Psalm 25:6-11 “LORD, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times. Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, LORD. Good and upright is the LORD, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way. He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way. All the paths of the LORD are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For your name’s sake, LORD, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.”

David identifies some important characteristics of God: He is merciful, loving, good and upright. His love and mercy make it possible for us to seek forgiveness, and His goodness and righteousness guide us in the way we should live. If we submit to Him we can be assured of direction and pardon, even though our sins are great.

For additional worship: Evening Hymn (Thomas Ken)

Psalm 25:1-5 “By David. To you, LORD, I lift up my soul. My God, I have trusted in you. Don’t let me be shamed. Don’t let my enemies triumph over me. Yes, no one who waits for you will be shamed. They will be shamed who deal treacherously without cause. Show me your ways, LORD. Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. I wait for you all day long.”

In an acrostic Psalm each verse in the Hebrew begins with the succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. There are a few exceptions here, but the basic format of Psalm 25 is an acrostic Psalm. In today’s verses, David reminds us that anyone who lifts up their soul to God and waits on Him won’t be ashamed. Waiting on God means praying to Him. Trusting Him. Following Him. Hoping in Him. And, perhaps most importantly, having a teachable and patient heart.

For additional worship: My Faith Looks up to Thee

Psalm 24:7-10 “Lift up your heads, you gates! Be lifted up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in. Who is the King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; yes, lift them up, you everlasting doors, and the King of glory will come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of Armies is the King of glory! Selah.”

Some commentators think that this Psalm may have been written to celebrate the coming of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem:

2 Samuel 6:12-15 “King David was told, ‘The LORD has blessed the house of Obed-Edom, and all that belongs to him, because of God’s ark.’ So David went and brought up God’s ark from the house of Obed-Edom into David’s city with joy. When those who bore the LORD’s ark had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened calf. David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was clothed in a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the LORD’s ark with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.”

The imagery here is of a majestic God so awesome that the gates and doors have to be raised and lifted up just so that He can enter! He is the Lord of armies! He is strong and mighty! He is the King of Glory!

For additional worship: Glory Be to God the Father (feat. Katy Bowser)

Psalm 24:1-6 “A Psalm by David. The earth is the LORD’s, with its fullness; the world, and those who dwell in it. For he has founded it on the seas, and established it on the floods. Who may ascend to the LORD’s hill? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek your face—even Jacob. Selah.”

God is the creator, and He should be sought after, clung to, worshiped and praised. Just like Jacob did!

Genesis 32:24-28 “Jacob was left alone, and wrestled with a man there until the breaking of the day. When he saw that he didn’t prevail against him, the man touched the hollow of his thigh, and the hollow of Jacob’s thigh was strained as he wrestled. The man said, ‘Let me go, for the day breaks.’ Jacob said, ‘I won’t let you go unless you bless me.’ He said to him, ‘What is your name?’ He said, ‘Jacob’. He said, ‘Your name will no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have fought with God and with men, and have prevailed.’”

The problem is, none of us deserve to ascend His hill and be with Him. None of us are clean, pure, trustworthy, and true. That’s why we need grace. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. When we know Jesus we can come to God and worship Him!

Hebrews 10:19-23 “Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and having a great priest over God’s house, let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our body washed with pure water, let’s hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.”

For additional worship: Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us (4Him)

Psalm 23:1-6 “A Psalm by David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. Surely goodness and loving kindness shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the LORD’s house forever.”

Jesus describes Himself as our shepherd when we believe in Him. As our shepherd He provides for us, guides us, restores us, comforts us, and protects us from death. Even though death is a valley, it is still only a shadow, because God has promised that we will be His forever. Our blessings truly overflow!

John 10:11-16 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd.”

For additional worship: He Leadeth Me | Reawaken Hymns | Official Lyric Video

Psalm 22:25-31 “My praise of you comes in the great assembly. I will pay my vows before those who fear him. The humble shall eat and be satisfied. They shall praise the LORD who seek after him. Let your hearts live forever. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD. All the relatives of the nations shall worship before you. For the kingdom is the LORD’s. He is the ruler over the nations. All the rich ones of the earth shall eat and worship. All those who go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he who can’t keep his soul alive. Posterity shall serve him. Future generations shall be told about the Lord. They shall come and shall declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born, for he has done it.”

God’s salvation results in our praise and service. That praise and service results in others turning to Him. He is ruler of the nations, and all who follow Him (past, present, and future) will be a part of the glorious feast in his future kingdom!

“For He has done it” could also be understood to mean “it is finished.” If that understanding is correct, then Jesus doesn’t just quote the beginning of this Psalm on the cross, but the end as well. The entirety of the Psalm then speaks not only to Jesus’ suffering and ultimate vindication, but His willingness to follow God’s plan regardless of the cost. Do we have that same zeal?

For additional worship: Christ the Lord is Risen Today | Reawaken Hymns

Psalm 22:16-24 “For dogs have surrounded me. A company of evildoers have enclosed me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all of my bones. They look and stare at me. They divide my garments amongst them. They cast lots for my clothing. But don’t be far off, LORD. You are my help. Hurry to help me! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog. Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. I will declare your name to my brothers. Amongst the assembly, I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.”

I made a slight error with yesterday’s passage. I juxtaposed the second part of Psalm 21 with the second part of Psalm 22 and had verses 8-13 instead of 9-15. It has now been remedied, but I’ll mention verse 15 here to comment on it:

“My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.”

The Psalmist reminds us of God’s sovereignty here. God either decrees or allows. Either way it’s because he wants us to grow and mature as a result of our life experiences. And here we see the Psalmist’s response. There has been doubt and fear coupled with trust and acceptance. But ultimately there is joy and praise, with a cry for all to glorify God and stand in awe of him, because God hears prayer!

Jesus’ initial cry on the cross should be taken seriously. He was in pain and experiencing great torment. However, we can’t separate it from the context of the rest of the Psalm. Psalm 22 is a reminder of the ups and downs of life, and the need to cry out to God in the midst of it. It is a reminder that God is always with us, that there is purpose in all things, and that He always hears our prayers!

“For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.“

Did you catch the references to the crucifixion in this portion of the Psalm?

“They have pierced my hands and feet.“

“They divide my garments amongst them. They cast lots for my clothing.“

For additional worship: When I Survey The Wondrous Cross Lyric – Keith & Kristyn Getty

Psalm 22:9-15 “But you brought me out of the womb. You made me trust while at my mother’s breasts. I was thrown on you from my mother’s womb. You are my God since my mother bore me. Don’t be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is no one to help. Many bulls have surrounded me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. They open their mouths wide against me, lions tearing prey and roaring. I am poured out like water. All my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax. It is melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd. My tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You have brought me into the dust of death.”

There is a great reminder here. God knows His own from the very beginning. We are His and we should trust Him and rely on Him at all times, but especially when we’re in trouble!

Psalm 119:13-16 “For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well. My frame wasn’t hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them.”

For additional worship: O Sacred Head Now Wounded (First Call)

Psalm 22:1-8 “For the Chief Musician; set to ‘The Doe of the Morning.’ A Psalm by David. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning? My God, I cry in the daytime, but you don’t answer; in the night season, and am not silent. But you are holy, you who inhabit the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in you. They trusted, and you delivered them. They cried to you, and were delivered. They trusted in you, and were not disappointed. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see me mock me. They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying, ‘He trusts in the LORD. Let him deliver him. Let him rescue him, since he delights in him.’ “

Psalm 22 is Messianic and is both quoted by Jesus and references His time on the cross.

Matthew 27:46 “About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?’ That is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ ”

Luke 23:35-36 “The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!’ ”

Although Jesus’ initial quote of this Psalm does seem to indicate the heartache and despair that he felt, there is more to it than that. The Psalm itself moves between doubt and despair, and we see significant expressions of faith in it. It should remind us of a couple of things. First, that the anguish Jesus experienced on the cross was absolutely real. Second, that even in the midst of incredible pain and suffering, Jesus knew why it was happening and still trusted and believed. And third, that expressing our doubts and fears to God can help us move to faith.

For additional worship: Death of a son (Lyrics) by Michael Card

Psalm 21:8-13 “Your hand will find out all of your enemies. Your right hand will find out those who hate you. You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger. The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath. The fire shall devour them. You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from amongst the children of men. For they intended evil against you. They plotted evil against you which cannot succeed. For you will make them turn their back, when you aim drawn bows at their face. Be exalted, LORD, in your strength, so we will sing and praise your power.”

God has helped His people in the past, and He will continue to help them in the future. He will destroy their enemies, He will preserve their king, and He is the one who should be exalted!

When we recite this psalm we should remember that: (1) we are God’s, (2) that He watches over us, (3) that we will be a part of His kingdom forever, (4) that one day evil will be destroyed, (5) that David’s victorious kingdom is a foreshadowing of the kingdom of Jesus Christ that is yet to come, and (6) that we need to praise God for what He has done and will do for us!

For additional worship: Crown Him With Many Crowns | Reawaken Hymns | Official Lyric Video