May 15, 2023 -- Psalm 25:1-7 -- The Psalm Series: Facing our own broken, faithless condition

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Of David.
25 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
    let me not be put to shame;
    let not my enemies exult over me.
3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame;
    they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
    teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all the day long.
6 Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love,
    for they have been from of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your steadfast love remember me,
    for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!
Psalm 25:1-7 ESV

Psalm 24 was a soaring hymn of blessing and praise to Jesus, the King of Glory, Who has become our righteousness and salvation. Now David is back to a penitential psalm. That is, he is he has once again recognized his need for this King of Glory to clothe him in righteousness because David is aware of his troubles, his dire circumstances, and his sinfulness. So he is confessing his need for the LORD's mercy and calling out for it based on his knowledge of the Father's steadfast love.

As a child in church I always used to wonder “why do the ministers spend so much time talking about sin?” As an adult I understand. Sins must be exposed. First, because we sin so much. There are intentional sins to be confessed. Second, there are habitual sins. They seem to pop up again and again. Third, there are the things we know are good and we neglect to do. Fourth, there are sins connected with the community of faith to which we belong and we are not protesting these or are participating in them. (Believe me, this is just a partial list!)

The LORD our God is perfect. Holy. Just. The more a believer draws close to Him by the Spirit’s work in his heart, the more a believer realizes, I am not like Jesus! So the believer, aware of his sin, confesses his need for Jesus. Throws himself on the “steadfast love” of the LORD. That expression “steadfast love” is used twice in our short reading. It is the covenant lovingkindness of God that will not let us go. He knows our neediness. He knows we are sinful. He knows the only way we could ever approach Him is if He had first moved on our behalf and given us salvation in Jesus Christ.

Dear fellow believer, confess your sins, with the full assurance God is inviting you to find freedom from them. Be assured of the steadfast love of God, the Father, Who has reconciled you to Himself through Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Trust in the forgiving love of God the Father which is given through Jesus so that in reliance on the Holy Spirit you walk in newness of life. As your new life takes hold, you see new layers of neediness, sinfulness, and areas to be confessed, such areas, once recognized and confessed allow for ever deeper fellowship with God our Father. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Our Father in heaven hallowed be Your Name. Hear our prayers of confession. It is only as we read the Bible and are held in place by Your Spirit's power, that we begin to glimpse the stagnant pools of faithlessness which cover vast areas of our inner life, our hearts and actions. The more Your Spirit shows us such things, the more we either confess them and draw closer to Jesus--which is what You'd always intended for us--or we get hard-hearted and cold. Revive us, O God of glory, revive us again so that we will run to You, receiving Your steadfast love and healing mercy. Drain these stagnant pools and slimy ponds so that we will be filled with the Living Water of Jesus Christ and His righteousness. Instruct us in Your way, lead us, newly humbled as we are, in Your way. Amen.

https://youtu.be/VN4N7hOMvTk Gaither Vocal Band “Revive us Again”

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