Psalm 25:1

A Prayer for Guidance, Deliverance, and Forgiveness

Of David.

1 To you, O Yahweh, I lift up my soul.

Psalm 25:1 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 25:1

Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
] Either "in prayer", as the Chaldee paraphrase adds ^F19; and denotes sincere, affectionate, hearty prayer to God, a drawing nigh to him with a true heart: for unless the heart is lifted up, the lifting up of the eyes or hands in prayer is of no avail; see ( Lamentations 3:41 ) ; or by way of offering to the Lord, as some Jewish writers ^F20 interpret it; David not only presented his body in public worship, but his soul also as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which was his reasonable service; or else as a "depositum", which he committed into the hands of God, to be under his care and protection; and then the sense is the same with ( Psalms 31:5 ) ^F21; the phrase is sometimes used to express earnest and vehement desire after anything; (See Gill on Psalms 24:4); and may here intend the very great desire of the psalmist after communion with God; which is elsewhere by him expressed by panting after him, and by thirsting for him in a dry and thirsty land, ( Psalms 42:1 ) ( 63:1 ) ; the desires of his soul were not to vain things, the vanities and idols of the Gentiles, but to God only, and to the remembrance of his name.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 So Kimchi & Ben Melech.
F20 R. Moseh in Aben Ezra in loc.
F21 Midrash Tillim.

Psalm 25:1 In-Context

1 To you, O Yahweh, I lift up my soul.

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

3 Indeed, none who wait for you should be put to shame. Those who betray without cause should be put to shame.

4 Make me know your ways, O Yahweh. Teach me your paths.

5 Cause me to walk in your truth and teach me, because you [are] the God of my salvation. I await you {all day long}.

Footnotes

• [a] The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm