Psalms 25

A Prayer for Guidance and Pardon

1Of David. To you, Yahweh, I lift up my soul.

2My God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let my enemies not exult over me.

3Indeed, none who wait for you will be put to shame; those who betray without cause will be put to shame.

4Make me know your ways, Yahweh; teach me your paths.

5Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

6Remember your compassions, Yahweh, and your acts of loyal love, for they are from of old.

7The sins of my youth and my transgressions do not remember; according to your loyal love remember me — you — for the sake of your goodness, Yahweh.

8Good and upright is Yahweh; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

9He guides the humble in justice, and he teaches the humble his way.

10All the paths of Yahweh are loyal love and faithfulness for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

11For the sake of your name, Yahweh, forgive my iniquity, for it is great.

12Who is the man who fears Yahweh? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.

13His soul will lodge in prosperity, and his seed will inherit the land.

14The intimate counsel of Yahweh is for those who fear him, and his covenant, to make it known to them.

15My eyes are continually toward Yahweh, for he will bring my feet out of the net.

16Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am alone and afflicted.

17The distresses of my heart have grown wide; bring me out of my anguish.

18See my affliction and my toil, and forgive all my sins.

19See my enemies, for they are many, and with violent hatred they hate me.

20Guard my soul and deliver me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

21Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

22Redeem Israel, O God, out of all its distresses.

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Cross-references in this chapter

Where this passage connects across Scripture — each link typed and reasoned, part of the AIT Bible Nexus Chart.

A Prayer for Guidance and Pardon

• allusion Exodus 34:6 — Echoes the covenant formula of Yahweh's loyal love and faithfulness.
• allusion Psalms 86:4 — Shared distinctive phrase of lifting up one's soul to Yahweh in prayer.
• allusion Psalms 31:1 — Nearly identical plea for trust and rescue from shame, closely paralleling Ps 31's opening.
• allusion Psalms 86:16 — Shared plea to turn and be gracious to the afflicted worshiper.
• thematic Isaiah 49:23 — Both affirm that those who wait for Yahweh will not be put to shame.
• thematic Job 13:13 — Both concern God reckoning the sins/iniquities of one's youth.
• thematic Proverbs 3:32 — Both speak of Yahweh's intimate counsel/secret being with the upright who fear him.
• thematic Psalms 27:11 — Both petition Yahweh to teach his way/path to the worshiper.
• thematic Psalms 103:17 — Both appeal to Yahweh's loyal love and compassion as everlasting/from of old.
• thematic Psalms 79:8 — Both plead that God not remember past sins but act according to his mercy.
• thematic Psalms 79:9 — Both appeal for forgiveness for the sake of Yahweh's name.
• thematic Psalms 37:11 — Both promise that the humble/meek will inherit the land.
• thematic Psalms 31:4 — Both express confidence that Yahweh will bring the psalmist's feet out of the net.
• thematic Psalms 130:8 — Both close with a prayer for God to redeem Israel from its troubles/iniquities.
• thematic Psalms 27:7 — Both petition Yahweh to teach and lead the psalmist in his way/paths.
• thematic Psalms 86:8 — Shares the plea to be taught God's way and to walk in his truth.
• thematic Psalms 143:1 — Both petition God to teach the psalmist his way/will and to lead him.