1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;
     2 in you I trust, O my God.
     Do not let me be put to shame,
     nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one whose hope is in you
     will ever be put to shame,
but they will be put to shame
     who are treacherous without excuse.

4 Show me your ways, O LORD,
     teach me your paths;
5 guide me in your truth and teach me,
     for you are God my Savior,
     and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love,
     for they are from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth
     and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
     for you are good, O LORD.

8 Good and upright is the LORD;
     therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
     and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
     for those who keep the demands of his covenant.
Psalm 25:1-10 (NIV)

This is one of many of the Psalms that causes me to want to burst into song when I read it. That is because I first learned this Psalm as a song. And isn’t that so appropriate, since the book of Psalms has been a book of songs from the very beginning.

Singing this Psalm is a beautiful way to remind oneself of God’s faithfulness. I can lift up my soul to him and put my trust in him. I cannot be put to shame if I am living wholeheartedly for him– because by doing so I would not allow myself to do something to be ashamed of. As I sing this Psalm to God I am asking him to guide my steps because he is my Savior in whom I have hope.

I can only smile to myself as I read verse 7 (the song ended before this verse.) What a blessing that the “sins of my youth and my rebellious ways” can be put behind us because of Jesus’ great sacrifice made in my behalf.

Verse 9 tells us “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.” Lord give me a humble heart. Strip away the pride that wants to get in the way, that I may have a teachable spirit and may walk more faithfully in your way. Thank you that I can trust you to humble me because all your ways are loving and faithful for those who walk in your ways.

Copyright © 2008 by Janice Green

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.