10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Hide
Thinking about God's kindness, the psalmist exclaims: "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth..." Today, it is more difficult for us to accept this fact. We see in other psalms and other places of the Old Testament the wrath of God, and His threats, but it seems the psalmist is right here, because God's wrath and warnings are an expression of the genuineness of His love towards us.
One more consideration. Maybe you would have another impression, but I met many time people, who having found in the Bible God’s promise of something good, for those who make good things, ask at once the question: "and if we don’t do anything good, God won’t give anything? " Surprising is above all the will to fit on oneself injustice, "what is bad" and hence "to verify" what will result from it. It is not excluded that this temptation, by which the serpent tempted Eve (Gen. 3) "work" exactly like this.
And perhaps, behind this question stands an invincible will to receive something "free of charge", without trying hard. One would think, if the payment is ok with you, why don’t you just work? But we, instead of doing our work, we look at others – if they succeeded to receive the same, but with few efforts, and, if yes, we perceive it as a terrible injustice towards us. On this same human phenomenon is the famous parable of Jesus (Matt. 20:16), isn’t it?
Other notes
For Psa 25:1-12
1 Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
8 Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
12 What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
Hide
Can everyone say with confidence that they are ready to stand before the Lord? Who among us would dare call their way blameless?...
Read more
Can everyone say with confidence that they are ready to stand before the Lord? Who among us would dare call their way blameless?
Yet the psalmist boldly declares his readiness to stand before God's judgment. He cites examples of his own integrity and hopes that his righteousness will vindicate him.
At first glance, such confidence may seem like excessive self-regard. But if we read the lines of the psalm carefully, we will see that the psalmist does not rely solely on his own merits. Indeed, he asks the Lord to forgive his sin precisely because it is great.
His confidence that, with the Lord's help, our earthly paths will be set right and that we ourselves will be delivered from the power of sin and saved is rooted in hope in the Lord and in His boundless mercy.