Psalm 25:1-9 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 25:1-9 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
Verse 2O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.
Verse 3Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame; let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.
Verse 4Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.
Verse 5Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long.
Verse 6Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.
Verse 7Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness' sake, O Lord!
Verse 8Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
Verse 9He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
Devotion
David’s Psalm is a good lection for today, Shrove Tuesday. Also known as “Fat Tuesday,” the day has been sullied by bawdy Mardi Gras carnival excesses – making this Psalm’s theme of guidance and forgiveness all the more appropriate as we prepare to enter the penitential season of Lent tomorrow.
The psalmist strikes a hopeful mixture of lament and confidence we would do well to emulate. He gathers all his life’s sins into a confessional inventory. Dragging one’s guilt along through life like so much putrid garbage is not a helpful act of piety. This psalm moves from confession to guidance to confidence of forgiveness.
David’s claim on God’s steadfast love invites all believers to experience freedom from besetting sins. To stand as one forgiven opens the humble way to a resplendent life for the believer as God’s love is emulated in steadfast acts of love and faithfulness.
Prayer
Hear us, O Living One, in each prayer, spoken and unspoken, as our hands reach out toward you. Confirm to us the sureness and greatness of your grace. And so take the dullness of our souls away. Amen.