Psalm 25 — Forgiveness & Pardon
A Psalm of David.
1 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in thee have I trusted,
Let me not be ashamed;
Let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3 Yea, none that wait on thee shall be ashamed:
They shall be ashamed that deal treacherously without cause.
4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD;
Teach me thy paths.
5 Guide me in thy truth, and teach me;
For thou art the God of my salvation;
On thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses;
For they have been ever of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions:
According to thy lovingkindness remember thou me,
For thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
8 Good and upright is the LORD:
Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way.
9 The meek will he guide in judgement:
And the meek will he teach his way.
10 All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth
Unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For thy name's sake, O LORD,
Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great.
12 What man is he that feareth the LORD?
Him shall he instruct in the way that he shall choose.
13 His soul shall dwell at ease;
And his seed shall inherit the land.
14 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him;
And he will shew them his covenant.
15 Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD;
For he shall pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me;
For I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged:
O bring thou me out of my distresses.
18 Consider mine affliction and my travail;
And forgive all my sins.
19 Consider mine enemies, for they are many;
And they hate me with cruel hatred.
20 O keep my soul, and deliver me:
Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in thee.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,
For I wait on thee.
22 Redeem Israel, O God,
Out of all his troubles.
With Psalm 25 we reach out to God the loving and forgiving Lord and Father we all need. Though the word father is not found in the psalm, the descriptions of the Lord are the kind of care we all long for in our fathers. God is the kind of father in whom we can safely trust, because he cares. His protection and security is firm and dependable. He teaches with the best wisdom and understanding. He helps us grow to become what we aspire to be.
He is also forgiving. He is one on whom we can safely request he forget our sins and problems. He is willing to forgive and forget - and sets us on our feet for another try. He doesn't hold a grudge, he holds our hand.
God protects us from all the harm we find ourselves in. The harm we make ourselves and the harm brought on by others. His teaching, wisdom, care and forgiveness lifts us past these persecutions and troubles to a good place: our Father's Home.