In Psalms 21 to 25, we witness David’s unfaltering and true faith in God. He prays to God in times of trouble, begging Him for His attention like a desperate child while he is quick to sing praises when God showers His blessings on David.
Psalm 21
We read in Psalm 20 that David offered a sacrifice before going into battle and then the soldiers and the king prayed to God for their victory. In Psalm 21, their prayers have been answered and they stand victorious before their enemies.
In the beginning David is lauding and praising God for His divine support. He lists down the ways in which God has blessed him:
- God heard his pleas and blessed him with victory
- God protected his forces during battle and gave them glorious success
- God kept him safe and without injury during battle and he is sure that God will keep him safe all through eternity
- Though the great victory in battle, it became clear to his adversaries as well as his enemies that God was to be exalted for his supreme powers
- God will always be with David and will never forsake him
- It is due to God’s support and guidance that David was ruling as king with such grandeur
The praises are followed by David asking God to destroy his enemies so that they may never be a threat to the believers ever again.
Psalm 22
In Psalm 22 David is again calling out to God in utter misery and is beseeching Him to listen to his prayers. He asks God the reason for not paying attention to his pleading when He is a loving God. David says that he trusts in God with all his heart and he knows that God has always come to his rescue as well as to the rescue of his forefathers who believed in God’s faithfulness. David, however is more disturbed by his adversaries who make fun of him and talk about God in an insulting manner and disrespectfully say that He will never come to David’s rescue, implying that David is at their mercy now.
Towards the end of the Psalm, David is again ecstatic with joy as God has answered his prayers and pleas for delivering him from a very difficult situation. David is delighted and we observe pride in his tone when he says that God, whom he trusts with all his life, did not abandon him. He says that generations after him will sing praises of God as they will also come to believe that God is faithful to His children and never forsakes them, come what may. He says that history will always prove that God keeps his word and never breaks his promises.
Psalm 23
In Psalm 23, David defines God as the God that has remained the same over the ages. He possesses attributes that never change with time as opposed to humans that keep evolving with changing and trying times. God has always been there in His full Glory, still is His magnificent self and will always be there in His superb grandeur, for all eternity.
Then David defines the love that God has for His faithful children. David calls God a “Shepherd”, who tends to His “sheep” with the utmost loving care, protects them from harm and attends to their every need. This comparison is quite interesting as David was a shepherd before he was chosen by God to be the king of Israel.
David says that in God’s care the sheep need not worry about anything because He will anticipate all their needs and provide in abundance. God will lead His flock to the best possible places where they can prosper and remain safe from all kinds of calamities. David says that like sheep who have tender hearts, humans are also easily disturbed by trials and problems but if they trust in God and leave all issues in His care then there would be no need for any worry. All that is required of the flock is to have faith in the Shepherd, follow Him dutifully and faithfully, remain with the flock, and trust His judgment which will always be in their best interest. David says that God the Shepherd always tends to His sheep as He is reputed to be a Loving, Caring and Faithful God. On one hand is His love for His beloved children who depend on Him for all their needs while on the other hand he has a reputation to maintain which portrays Him as a faithful, dependable and trustworthy God.
David then calls God a Host, saying that he is God’s guest. As in Israeli culture the guest was safe in his host’s house, David feels safe from his enemies in God’s care. David says that the feast that God prepares for him is a source of displeasure to his adversaries and enemies who cannot fathom the fact that God showers His multitude of blessings on David. He says that in God’s care he feels comforted and pampered just like a guest feels when the host shows extra love and affection to a guest. David adds that God has blessed him in abundance and has never let his cup run dry; the blessings continue to flow accompanied by His Mercy and Grace.
David ends by saying that God’s besed love will always be with David. This covenant love of God is accompanied by loyalty, zealous commitment, faithfulness, graciousness, mercy and favor, all packed as one word. He says that God’s besed love is reason enough for him to spend the rest of his life in complete obedience to God.
Psalm 24
Psalm 24 is a song of victory. David begins by saying that God, our Lord, is the benefactor of the whole universe, the heavens and the earth. He created everything that exists in the heavens and the earth and He has the sole ownership of all creation. The concept was new to the pagan nations of that time as they had taken to idolatry and believed that their handmade gods provided for them. They believed that each nation had their own gods that worked within that territory. Hence the idea of ONE GOD who was the owner of the WHOLE world was impossible for them to fathom. It was also difficult for the pagan nations to understand that God alone was Sovereign over everything that happens to all His creation. He is the one who honors a person and He is the one who brings dishonor and defeat. Without His Will and His Word, nothing can happen in the heavens and the earth.
David is rejoicing in the fact that God honored him with a tremendous victory over his enemies who were sure that they would see the end of David. He is happy that the esteemed name of God stood at the highest echelon while the gods whom the pagan nations thought to be powerful, stood defeated. David is in no way comparing the Might of God to the idols. He feels triumphant that the high hopes of his enemies came crashing down who were relying on their idols while his Sovereign God stood by him so that David stood with his head held high before his treacherous enemies and adversaries.
After his victory, David offers his thanksgiving at the sanctuary. He says that only the righteous are permitted to pray at the sanctuary as it is God’s Holy Place. He describes who is considered “to have clean hands and a pure heart”. It is a person who is faithful to God and obeys all commands of the Lord; who is pure in his intentions and his deeds please God; his hands are clean from sin as his mind is clean of bad intentions and evil ways. Such people will always receive God’s favors and will always be protected against everyone who wants to harm them. They are the true children of Israel as their actions speak of their spiritual cleanliness. Anyone who does not possess these attributes can neither be eligible to receive God’s love and blessings nor can be allowed to pray at the sanctuary.
The final portion of the Psalm indicates that the victorious army is proceeding to the sanctuary in its full fervor and enthusiasm. The Arc, which indicates the presence of God, is leading the jubilant soldiers back to their safe haven. God has once again proved His faithfulness to those who trust in Him and depend on Him through prayers, in complete faith. The mere fact that God gives us victory is the proof that God is with us and acknowledges our love and obedience for Him.
Psalm 25
In this Psalm, David is asking God for His Mercy and Grace to save him from his enemies who are ready to devour him and disgrace him. He addresses God and asks Him to deliver him from those who do not wish him well. While he looks towards God with pleading eyes, David is sure that God will never let his enemies put him to shame or be the means to his defeat. He is sure that those who are faithful to God receive God’s faithfulness in return.
David asks God to take over his life and teach him the ways that will lead him to salvation. He wants to lead a life that has God’s approval. He appears to be embarrassed for the mistakes he made in his youth and implores God to forgive him and teach him the ways of the righteous people that always gained God’s Mercy and Grace. He asks for God’s forgiveness for his sins in accordance to God’s graciousness, mercy and generosity, not by the gravity of his mistakes in his earlier life. He is banking on God’s besed love that knows no bounds.
David seeks God’s forgiveness saying that it is He who brings sinners to repent of their sins by opening their eyes and enlightening their spirits that they begin to recognize His authority over everything. God has to forgive David of his sinful mistakes as not forgiving him would bring a bad name to God’s reputation as He is known to be the most loving and caring Father who overlooks all mistakes of His children, if they truly repent. His forgiveness with be proof to all non-believers of God’s besed love. A righteous person brings acclaim to God through his good deeds and endless faith; likewise God’s Mercy goes to prove His love for His righteous child. David is confident that God will forgive him and guide him to lead a righteous life that will be a testimony to all those around him.
I would like to elaborate upon Psalm 25 which is a “personal” talk with God.
Main point of the passage
It appears as if we are eavesdropping while David is talking his heart out before God! Psalm 25 is a very heart touching Psalm where David bares himself before God, repents for his sins and seeks God’s forgiveness so that he may lead the rest of his life as a truly pious and righteous person.
Most Important Truth from the Text
After Psalm 1, this is a truly captivating Psalm.
In my personal belief, a person’s journey towards a righteous life begins with introspection. Acknowledging one’s sins and mistakes, no matter how small they are, needs a lot of courage. Even though we know that God is aware of every act that we do, we have to admit it to ourselves and repent before we can seek God’s forgiveness. We have inherited a fallen world that is drowned in sin but the situation is not hopeless because we have a Merciful and Gracious God who is slow to anger and quick to forgive.
David’s words in this Psalm are true to this day. God’s besed love has not changed for those who truly seek His forgiveness, His guidance, His blessings, His wisdom, His word, and His Mercy, and the list of His Graciousness goes on and on. We have to first cleanse ourselves of sin through His forgiveness before we can expect to receive His blessings and His fellowship.
What is one area in your life from a practical perspective that the text pointed out
When David describes himself as alone, distressed, suffering and troubled, it goes to say that mankind has always been burdened by these very emotions. If the Goodness of God has not changed overtime then evil has also remained the same!
Even today when I feel down and depressed due to the challenges of life, my heart finds solace in talking to God and unloading my troubles before Him. I can feel that He is listening to me with utmost patience and understanding. God has always been there for me and has always answered my prayers. I have seen miracles happening that only He can perform.
It is true that we err as we are humans, but God is our creator and knows our flaws more than we do. If we truly repent of our mistakes and follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ without faltering, our lives will be filled with blessings that we never even imagined or asked for. God has bounties over flowing with blessings. He only awaits our prayers so that He may bless us abundantly.
