Psalms 25:6-16

6 Lord, have thou mind of thy merciful doings; and of thy mercies that be from the world. (Lord, remember thy merciful doings; and thy constant love, which thou hast shown from long ago.)

7 Have thou not mind on the trespasses of my youth; and on mine unknowings. Thou, Lord, have mind on me by thy mercy; for thy goodness. (Remember not the trespasses of my youth; and all my ignorance. O Lord, because of thy love, remember me; for the sake of thy goodness.)

8 The Lord is sweet and rightful; for this cause he shall give a law to men trespassing in the way. (The Lord is good and upright; and for this reason he hath given a way forward for those who trespass./The Lord is good and righteous; and for this reason he hath given a way back for those who trespass.)

9 He shall (ad)dress meek men in doom; he shall teach mild men his ways. (He shall direct the humble in their judgement; he shall teach the humble his ways.)

10 All the ways of the Lord be mercy and truth; to men seeking his testament, and his witnessings. (All the ways of the Lord be loving and faithful; for those who keep his covenant, and his teaching, or his commands.)

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.)

Psalms 25:6-16 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.