Psalm 25 could be cut right out of today's headlines. Christians and the nation of Israel are being tormented by people who either don't care or who don't want to understand their motives. Either way, the answer is the same: if you do it God's way, you will have confidence that when you pray God will hear you, that he will forgive your sins and that he will help you through troubled times.
Have confidence that God answers prayer
In worshipping God, we must lift up our souls to him. It is certain that none who, by a believing attendance wait on God and by a believing hope wait for him, shall be ashamed of it. The most advanced believer both needs and desires to be taught of God. If we sincerely desire to know our duty, with resolution to do it, we may be sure that God will direct us in it.
King David is earnest for the pardon of his sins. When God pardons sin, he is said to remember it no more, which denotes full remission. It is God's goodness and not ours, his mercy and not our merit, that must be our plea for the pardon of sin, and all the good we need.
This plea we must rely upon, feeling our own unworthiness, and satisfied of the riches of God's mercy and grace.
How boundless is that mercy which covers forever the sins and follies of a youth spent without God and without hope!
Blessed be the Lord, the blood of the great Sacrifice can wash away every stain. (Psalm 25:1-7)
Pray for remission of your sins
We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth.
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth; and so it will appear when they come to their journey's end. Those that are humble, that distrust themselves, and desire to be taught and to follow Divine guidance, these he will guide in judgment, that is by the rule of the written word, to find rest for their souls in the Savior. Even when the body is sick and in pain, the soul may be at ease in God. (Psalm 25:8-14)
Pray for help in troubled times
David concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. And God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity.
Though guilty before God, yet as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God would at length give Israel rest from all their enemies round about. In heaven, God's Israel will be perfectly redeemed from all troubles.
Blessed Savior, thou has graciously taught us that without thee we can do nothing. Do thou teach us how to pray, how to appear before thee in the way which thou shalt choose, and how to lift up our whole hearts and desires after thee, for thou art the Lord our righteousness. (Psalm 25:15-22)
- submitted by Bob Diamond
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