Psalm 25

Teach Me Your Ways

¹To you, O Lord , I will lift up my soul.

²In you I have trusted, O my God.

Do not let me be put to shame.

Do not let my enemies triumph over me.

³All who hope in you will never be put to shame,

but those who are treacherous for no reason will be put to shame.

⁴Make known to me your ways, O Lord .

Teach me your paths.

⁵Make me walk in your truth and teach me,

because you are the God who saves me.

In you I hope all day long.

⁶Remember, O Lord , your compassion and your mercy,

for they are from eternity.

⁷Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways.

According to your mercy remember me,

because of your goodness, O Lord .

⁸Good and upright is the Lord .

Therefore, he instructs sinners in the right way.

⁹He directs the humble to what is just,

and he teaches the humble his way.

¹⁰All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth

for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

¹¹For the sake of your name, O Lord ,

you forgive my guilt, although it is great.

¹²Who, then, is the man who fears the Lord ?

The Lord will instruct him in the way he chooses.

¹³That man will enjoy a good life,

and his descendants will possess the land.

¹⁴The guidance of the Lord is with those who fear him.[#25:14 The Hebrew word used here implies the kind of advice given by a close friend and confidant.]

His covenant will give them knowledge.

¹⁵My eyes are always on the Lord ,

because he frees my feet from the net.

¹⁶Turn toward me and be gracious to me,

because I am lonely and afflicted.

¹⁷The distress of my heart increases.[#25:17 Or, following an alternate reading of the Hebrew, relieve the distress of my heart]

Bring me out of my anguish.

¹⁸See my affliction and my trouble,

and take away all my sins.

¹⁹See my enemies

—how they have increased,

and how violently they hate me!

²⁰Guard my life and rescue me.

Do not let me be put to shame,

for I have taken refuge in you.

²¹May integrity and uprightness protect me,

because I wait for you.

²²Redeem Israel, O God, from all its distress!