Psalms 25:4

Psa 25:4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

Ver. 4. Show me thy ways, O Lord] q.d. However other men walk towards me, yet my desire is to keep touch with thee; for which purpose I humbly beg thy best direction. See Exo 33:13 Isa 2:3.

Teach me thy paths] Assuefac me ; inure me to thy paths, Sicut parvulus ad ambulandum assuetus, saith Kimchi, as a little one is taught to find his feet.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Psa_25:4

Shew me Thy ways, O Lord; and teach me Thy paths.

Divine authority upon earth

All right-minded men will agree with Matthew Arnolds famous saying, that Conduct is three-fourths of human life. It will be also admitted that the professed aim of all Churches and religious societies is to regulate and improve conduct. Sometimes, alas! orthodoxy, or right opinion, has been put not merely first, but by itself alone as the one chief aim to be enforced by the clergy, and to be accepted by the laity. But it seems only fair to say that these were examples of departure from the original ideal of a Church and its purpose. The claim of Divine authority to control the minds, hearts, and lives of the people, and to interfere even forcibly with individual freedom of thought and action, was designed, in the first instance, for the welfare of society and the moral elevation of its various members, and in that light must not be ruthlessly condemned. But the principle was liable to abuse, and the mischiefs wrought by its abuse have been terrible. They have been the cause of conflict which will continue as long as the claim of Divine authority is made on the one hand, and the sense of a God-given right to individual freedom remains on the other. What is the mischief that we want to remedy? It is the belief in the Divine authority of that which is but human; and as a consequence, the separation of the human soul from personal and direct intercourse with God--the substitution, in short, of the human for the Divine. We have these objections to it which are fatal.

I. That it is false. It is sufficient to expose the fallacy of the argument by which the claim of Divine authority is defended. And nothing is easier than this. The Church of Rome asserts, without proof, that God Himself lived on earth in the Person of Jesus, who transmitted, or delegated, His Divine power and authority first to the apostles, and subsequently to the Church founded by them, and to every succeeding head or pope of that Church; and that this Divine authority extends to matters of faith, i.e. doctrines to be believed, to rites and ceremonies, and to discipline and morals. Over all these, at least, the authority of the Church is claimed to be identical with the authority of God. But when we reverently ask on what ground we must accept the alleged Divine authority of Jesus, in the first instance, we are distinctly told that we must take all that on the authority of the Church. This is arguing in a circle.

II. The claim is needless. That is to say, men would get on in all things good, in the attainment of truth, in the adoption of religious ceremonies, and in the practice of virtue, quite as well without a divinely instituted Church as with it. It is not hard to show that the absence of belief in the claim to Divine authority has not been generally followed by any detrimental results either to religion or virtue. What is true and good and useful is entirely discoverable without the aid of miraculous revelation. It may be argued, this claim is needful, because the mass of men will not, or cannot, think for themselves; and the vast majority crave for certainty in things Divine, which certainly they cannot attain without the intervention of a divinely appointed authority upon earth. Because men crave for an external authority in matters of faith and duty, does not involve that they really need the authority they desire. (Charles Voysey, B. A.)

A prayer for Divine enlightenment

The text expresses the sincere desire of every Christian. He feels that he needs a Divine Teacher to enable him to understand Divine truth and obey the Divine precepts. Hence he approaches the fountain of all wisdom with the prayer of the text.

I. A prayer for Divine enlightenment.

1. The importance of a knowledge of Gods ways.

2. A willingness to follow Divine teaching. Every Christian is a learner, conscious of his own ignorance, and anxious to be divinely taught, he is prepared to renounce everything in his creed and conduct not in harmony with the Word of God.

3. A willingness to obey Divine teachings. Lead me in Thy paths. We must first know Gods will, then do it.

II. God is the Teacher of His people. How does He teach? Human spirit can speak with human spirit. Who shall dare to say that the human spirit cannot be communicated with by the Divine?

1. By His Word.

2. By His Spirit.

3. By His providence.

III. The Psalmists method of obtaining the Divine teaching. On Thee do I wait all the day.

1. Wait humbly.

2. Wait earnestly.

3. Wait believingly.

4. Wait perseveringly.

5. Gods response to prayer is certain.

Let us have confidence in God. If the greatest Being deserves the profoundest reverence; if the kindest Being deserves the heartiest thanks; and if the best of Beings deserves the warmest love, then our highest reverence, thanks, and love are due to God. (H. Woodcock.)

Taught in Gods ways

In this verse are contained--

1. The Person whom he implores, Jehovah; whom he describeth, leading him, teaching him, receiving him in favour, and nourishing him (Psa_25:4-6; Psa_7:1-17).

2. What he seeks. Gods ways.

3. By what means? Teach me, and lead me.

4. The reason. Because Thou art my God, and I trust in Thee. So should pastors do. Who would be a good master, let him be a good apprentice; and this same should all private Christians desire, that God would teach them that way which will please Him best, even His own ways. (A. Symson.)

The knowledge of God in His ways

Two ways in which we may understand this Psalm. The writer may mean it as a prayer for direction, that he may be taught what to do, how to walk so as to please God. Or that God would declare Himself to the petitioner, and manifest to him what he is doing; that God would show His own ways to David, and teach him the issue of the hidden paths in which he was walking towards Him; not the paths the writer ought to follow, but those which the Almighty was pursuing. Consider this latter view. Such petitions and such complaints are common in the Scriptures, and natural to the heart of man. They are found in the secret thoughts, and not seldom in the expressed prayers of experienced and advanced Christians. Job was no common adept in the use of grace, and yet he earnestly begs, Show me wherefore Thou contendest with me. Jeremiah was a deeply exercised man, yet he could plainly perceive the difference in his own mind between belief and faith, between principle and practice. He says to God, Let me talk with Thee of Thy judgments. In the text the Psalmist appears to have the natural feeling more subdued. He cannot tell what God is doing. It is all dark and mysterious, and probably he thought that on that account he could not learn any lesson of wisdom from it: a conclusion which does by no means follow. It is not, Show me Thy way, O Lord, but ways; plural, not singular, not as though it were one and definite. What is mysterious, but intricate and manifold, often crossing one another, and apparently inexplicable, on account of seeming contradictions; not merely such as we do not understand on account of our ignorance, but such as seem impossible to be explained, because of their contrariety in themselves. And in very deed this is often the appearance of the ways of God. They are not only so plural, but so infinite in their plurality; so intertwined with and intersecting each other that there is reason to believe that if they were fully laid open to our view we would not be able to understand them, so intricate is their network. There is not a circumstance that occurs to ourselves or to others that is not an organised part of Gods instrumentality for bringing His purposes to pass. Consider the ways in which God deals with a soul in mercy.

1. In awakening, warning, and opening the eyes.

2. Gods ways in securing to Himself the heart of His child on earth are oftentimes perplexing. Discipline may succeed when love fails.

3. The ways in which a soul is led to feel after and find the Lord. No one can tell beforehand of another or of himself what will be the effective way, or what will fail.

4. It is the same in the teaching and building up of a soul. (G. Jeans, M. A.)

Davids desire in the time of trouble

I. The petition. David may have meant, Show me Thy ways, O Lord, in Thy providence. He may have wished a clearer insight into the great ways of God in His grace. He may have desired to know more distinctly the path in which he should walk. See how earnestly he urges his plea: he has every sort of motive in it. There is the plea of blindness, of ignorance, of utter weakness.

II. The plea.

1. Thou art the God of my salvation.

2. It is the God of my salvation.

3. He says, On Thee do I wait all the day, that is, throughout the whole day. Points for consideration. See what the true mark of a spiritual man is. See that Gods ways are always deep. His providence--how often it is intricate. The administrations of His grace--how profound they are.

4. See the humbleness of sanctified affliction. Sanctified affliction, because it is quite a mistake to suppose that all affliction is blessed to a child of God. It may ultimately tend to good, but there are many afflictions that are not immediate blessings to him. (J. H. Evans, M. A.)

O Lord, teach me Thy loaths.--

The Lords path

The wicked say to God, Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of Thy ways; the good man acknowledges God in everything, and he commits himself entirely to His guidance and guardian care.

I. The prayer. The subject of the prayer--Lords paths.

1. Paths of Divine providence. Often dark, mysterious--always wise and right and good.

2. Paths of grace. Way of holiness, happiness, etc. Way through the desert to Canaan. Sometimes obscure and clouded. Pillar of cloud necessary.

3. Paths of duty. Lord, what wouldest Thou have me to do? Duty and ease, duty and interest, duty and desires, often at variance.

The prayer itself is for Divine teaching--Lord, teach me. Here is an admission of ignorance, of insufficiency, of anxiety, and of application to the right source. Lord, teach me--

1. Clearly to understand Thy paths.

2. Heartily to approve of them.

3. Constantly to walk in them. Notice--

II. The importance of this prayer. It is important to our intellectual and spiritual improvement. To grow in knowledge, path shine more and more, etc. (2Pe_1:5). (J. Burns, D. D.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ver. 4. Shew me thy ways, O Lord. Unsanctified natures clamour for their own way, but gracious spirits cry, "Not my will, but thine be done." We cannot at all times discern the path of duty, and at such times it is our wisdom to apply to the Lord himself. Frequently the dealings of God with us are mysterious, and then also we may appeal to him as his own interpreter, and in due time he will make all things plain. Moral, providential and mental forms of guidance are all precious gifts of a gracious God to a teachable people. The second petition, teach me thy paths, appears to mean more than the first, and may be illustrated by the case of a little child who should say to his father, "Father, first tell me which is the way, and then teach my little trembling feet to walk in it." What weak dependent creatures we are! How constantly should we cry to the Strong for strength!

Ver. 4. Shew me thy ways, O Lord, etc. There are the "ways" of men, and the "ways"of God; the "paths" of sin, and the "paths" of righteousness: there are "thy ways, "and there are my ways; thine the ways of truth, mine the ways of error; thine which are good in thine eyes, and mine which are good in mine eyes; thine which lead to heaven, mine which lead to hell. Wherefore, Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths, lest I mistake mine own ways for thine; yea, lead me in the truth, and teach me, lest I turn out of thy ways into mine own: shew me thy ways, by the ministry of thy word; teach me thy paths, in the guidance of thy Spirit, "lead me in thy truth, "by the assistance of thy grace. Robert Mossom.

Ver. 4-5,9. Do what you know, and God will teach you what to do. Do what you know to be your present duty, and God will acquaint you with your future duty as it comes to be present. Make it your business to avoid known omissions, and God will keep you from feared commissions. This rule is of great moment, and therefore I will charge it upon you by express Scripture. Shew me thy ways, O Lord, i.e., those ways wherein I cannot err. Teach me thy paths, i.e., that narrow path which is too commonly unknown, those commands that are most strict and difficult,

Ver. 4. Practical divinity the best study; God the best teacher; Prayer the mode of entrance into the school.

Ver. 4-5. Shew. Teach. Lead. Three classes in the school of grace.

Psalms 25:5*

Ver. 4-5,9. See Psalms on "Ps 25:4" for further information.

Ver. 4-5. Shew. Teach. Lead. Three classes in the school of grace.

Ver. 4-5,9. See Psalms on "Ps 25:9" for further information.

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Psa 25:4. Show me thy ways, O Lord — That is, the way or thy precepts, what I ought to do in my circumstances and difficulties; by what methods I may obtain thy favour and help. Whatsoever thou doest with me, as to other things, grant me this favour, teach me my duty, and cause me to keep close to it, notwithstanding all temptations to the contrary. Reader, art thou a traveller to heaven? Remember, then, thou art in danger of being drawn aside and losing thy way. The way is marked out in the word of God, and to walk according to that is to walk in the way. God only can put thee in the way, and preserve and forward thee therein, for which purpose continue instant in prayer, after the example of David, to the God of thy salvation, that he would teach thee to know and do his will.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

25:4-7 In this prayer for guidance, compassion, and forgiveness, the psalmist turns to the Lord for instruction in wisdom. He confesses his past failures and acknowledges that his hope lies with his merciful Savior.

25:4-6 The right path, the path of wisdom (see 5:8), means being open to instruction that leads to life (27:11; 43:3; 73:24; 119:12).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Retain me in the faith of thy promise, that I swerve not on any side.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

On the ground of former favor, he invokes divine guidance, according to God's gracious ways of dealing and faithfulness.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 4. Show me thy ways] The psalmist wishes to know God's way, to be taught his path, and to be led into his truth. He cannot discern this way unless God show it; he cannot learn the path unless God teach it; and he cannot walk in God's truth unless God lead him: and even then, unless God continue to teach, he shall never fully learn the lessons of his salvation; therefore he adds, "Lead me in thy truth, and teach me;" Ps 25:5.

That he may get this showing, teaching, and leading, he comes to God, as the "God of his salvation;" and that he may not lose his labour, he "waits on him all the day." Many lose the benefit of their earnest prayers, because they do not persevere in them. They pray for a time; get remiss or discouraged; restrain prayer; and thus lose all that was already wrought for and in them.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. O Jehovah! make me to know thy ways. By the ways of the Lord, David sometimes means, as we have seen in another place, the happy and prosperous issue of affairs, but more frequently he uses this expression to denote the rule of a holy and righteous life. As the term truth occurs in the immediately following verse, the prayer which he offers up in this place is, in my opinion, to this effect: Lord, keep thy servant in the firm persuasion of thy promises, and do not suffer him to turn aside to the right hand or to the left. When our minds are thus composed to patience, we undertake nothing rashly or by improper means, but depend wholly upon the providence of God. Accordingly, in this place David desires not merely to be directed by the Spirit of God, lest he should err from the right way, but also that God would clearly manifest to him his truth and faithfulness in the promises of his word, that he might live in peace before him, and be free from all impatience. “Et sans estre trouble d’impatience.” — Fr.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

4. Shew me thy ways] Lit. make me to know thy ways: the prayer of Moses in a moment of perplexity (Exo_33:13). Cp. Psa_27:11. God’s ‘ways’ and ‘paths are the purposes and methods of His Providence; or more specifically, the course of life and conduct which He prescribes for men. Cp. Psa_27:11; Psa_143:8.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Show me thy ways, O Lord,.... Either those which the Lord himself took and walked in; as those of creation and providence, in which he has displayed his power, wisdom, and goodness; and which are desirable to be known by his people, and require divine instruction and direction; and particularly his ways of grace, mercy, and truth, and the methods he has taken for the salvation of his people, both in eternity and in time; or those ways which he orders and directs his people to walk in; namely, the paths of duty, the ways of his worship and ordinances; a greater knowledge of which good men desire to have, as well as more grace to enable them to walk more closely and constantly in them;

teach me thy paths; a petition the same with the other, in different words.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Show me thy ways, O Lord - The “ways” of God are His methods of administering the affairs of the world; His dispensations; the rules which He has prescribed for Himself in the execution of His plans; the great laws by which He governs the universe. Deu 32:4, “all his ways are judgment; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” The prayer of the psalmist is, that he may be able to understand the methods of the divine government; the principles upon which God bestows happiness and salvation; the rules which He has been pleased to prescribe for human conduct; the arrangements by which He confers favors upon mankind; the scheme by which He saves people. The idea evidently is that he might understand so much of this as to regulate his own conduct aright; that he might not lean upon his own understanding, or trust to His own guidance, but that He might always be under the guidance and direction of God.

Teach me thy paths - The paths which thou dost take; to wit, as before, in administering the affairs of the world. The prayer is expressive of a desire to be wholly under the direction of God.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Thy ways, i.e. the way of thy precepts, which I ought to do in my circumstances and difficulties; by what methods I may obtain thy favour and help. Whatsoever thou dost with me as to other things, grant me this favour, teach me my duty, and cause me to keep close to it, notwithstanding all temptations to the contrary.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

4. Show me thy ways—Thy methods of grace and judgment with man, thy plan of government and salvation. Knowing these, he desired to adjust himself to them, and act in harmony with God.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. An echo of the prayer of Moses when his people were rebellious at Sinai, (Exo_33:13) reiterated by David in Psa_27:11, and perhaps again in Psa_86:11. (see also Psa_119:33) Man is so wanting in spiritual understanding, so morally blind and ignorant, that, unless enlightened from on high, he cannot discern aright the "way of godliness;" he does not know at any given moment what God would have him to do. Hence it is the constant prayer of every religious man that God will "lighten his darkness;" "make his way plain before his face;" "show him the path that he should walk in;" enable him to see, if no more, at any rate the next step which it is his duty to take. The idea has been beautifully expressed by a modern poet"Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom Lead thou me on. The night is dark, and I am far from homo; Lead thou me on. Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene; one step enough for me.

Vers. 4, 5. "Show me thy ways," etc.

Prayer ought to be the most natural, as it is the noblest, form of speech. It would be if human nature were not off its balance, out of tune, morally crippled and disjointed. In extremity of peril or grief, the instinct of prayer often wakes up even in godless heartsAnd lips say, "God be merciful!" That ne"er said, "God be praised!

But no godless lips would be surprised by danger or stung by pain into uttering such a prayer as this. (Rom_8:26) The Book of Psalms abounds in prayers like this, or like vers. 6, 7, 11, which bear the stamp of the Holy Spirit"s teaching.

I THESE WORDS TEACH OUR URGENT NEED OF GOD"S TEACHING.

1. Concerning himself. Nature is a revelation of God; a lesson-book stored with Divine meaning. (Psa_19:1 Rom_1:19, Rom_1:20) His existence; his infinite wisdom and goodness in design, power in execution, ruling, upholding; unchanging faithfulness; these are lessons we may read, if we have eyes, in this glorious universe. But nature has no message to the individual; no answer to this petition, "Show me, teach me, lead me. " Like a machine, it is guided by fixed laws; all is universal, calculable, relentless. The knowledge of God the heart needs is personal. Does he care for me, love me, invite my love? Have I sinned against him? and, if so, will he pardon? Will he listen if! speak, answer if I pray? Is that Arctic creed true, that he "Sees with equal eye, as God of all, A hero perish or a sparrow fan"? Or that blessed faith, that, while not a sparrow dies without the will of my heavenly Father, I count for more in his reckoning "than many sparrows"?

2. Concerning curatives. Our life, duty, salvation. This is the teaching the psalmist asks for: "thy ways;" "thy paths;" "Lead me in thy truth." The revelation of Scripture in a sense resembles that of nature. It is universal for mankind. ("all nations," Mat_28:19 Luk_24:47) The individual soul needs more than revelation inspiration, the light and leading of the Holy Spirit.

II THIS DIVINE TEACHING IS TO BE SOUGHT AND OBTAINED BY PRAYER.

1. Not as a substitute for Scripture. The inward light is not to supersede the written Word. God has given us there, so far as words can convey it, all the knowledge we need of himself, and of our duty, salvation, and destiny.

2. Nor yet to make us independent of human teaching. God does not bestow equal light on all Christians; but larger, deeper, clearer knowledge and wisdom to some, that they may impart to others. A mind too proud to learn from man is not in a fit state to be taught of God. (1Co_12:8 Eph_4:11, Eph_4:12)

3. But the capacity to apprehend Divine truth is from God. So is a right disposition of heart faith, humility, sympathy, desire for holiness, love God. The Bible is a sealed book to the understanding as long as the heart is closed against the gospel. (Mat_13:13-15 1Jn_2:20, 1Jn_2:27) The Spirit of God can teach us more in a single verse or sentence of a sermon, book, or letter, than we can gain without his teaching from whole volumes, (Act_16:14 1Th_1:5)

Remark: This truth is vital to Protestantism. Private judgment apart from Divine teaching would mean only the right to err. Daily experience shows the adequacy of the Scriptures, studied with earnest prayer for the Holy Spirit apart from human teaching, to convert the heart and bless and guide the life. (Joh_6:45) Without such prayer and Divine teaching the most learned biblical scholar may utterly fail to reach the hidden heart of Scripture.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Teach - Teach me my duty, and cause me to keep close to it, notwithstanding all temptations.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Recognising the infamy of such black ingratitude, he prays for instruction as to the ways which he must take according to the precepts of God (Psa 18:22). The will of God, it is true, lies before us in God's written word, but the expounder required for the right understanding of that word is God Himself. He prays Him for knowledge; but in order to make what he knows a perfect and living reality, he still further needs the grace of God, viz., both His enlightening and also His guiding grace.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

4. Thy ways, Jehovah, make me know; thy paths teach me. As the ways of God, throughout this psalm, are the same as in Deu 32:4, namely his dispensations towards his people, the way in which he orders their condition and disposes of their lot, the teaching prayed for must be that of experience. "Let me know in my own case what it is to be guided and protected and provided for by God himself." This meaning suits the context better than that of moral guidance, which however is implied, if not expressed.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Make known to me your ways, Yahweh; teach me your paths

Both statements mean the same thing. God teaching a person how they should behave is spoken of as if he were showing a person the correct path on which a person should travel. (See: Parallelism and Metaphor)

I hope in you

"I depend on you" or "I wait patiently for you"

Guide me into your truth and teach me

Guide and teach mean the same thing, to give instruction. AT: "Instruct me to conduct my life by obeying your truth" (See: Doublet)

the God of my salvation

The abstract noun "salvation" can be stated as "saves." AT: "the one who saves me" (See: Abstract Nouns)

translationWords

know

true

God

save

hope

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.