Image by Eye Steel Film via Flickr

Suggested Reading: Psalm 25:16-22

Psalm 25 gives us insight into how David‘s focus moves from himself to God, then back to himself and finally he concludes his prayer by praying for all God’s people in need. As I read through this psalm I get a sense that even while in prayer, David finds that although God is great and he fully trusts in Him, his attention intermittently shifts from God to his own pitiful state.

Lord, I have enemies. Lord, I am sinful. Lord, forgive my iniquities, though they are great. Lord, you are perfect and instruct sinners in your ways, but Lord, see these people that hate me. Don’t let me be humiliated in their presence. Lord, I need integrity and uprightness. Lord, I’m not alone in this. All Your people need Your help.

These are the waves of emotion through which this prayer takes me. In the preceding verses, David mentions all the things God will do for a repentant sinner. But then (from verse 16), he again shifts his focus to his present situation.

“Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.”

Even though David moves his focus from God to his own condition while praying, the mere fact that he takes his condition to God in prayer is an expression of  his faith in God. Who will ask from someone whom they don’t believe have either the capacity or the willingness to help? Therefore, since David prays to God proves that he believes that God is both able and willing to help. Only God can do something about the things troubling his heart. Only God can free him from his anguish.

He recognizes that he is a sinful man in need of mercy and he prays, “Take away all my sins.” With this he expresses his faith in God to forgive sins. From this platform, where he comes to God not as a perfect human being, but as a sinner, he talks to God about his enemies.  He realizes that he is in danger and prays that God will guard his life. Herewith, he expresses his faith in God to protect him –even though he is sinful. He makes mistakes, but this doesn’t keep him from asking God not to put him to shame in front of his enemies.

“Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in You.”

This statement is more powerful than initially meets the eye. When he says he takes refuge in God, he is turning his back on concocting his own schemes to protect himself from the enemy. He is leaving vengeance to God to whom vengeance belongs. The way David dealt with King Saul‘s hateful schemes against him confirms the truth of this statement he made in prayer.

Most outstanding for me about this part of his prayer is that David has a completely honest view of himself. He doesn’t come to God pretending to super-spiritual and a good little Christian. He recognizes his need for integrity and uprightness.

May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in You

One can see his deep insights into the things of life. He knows that a person of integrity would have no fears of being caught for doing the wrong thing. Sometimes it is because of our own lack of integrity that we make enemies. But just recognizing this is a sign of the Holy Spirit working in our hearts. Only then will one pray that God will give us integrity and uprightness; only then will one desire these character traits. A person whose heart has not been touched by God may even boast about his lack of integrity.

“My hope is in You.”

This is like saying that he believes God is the only one who can work these characteristics into his heart.

Finally, he takes the focus off himself and all his troubles and prays on behalf of all his people, “Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles.” We all need your help, Lord! None of us are perfect. Turn to us and be gracious to us.

I learnt a lot about prayer just by reflecting on this psalm. I learnt it’s okay to speak honestly to God about our fears. God won’t hit me over the head when I tell Him about everything I worry about. It is also important to never lose focus of God’s greatness while we have concerns about our circumstances and it is imperative that we don’t neglect to pray for others who may be in a similar situation that we are in.

Related articles

• Are You There, God? (atruediscipleofchrist.wordpress.com)