but act treacherously without cause will be shamed or disgraced. In times we feel most vulnerable we can rely on God to intervene and protect us from negative outcomes we fear. The critical requirement is that we are living in obedience and trust in Him. While that rescue may not be immediate, our faith is in the everlasting faithfulness of our God.
David proceeds in this passage to ask God to equip him to obediently live in a way pleasing to Him. We have resources that David didn’t have. We have the Holy Word of God to study which describes those who live a life of faithfulness. Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. David was earnestly seeking God to be his protection and guide.
Psalm 25:4-7(NIV)
4 Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, Lord, are good.
God shows His children His ways in His Word. We can learn His plan for our lives. His character is evident throughout the Bible. His Word is truth. David implored God to show him His ways, His path, and His truth. God is our Savior. He sent Jesus to be take our sin so that we can have eternal life. We can fully place our hope in Him. Bible hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised and its strength is in His faithfulness. Hope in Him is more than wishful thinking, it is complete confidence in His faithfulness. Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. We should always remember His mercy and love because we see evidence and proof of it throughout scripture. Mercy is the outpouring of God’s love for us. Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Finally in this passage we see David ask that his sins be forgiven, and that God will not remember his rebellious ways. Later in Psalm we have this promise. Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. God’s love for us gave us Jesus so that we can have forgiveness through His sacrifice on the cross. When we place our trust in Him by believing He is the only Son of God, we are forgiven of all the sin in our lives. God then sees us through the filter of Jesus who paid the debt of sin we can never pay. We can never be or do anything that will redeem our soul. The only way to eternal life with God is through belief in Jesus. God is good, His mercy never ends. Each believer has that confidence as can all who will seek Him and submit to His lordship in their lives.
God has given us all we need in every difficult situation. He sent Jesus who covered our sin to provide forgiveness, then He sent the Holy Spirit to live in us and be our constant helper, guide, intercessor, and strength.
