Psalms 25:11-21

11 Lord, for thy name, thou shalt do mercy to my sin; for it is much. (Lord, for the sake of thy name, have thou mercy on my sin; although it is great.)

12 Who is a man, that dreadeth the Lord? he ordaineth to him a law in the way which he (should) choose. (Who is someone, who feareth the Lord?/who hath reverence for the Lord? the Lord shall ordain to him the way that he should choose.)

13 His soul shall dwell in goods; and his seed shall inherit the land. (He shall live in abundance; and his children shall inherit the land.)

14 The Lord is a firmness to men dreading him; and his testament is, that it be showed to them. (The Lord shall share his secrets with those who fear him/with those who revere him; and he shall show his covenant to them.)

15 Mine eyes be ever[more] to(ward) the Lord; for he shall pull away my feet from the snare. (My eyes be upon the Lord forevermore; for he shall pull away my feet from the snare.)

16 Behold thou to me, and have thou mercy on me; for I am one alone and poor. (Look thou on me, and have thou mercy on me; for I am all alone and poor.)

17 The tribulations of mine heart be multiplied; deliver thou me of my needs. (The troubles in my heart be multiplied; save thou me from all my troubles.)

18 See thou my meekness and my travail (See thou my troubles and my trials); and forgive thou all my trespasses.

19 Behold thou mine enemies, for they be multiplied; and they hate me by wicked hatred. (Look thou upon my enemies, for they be many; and they hate me with such wicked hatred.)

20 Keep thou my soul, and deliver me; be I not ashamed, for I hoped in thee. (Keep thou me alive, and save me; let me not be shamed, for I put my trust in thee.)

21 Innocent men and rightful cleaved to me; for I suffered thee. (Let innocence and uprightness, or integrity, cleave to me; for I have waited for thee.)

Psalms 25:11-21 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 25

\\<<[A Psalm] of David>>\\. This is the first of the psalms which is written in an alphabetical order, or in which the first word of every verse begins with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order, though it is not strictly and regularly observed; the reason of this manner of writing is not very obvious; the {r} Jews confess their ignorance of it; it may be to engage the attention to what is said, or to assist the memory in laying it up, and retaining it there. The occasion of the psalm seems to be the troubles David was in on account of an unnatural rebellion raised against him by some of his subjects, at the head of which was his own son Absalom; he speaks of himself as in a net, and in great affliction, distress, and trouble, by reason of his enemies, Ps 25:15-18; and as being brought to a sense of his former sins, for which he desires pardon, Ps 25:7,11. {r} Kimchi in loc.