“Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose. They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land. The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare.”
- Psalm 25:12-15 -

Psalm 25 is one of the few patterned acrostic psalms, with each verse beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Here is real effort in design. How often do we hastily throw prayer ideas together?

There’s anguish as the psalmist speaks about his enemies (v 2), his sins (vs 7,11), his loneliness and afflictions (vs 16,18). Its raw honesty gives this psalm a treasured place in Scripture, encouraging us to be real with God. Its carefully ordered prayer challenges our often hasty superficiality. Yes, he needs so much from God: deliverance, because his enemies have power over him and he doesn’t want to be put to shame (v 2); guidance because he knows the importance of following God’s path (v 4) and walking in it (vs 8,9,12); forgiveness for sin which goes right back to his youth (v 7) and which he admits is very great (v 11).

What lifts this psalm are the affirmations about God in every verse. The writer knows that God can hear and answer because he is Savior (v 5). Look at God’s attributes of mercy, love, goodness, uprightness, faithfulness – all promised in his covenant with believers. God’s steadfast love (vs 6,7,10) remains sure and changes everything. Prosperity in verse 13 is not worldly wealth, but God’s promise for the future of his people. Through it all the psalmists ‘eyes are ever on the Lord’ (v 15) who, in spite of all his troubles, will guard and rescue him (v 20).

Prayer: Lord, you have been so faithful to me in the past. Today my heart is running over with praises to you for hearing and answering my prayers, and seeing me through hard times.

(from Encounter with God)