> [[psalm-24|← Previous]] | [[psalm-00|TOC]] | [[psalm-26|Next →]] --- # Psalm 25 ## Confident Prayer for Forgiveness and Guidance 1 Of David. ^psalm-25-1 ### I To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul, 2 my God, in you I trust; ^psalm-25-2 do not let me be disgraced; do not let my enemies gloat over me. 3 No one is disgraced who waits for you, ^psalm-25-3 but only those who are treacherous without cause. 4 Make known to me your ways, LORD; ^psalm-25-4 teach me your paths. 5 Guide me by your fidelity and teach me, ^psalm-25-5 for you are God my savior, for you I wait all the day long. 6 Remember your compassion and your mercy, O LORD, ^psalm-25-6 for they are ages old. 7 Remember no more the sins of my youth; ^psalm-25-7 remember me according to your mercy, because of your goodness, LORD. ### II 8 Good and upright is the LORD, ^psalm-25-8 therefore he shows sinners the way, 9 He guides the humble in righteousness, ^psalm-25-9 and teaches the humble his way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth ^psalm-25-10 toward those who honor his covenant and decrees. 11 For the sake of your name, LORD, ^psalm-25-11 pardon my guilt, though it is great. 12 Who is the one who fears the LORD? ^psalm-25-12 God shows him the way he should choose. 13 He will abide in prosperity, ^psalm-25-13 and his descendants will inherit the land. 14 The counsel of the LORD belongs to those who fear him; ^psalm-25-14 and his covenant instructs them. 15 My eyes are ever upon the LORD, ^psalm-25-15 who frees my feet from the snare. ### III 16 Look upon me, have pity on me, ^psalm-25-16 for I am alone and afflicted. 17 Relieve the troubles of my heart; ^psalm-25-17 bring me out of my distress. 18 Look upon my affliction and suffering; ^psalm-25-18 take away all my sins. 19 See how many are my enemies, ^psalm-25-19 see how fiercely they hate me. 20 Preserve my soul and rescue me; ^psalm-25-20 do not let me be disgraced, for in you I seek refuge. 21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; ^psalm-25-21 I wait for you, O LORD. 22 Redeem Israel, O God, ^psalm-25-22 from all its distress! \* (Psalm 25) A lament. Each verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Such acrostic Psalms are often a series of statements only loosely connected. The psalmist mixes ardent pleas (([[psalm-25|Ps 25]]:1] – [2], [16] – [22]) with expressions of confidence in God who forgives and guides. \* (25:22) A final verse beginning with the Hebrew letter *pe* is added to the normal twenty-two-letter alphabet. Thus the letters *aleph*, *lamed*, and *pe* open the first, middle (([[psalm-25|Ps 25]]:11]), and last lines of the Psalm. Together, they spell *aleph*, the first letter of the alphabet, from a Hebrew root that means “to learn.” a. (25:2) [Ps 86:4]; [143:8]. b. (25:2) [Ps 71:1]. c. (25:3) ([[psalm-22|Ps 22]]:6]; [Is 49:23]; [Dn 3:40]. d. (25:4) ([[psalm-27|Ps 27]]:11]; [86:11]; [119:12], [35]; [143:8], [10]. e. (25:6) [Sir 51:8]. f. (25:7) [Jb 13:26]; [Is 64:8]. g. (25:12) [Prv 19:23]. h. (25:13) [Ps 37:9], [29]. i. (25:15) [Ps 123:1], [2]; [141:8]. j. (25:16) [Ps 86:16]; [119:132]. --- _New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. > [[psalm-24|← Previous]] | [[psalm-00|TOC]] | [[psalm-26|Next →]]