David’s Three Pleas

Psalm 25:2 – David wants protection from his enemies

David’s plea starts with bringing the immediate need to God’s feet. In his plea he appeals to Jehovah and to Elohim– to the God of covenant and the God of creation. He lifts the name of God high and puts him in the correct place. God is the God that keeps His Word, and can keep it because He made all things. What comfort it must give David to realize that all things are in God’s control!

I can remember how it was when I was dating, and there were many times when I wondered if God would ever bless me with a wife. In His time, He did. It’s easy to say that– but not so easy and you beg and plead with the Lord for Him to just show you who it is. You get impatient. You wonder why God doesn’t just send a note from the sky to show you who the right girl is. You beg and pray for the girl you are dating to be the one so that you don’t have to date any others. There are many things that happen when we do not have our focus right– that God is Sovereign and in control.

Psalm 25:4 – David is looking for direction

David wanted to be piloted. He wanted God to lead him in the right way. He desired something that we say we desire, but too often mean just the opposite. We want God to go our way; we want Him to conform to our will.

David was a man that realized what happens when we choose our way rather than God’s way. He chose to stay home from battle, to have an affair with Bathsheba and to kill her husband. He was reaping the folly of his will, and so he begs for God’s will.

David was willing to be led wherever that took him. God is not in the habit of handing out travelers brochures. He does not promise an easy life, but He does promise to be with you through it. He does not promise glory in this present life, but promises life eternal with Him in Heaven. He does not hide that it takes work. He told us that it was a narrow way. He told us to take up our cross daily. He told us that he who gives up his life shall find it.

We have the attitude that we will look and see what ministry has to offer us and choose based on what I can get out of it instead of doing it because it is what God wants us to do. Again, we say we want God’s will, but we merrily go about our business choosing what we think is best for us. David, speaking in Psalm 25 was not like this– and he gave us the key to God’s will– being in the Word. It’s as if God is saying “You see this book? Get into it and I’ll lead you.”

David was not impatient, though, and realized that many times the journey is more important than the destination. He says that he’ll wait all the day for Him. God is never in a hurry. Often He will make us wait and wait before finally making the path clear. God does things on His schedule.

Quoting from John Phillips:

That is where most of us break down; we are impatient so we act without God’s guidance and then complain when things go wrong.
Often when facing an important decision we will find that everything is cloudy at first. Guidance will come only as we wait. It is Satan who says: “Hurry! Act now! It’s now or never! If you miss this you’ll miss God’s will.” Satan guides by impulse; God guides us as we wait.

God wants us to grow in dependence on Him. He wants our body, mind and soul, and is carefully directing us toward the way in which we should go.

Psalm 25:6 – David is looking for the Lord’s pardon

This is the first recorded instance of confession in the Psalms. He realized that God does not hear the prayer of the unrepentant heart, and one cannot seek direction of Him without repentance. David pleads God’s mercy and His loving-kindness.