1 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
5 Lead 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 mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy 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 teach in the way that he shall choose.
13 His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
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 Look upon mine affliction and my pain; 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.
1 [[A Psalm of David.]] H1732 Unto thee, O LORD, H3068 do I lift up H5375 my soul. H5315
2 O my God, H430 I trust H982 in thee: let me not be ashamed, H954 let not mine enemies H341 triumph H5970 over me.
3 Yea, let none that wait H6960 on thee be ashamed: H954 let them be ashamed H954 which transgress H898 without cause. H7387
4 Shew H3045 me thy ways, H1870 O LORD; H3068 teach H3925 me thy paths. H734
5 Lead H1869 me in thy truth, H571 and teach H3925 me: for thou art the God H430 of my salvation; H3468 on thee do I wait H6960 all the day. H3117
6 Remember, H2142 O LORD, H3068 thy tender mercies H7356 and thy lovingkindnesses; H2617 for they have been ever of old. H5769
7 Remember H2142 not the sins H2403 of my youth, H5271 nor my transgressions: H6588 according to thy mercy H2617 remember H2142 thou me for thy goodness' H2898 sake, O LORD. H3068
8 Good H2896 and upright H3477 is the LORD: H3068 therefore will he teach H3384 sinners H2400 in the way. H1870
9 The meek H6035 will he guide H1869 in judgment: H4941 and the meek H6035 will he teach H3925 his way. H1870
10 All the paths H734 of the LORD H3068 are mercy H2617 and truth H571 unto such as keep H5341 his covenant H1285 and his testimonies. H5713
11 For thy name's H8034 sake, O LORD, H3068 pardon H5545 mine iniquity; H5771 for it is great. H7227
12 What man H376 is he that feareth H3373 the LORD? H3068 him shall he teach H3384 in the way H1870 that he shall choose. H977
13 His soul H5315 shall dwell H3885 at ease; H2896 and his seed H2233 shall inherit H3423 the earth. H776
14 The secret H5475 of the LORD H3068 is with them that fear H3373 him; and he will shew H3045 them his covenant. H1285
15 Mine eyes H5869 are ever H8548 toward the LORD; H3068 for he shall pluck H3318 my feet H7272 out of the net. H7568
16 Turn H6437 thee unto me, and have mercy H2603 upon me; for I am desolate H3173 and afflicted. H6041
17 The troubles H6869 of my heart H3824 are enlarged: H7337 O bring thou me out H3318 of my distresses. H4691
18 Look H7200 upon mine affliction H6040 and my pain; H5999 and forgive H5375 all my sins. H2403
19 Consider H7200 mine enemies; H341 for they are many; H7231 and they hate H8130 me with cruel H2555 hatred. H8135
20 O keep H8104 my soul, H5315 and deliver H5337 me: let me not be ashamed; H954 for I put my trust H2620 in thee.
21 Let integrity H8537 and uprightness H3476 preserve H5341 me; for I wait H6960 on thee.
22 Redeem H6299 Israel, H3478 O God, H430 out of all his troubles. H6869
1 Unto thee, O Jehovah, do I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in thee have I trusted, Let me not be put to shame; Let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3 Yea, none that wait for thee shall be put to shame: They shall be put to shame that deal treacherously without cause.
4 Show me thy ways, O Jehovah; Teach me thy paths.
5 Guide me in thy truth, and teach me; For thou art the God of my salvation; For thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O Jehovah, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindness; 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 Jehovah.
8 Good and upright is Jehovah: Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way.
9 The meek will he guide in justice; And the meek will he teach his way.
10 All the paths of Jehovah are lovingkindness and truth Unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For thy name's sake, O Jehovah, Pardon mine iniquity, for it is great.
12 What man is he that feareth Jehovah? 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 friendship of Jehovah is with them that fear him; And he will show them his covenant.
15 Mine eyes are ever toward Jehovah; For he will 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: Oh 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 Oh keep my soul, and deliver me: Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in thee.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for thee.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, Out all of his troubles. Psalm 26 `A Psalm' of David.
1 By David. Unto Thee, O Jehovah, my soul I lift up.
2 My God, in Thee I have trusted, Let me not be ashamed, Let not mine enemies exult over me.
3 Also let none waiting on Thee be ashamed, Let the treacherous dealers without cause be ashamed.
4 Thy ways, O Jehovah, cause me to know, Thy paths teach Thou me.
5 Cause me to tread in Thy truth, and teach me, For Thou `art' the God of my salvation, Near Thee I have waited all the day.
6 Remember Thy mercies, O Jehovah, And Thy kindnesses, for from the age `are' they.
7 Sins of my youth, and my transgressions, Do not Thou remember. According to Thy kindness be mindful of me, For Thy goodness' sake, O Jehovah.
8 Good and upright `is' Jehovah, Therefore He directeth sinners in the way.
9 He causeth the humble to tread in judgment, And teacheth the humble His way.
10 All the paths of Jehovah `are' kindness and truth, To those keeping His covenant, And His testimonies.
11 For Thy name's sake, O Jehovah, Thou hast pardoned mine iniquity, for it `is' great.
12 Who `is' this -- the man fearing Jehovah? He directeth him in the way He doth choose.
13 His soul in good doth remain, And his seed doth possess the land.
14 The secret of Jehovah `is' for those fearing Him, And His covenant -- to cause them to know.
15 Mine eyes `are' continually unto Jehovah, For He bringeth out from a net my feet.
16 Turn Thou unto me, and favour me, For lonely and afflicted `am' I.
17 The distresses of my heart have enlarged themselves, From my distresses bring me out.
18 See mine affliction and my misery, And bear with all my sins.
19 See my enemies, for they have been many, And with violent hatred they have hated me.
20 Keep my soul, and deliver me, Let me not be ashamed, for I trusted in Thee.
21 Integrity and uprightness do keep me, For I have waited `on' Thee.
22 Redeem Israel, O God, from all his distresses!
1 {[A Psalm] of David.} Unto thee, Jehovah, do I lift up my soul.
2 My God, I confide in thee; 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 Make me to know thy ways, O Jehovah; teach me thy paths.
5 Make me to walk in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, Jehovah, thy tender mercies and thy loving-kindnesses; for they are from everlasting.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to thy loving-kindness remember thou me, for thy goodness' sake, Jehovah.
8 Good and upright is Jehovah; therefore will he instruct sinners in the way:
9 The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.
10 All the paths of Jehovah are loving-kindness and truth for such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For thy name's sake, O Jehovah, thou wilt indeed pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
12 What man is he that feareth Jehovah? him will he instruct in the way [that] he should choose.
13 His soul shall dwell in prosperity, and his seed shall inherit the earth.
14 The secret of Jehovah is with them that fear him, that he may make known his covenant to them.
15 Mine eyes are ever toward Jehovah; for he will bring my feet out of the net.
16 Turn toward me, and be gracious unto me; for I am solitary and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are increased: bring 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 Keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I 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.
1 > To you, Yahweh, do I lift up my soul.
2 My God, I have trusted in you, Don't let me be shamed. Don't let my enemies triumph over me.
3 Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. They shall be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.
4 Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation, I wait for you all day long.
6 Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, For they are from old times.
7 Don't remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, For your goodness' sake, Yahweh.
8 Good and upright is Yahweh, Therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
9 He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
10 All the paths of Yahweh are loving kindness and truth To such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For your name's sake, Yahweh, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
12 What man is he who fears Yahweh? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.
13 His soul shall dwell at ease. His seed shall inherit the land.
14 The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.
15 My eyes are ever on Yahweh, For he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses.
18 Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies, for they are many. They hate me with cruel hatred.
20 Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for you.
22 Redeem Israel, God, Out all of his troubles.
1 <Of David.> To you, O Lord, my soul is lifted up.
2 O my God, I have put my faith in you, let me not be shamed; let not my haters be glorying over me.
3 Let no servant of yours be put to shame; may those be shamed who are false without cause.
4 Make your steps clear to me, O Lord; give me knowledge of your ways.
5 Be my guide and teacher in the true way; for you are the God of my salvation; I am waiting for your word all the day.
6 O Lord, keep in mind your pity and your mercies; for they have been from the earliest times.
7 Do not keep in mind my sins when I was young, or my wrongdoing: let your memory of me be full of mercy, O Lord, because of your righteousness.
8 Good and upright is the Lord: so he will be the teacher of sinners in the way.
9 He will be an upright guide to the poor in spirit: he will make his way clear to them.
10 All the ways of the Lord are mercy and good faith for those who keep his agreement and his witness.
11 Because of your name, O Lord, let me have forgiveness for my sin, which is very great.
12 If a man has the fear of the Lord, the Lord will be his teacher in the way of his pleasure.
13 His soul will be full of good things, and his seed will have the earth for its heritage.
14 The secret of the Lord is with those in whose hearts is the fear of him; he will make his agreement clear to them.
15 My eyes are turned to the Lord at all times; for he will take my feet out of the net.
16 Be turned to me, and have mercy on me; for I am troubled and have no helper.
17 The troubles of my heart are increased: O take me out of my sorrows.
18 Give thought to my grief and my pain; and take away all my sins.
19 See how those who are against me are increased, for bitter is their hate of me.
20 O keep my soul, and take me out of danger: let me not be shamed, for I have put my faith in you.
21 For my clean and upright ways keep me safe, because my hope is in you.
22 Give Israel salvation, O God, out of all his troubles.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 25
Commentary on Psalms 25 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Prayer for Gracious Protection and Guidance
A question similar to the question, Who may ascend the mountain of Jahve ? which Psalms 24:1-10 propounded, is thrown out by Ps 25, Who is he that feareth Jahve ? in order to answer it in great and glorious promises. It is calmly confident prayer for help against one's foes, and for God's instructing, pardoning, and leading grace. It is without any definite background indicating the history of the times in which it was composed; and also without any clearly marked traits of individuality. But it is one of the nine alphabetical Psalms of the whole collection, and the companion to Ps 34, to which it corresponds even in many peculiarities of the acrostic structure. For both Psalms have no ו strophe; they are parallel both as to sound and meaning in the beginnings of the מ , ע , and the first פ strophes; and both Psalms, after having gone through the alphabet, have a פ strophe added as the concluding one, whose beginning and contents are closely related. This homogeneousness points to one common author. We see nothing in the alphabetical arrangement at least, which even here as in Ps 9-10 is handled very freely and not fully carried out, to hinder us from regarding David as this author. But, in connection with the general ethical and religious character of the Psalm, it is wanting in positive proofs of this. In its universal character and harmony with the plan of redemption Ps 25 coincides with many post-exilic Psalms. It contains nothing but what is common to the believing consciousness of the church in every age; nothing specifically belonging to the Old Testament and Israelitish, hence Theodoret says: ἁρμόζει μάλιστα τοῖς ἐξ ἐθνῶν κεκλημένοις . The introits for the second and third Quadragesima Sundays are taken from Psalms 25:6 and Psalms 25:15; hence these Sundays are called Reminiscere and Oculi . Paul Gerhardt's hymn “Nach dir, o Herr, verlanget mich” is a beautiful poetical rendering of this Psalm.
The Psalm begins, like Psalms 16:1-11; Psalms 23:1, with a monostich. Psalms 25:2 is the ב strophe, אלהי (unless one is disposed to read בך אלהי according to the position of the words in Psalms 31:2), after the manner of the interjections in the tragedians, e.g., oo'moi, not being reckoned as belonging to the verse (J. D. Köhler). In need of help and full of longing for deliverance he raises his soul, drawn away from earthly desires, to Jahve (Psalms 86:4; Psalms 143:8), the God who alone can grant him that which shall truly satisfy his need. His ego, which has the soul within itself, directs his soul upwards to Him whom he calls אלהי , because in believing confidence he clings to Him and is united with Him. The two אל declare what Jahve is not to allow him to experience, just as in Psalms 31:2, Psalms 31:18. According to Psalms 25:19, Psalms 25:20; Psalms 38:17, it is safer to construe לי with יעלצוּ (cf. Psalms 71:10), as also in Psalms 27:2; Psalms 30:2, Micah 7:8, although it would be possible to construe it with אויבי (cf. Psalms 144:2). In Psalms 25:3 the confident expectation of the individual is generalised.
That wherewith the praying one comforts himself is no peculiar personal prerogative, but the certain, joyous prospect of all believers: ἡ ἐλπίς ου ̓ καταισχύνει , Romans 5:5. These are called קויך ( קוה participle to קוּה ot elp , just as דּבר is the participle to דּבּר ). Hope is the eye of faith which looks forth clear and fixedly into the future. With those who hope in Jahve, who do not allow themselves to be in any way disconcerted respecting Him, are contrasted those who act treacherously towards Him (Psalms 119:158, Aq., Symm., Theodot. οἱ ἀποστατοῦντες ), and that ריקם , i.e. - and it can only mean this-from vain and worthless pretexts, and therefore from wanton unconscientiousness.
Recognising the infamy of such black ingratitude, he prays for instruction as to the ways which he must take according to the precepts of God ( Psalms 18:22). The will of God, it is true, lies before us in God's written word, but the expounder required for the right understanding of that word is God Himself. He prays Him for knowledge; but in order to make what he knows a perfect and living reality, he still further needs the grace of God, viz., both His enlightening and also His guiding grace.
His truth is the lasting and self-verifying fact of His revelation of grace. To penetrate into this truth and to walk in it (Psalms 26:3; Psalms 86:11) without God, is a contradiction in its very self. Therefore the psalmist prays, as in Psalms 119:35, οδήγησόν με ἐν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ σου (lxx Cod. Alex. ; whereas Cod. Vat . ἐπὶ τὴν ..., cf. John 16:13). He prays thus, for his salvation comes from Jahve, yea Jahve is his salvation. He does not hope for this or that, but for Him, all the day, i.e., unceasingly,
(Note: Hupfeld thinks the accentuation inappropriate; the first half of the verse, however, really extends to ישׁעי , and consists of two parts, of which the second is the confirmation of the first: the second half contains a relatively new thought. The sequence of the accents: Rebia magnum, Athnach , therefore fully accords with the matter.)
for everything worth hoping for, everything that can satisfy the longing of the soul, is shut up in Him. All mercy or grace, however, which proceeds from Him, has its foundation in His compassion and condescension.
The supplicatory reminiscere means, may God never forget to exercise His pity and grace towards him, which are (as the plurals imply) so rich and superabundant. The ground on which the prayer is based is introduced with כּי ( nam , or even quoniam ). God's compassion and grace are as old in their operation and efficacy as man's feebleness and sin; in their counsels they are eternal, and therefore have also in themselves the pledge of eternal duration (Psalms 100:5; Psalms 103:17).
May Jahve not remember the faults of his youth ( חטּאות ), into which lust and thoughtlessness have precipitated him, nor the transgressions ( פּשׁעים ), by which even in maturer and more thoughtful years he has turned the grace of God into licentiousness and broken off his fellowship with Him ( פּשׁע בּ , of defection); but may He, on the contrary, turn His remembrance to him ( זכר ל as in Psalms 136:23) in accordance with His grace or loving-kindness, which אתּה challenges as being the form of self-attestation most closely corresponding to the nature of God. Memor esto quidem mei, observes Augustine, non secundum iram, qua ego dignus sum, sed secundum misericordiam tuam, quae te digna est . For God is טּוב , which is really equivalent to saying, He is ἀγάπη . The next distich shows that טוּב is intended here of God's goodness, and not, as e.g., in Nehemiah 9:35, of His abundance of possessions.
The בּ with הורה denotes the way, i.e., the right way ( Job 31:7), as the sphere and subject of the instruction, as in Psalms 32:8, Proverbs 4:11; Job 27:11. God condescends to sinners in order to teach them the way that leads to life, for He is טוב־וישׂר ; well-doing is His delight, and, if His anger be not provoked ( Psalms 18:27 ), He has only the sincerest good intention in what He does.
The shortened form of the future stands here, according to Ges. §128, 2, rem., instead of the full form (which, viz., ידרך , is perhaps meant); for the connection which treats of general facts, does not admit of its being taken as optative. The ב (cf. Psalms 25:5, Psalms 107:7; Psalms 119:35) denotes the sphere of the guidance. משׁפּט is the right so far as it is traversed, i.e., practised or carried out. In this course of right He leads the ענוים , and teaches them the way that is pleasing to Himself. ענוים is the one word for the gentle, mansueti , and the humble, modesti . Jerome uses these words alternately in Psalms 25:9 and Psalms 25:9 ; but the poet designedly repeats the one word - the cardinal virtue of ענוה - here with the preponderating notion of lowliness. Upon the self-righteous and self-sufficient He would be obliged to force Himself even against their will. He wants disciples eager to learn; and how richly He rewards those who guard what they have learnt!
The paths intended, are those which He takes with men in accordance with His revealed will and counsel. These paths are חסד loving-kindness, mercy, or grace, for the salvation of men is their goal, and אמת truth, for they give proof at every step of the certainty of His promises. But only they who keep His covenant and His testimonies faithfully and obediently shall share in this mercy and truth. To the psalmist the name of Jahve, which unfolds itself in mercy and truth, is precious. Upon it he bases the prayer that follows.
The perf. consec. is attached to the יהי , which is, according to the sense, implied in למען שׁמך , just as in other instances it follows adverbial members of a clause, placed first for the sake of emphasis, when those members have reference to the future, Ges. §126, rem. 1. Separate and manifold sins (Psalms 25:7) are all comprehended in עון , which is in other instances also the collective word for the corruption and the guilt of sin. כּי gives the ground of the need and urgency of the petition. A great and multiform load of sin lies upon him, but the name of God, i.e., His nature that has become manifest in His mercy and truth, permits him to ask and to hope for forgiveness, not for the sake of anything whatever that he has done, but just for the sake of this name (Jeremiah 14:7; Isaiah 43:25). How happy therefore is he who fears God, in this matter!
The question: quisnam est vir , which resembles Psalms 34:13; Psalms 107:43; Isaiah 50:10, is only propounded in order to draw attention to the person who bears the character described, and then to state what such an one has to expect. In prose we should have a relative antecedent clause instead, viz., qui ( quisquis ) talis est qui Dominum vereatur .
(Note: The verb ver-eri , which signifies “to guard one's self, defend one's self from anything” according to its radical notion, has nothing to do with ירא ( ורא ) .)
The attributive יבהר , ( viam ) quam eligat (cf. Isaiah 48:17), might also be referred to God: in which He takes delight (lxx); but parallels like Psalms 119:30, Psalms 119:173, favour the rendering: which he should choose. Among all the blessings which fall to the lot of him who fears God, the first place is given to this, that God raises him above the vacillation and hesitancy of human opinion.
The verb לין ( לוּן ), probably equivalent to ליל (from ליל ) signifies to tarry the night, to lodge. Good, i.e., inward and outward prosperity, is like the place where such an one turns in and finds shelter and protection. And in his posterity will be fulfilled what was promised to the patriarchs and to the people delivered from Egypt, viz., possession of the land, or as this promise runs in the New Testament, of the earth, Matthew 5:5 (cf. Psalms 37:11), Revelation 5:10.
The lxx renders סוד , κραταίωμα , as though it were equivalent to יסוד . The reciprocal נוסד , Psalms 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, Psalms 89:8; Psalms 111:1 (Symm. ὁμιλία ), then the confidential communication itself, Psalms 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 Proverbs 3:32, and an example of the thing itself in Genesis 18:17. In Psalms 25:14 the infinitive with ל , according to Ges. §132, rem. 1, as in Isaiah 38:20, is an expression for the fut. periphrast.: faedus suum notum facturus est iis ; the position of the words is like Daniel 2:16, Daniel 2:18; Daniel 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 2 Samuel 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.
He who keeps his eyes constantly directed towards God (Psalms 141:8; Psalms 123:1), is continually in a praying mood, which cannot remain unanswered. תּמיד corresponds to ἀδιαλείπτως in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The aim of this constant looking upwards to God, in this instance, is deliverance out of the enemy's net. He can and will pull him out (Psalms 31:5) of the net of complicated circumstances into which he has been ensnared without any fault of his own.
The rendering “regard me,” so far as פּנה אל means God's observant and sympathising turning to any one (lxx ἐπιβλέπειν ), corresponds to Psalms 86:16; Leviticus 26:9. For this he longs, for men treat him as a stranger and refuse to have anything to do with him. יחיד is the only one of his kind, one who has no companion, therefore the isolated one. The recurrence of the same sounds עני אני is designedly not avoided. To whom could he, the isolated one, pour forth his affliction, to whom could he unveil his inmost thoughts and feelings? to God alone! To Him he can bring all his complaints, to Him he can also again and again always make supplication.
The Hiph . הרחיב signifies to make broad, and as a transitive denominative applied to the mind and heart: to make a broad space = to expand one's self (cf. as to the idea, Lamentations 2:13, “great as the sea is thy misfortune”), lxx ἐπληθύνθησαν , perhaps originally it was ἐπλατηύνθησαν . Accordingly הרחיבוּ is admissible so far as language is concerned; but since it gives only a poor antithesis to צרות it is to be suspected. The original text undoubtedly was הרחיב וממצוקותי ( הרחיב , as in Psalms 77:2, or הרחיב , as e.g., in 2 Kings 8:6): the straits of my heart do Thou enlarge (cf. Psalms 119:32; 2 Corinthians 6:11) and bring me out of my distresses (Hitzig and others).
The falling away of the ק is made up for by a double ר strophe. Even the lxx has ἴδε twice over. The seeing that is prayed for, is in both instances a seeing into his condition, with which is conjoined the notion of interposing on his behalf, though the way and manner thereof is left to God. נשׂא ל , with the object in the dative instead of the accusative ( tollere peccata ), signifies to bestow a taking away, i.e., forgiveness, upon any one (synon. סלח ל ). It is pleasing to the New Testament consciousness that God's vengeance is not expressly invoked upon his enemies. כּי is an expansive quod as in Genesis 1:4. שׂנאת חמס with an attributive genitive is hatred, which springs from injustice and ends in injustice.
He entreats for preservation and deliverance from God; and that He may not permit his hope to be disappointed ( אל־אבושׁ , cf. 1 Chronicles 21:13, instead of אל־אבושׁה which is usual in other instances). This his hope rests indeed in Him: he has taken refuge in Him and therefore He cannot forsake him, He cannot let him be destroyed.
Devoutness that fills the whole man, that is not merely half-hearted and hypocritical, is called תּם ; and uprightness that follows the will of God without any bypaths and forbidden ways is called ישׁר . These two radical virtues (cf. Job 1:1) he desires to have as his guardians on his way which is perilous not only by reason of outward foes, but also on account of his own sinfulness. These custodians are not to let him pass out of their sight, lest he should be taken away from them (cf. Psalms 40:12; Proverbs 20:28). He can claim this for himself, for the cynosure of his hope is God, from whom proceed תם and ישׁר like good angels.
His experience is not singular, but the enmity of the world and sin bring all who belong to the people of God into straits just as they have him. And the need of the individual will not cease until the need of the whole undergoes a radical remedy. Hence the intercessory prayer of this meagre closing distich, whose connection with what precedes is not in this instance so close as in Ps 34:23. It looks as though it was only added when Ps 25 came to be used in public worship; and the change of the name of God favours this view. Both Psalms close with a פ in excess of the alphabet. Perhaps the first פ represents the π , and the second the φ ; for Psalms 25:16; Psalms 34:17 follow words ending in a consonant, and Psalms 25:22; 34:23, words ending in a vowel. Or is it a propensity for giving a special representation of the final letters, just as these are sometimes represented, though not always perfectly, at the close of the hymns of the synagogue ( pijutim )?