Read & explore together
To You I Lift Up My Soul
Psalm 25 is a prayer-song of trust, learning and mercy. The speaker turns to Yahweh, asks for guidance and forgiveness, and keeps praying through trouble until the song widens into a prayer for Israel.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
This psalm speaks directly to Yahweh. It asks for help with shame, enemies, sin, affliction and distress, and it also describes Yahweh as good, upright, merciful and truthful. The poem moves between personal prayer and statements about the kind of people Yahweh teaches and helps.
Psalms 25:1–22Main takeaway
Psalm 25 shows a worshipper bringing trust, repentance, need and waiting before Yahweh while asking to be taught his way.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Trust instead of shameThe song opens by lifting the soul to Yahweh and declaring trust in him. The speaker asks not to be shamed or defeated by enemies.
Explanation
The song opens by lifting the soul to Yahweh and declaring trust in him. The speaker asks not to be shamed or defeated by enemies. The prayer then broadens: those who wait for Yahweh will not be shamed, but those who deal treacherously without cause will be shamed.
02Teach me and remember mercyThe speaker asks Yahweh to show his ways, teach his paths and guide in truth. Yahweh is called the God of salvation, so the speaker waits for him all day.
Explanation
The speaker asks Yahweh to show his ways, teach his paths and guide in truth. Yahweh is called the God of salvation, so the speaker waits for him all day. The prayer then asks Yahweh to remember his ancient mercies, not the sins and transgressions of youth.
03Yahweh teaches sinners and the humbleYahweh is described as good and upright, and therefore willing to instruct sinners. He guides the humble in justice and teaches them his way.
Explanation
Yahweh is described as good and upright, and therefore willing to instruct sinners. He guides the humble in justice and teaches them his way. His paths are loving kindness and truth to those who keep his covenant and testimonies. The speaker still asks pardon for great iniquity.
04Those who fear YahwehThe psalm asks who fears Yahweh, then answers that Yahweh will instruct such a person in the chosen way.
Explanation
The psalm asks who fears Yahweh, then answers that Yahweh will instruct such a person in the chosen way. The psalm adds that his soul will dwell at ease, his offspring will inherit the land, and Yahweh’s friendship and covenant are with those who fear him.
05Distress, integrity and IsraelWith eyes on Yahweh, the speaker asks to be rescued from the net. The prayer names desolation, affliction and enlarged troubles of the heart, and asks for forgiveness, deliverance and protection from many enemies.
Explanation
With eyes on Yahweh, the speaker asks to be rescued from the net. The prayer names desolation, affliction and enlarged troubles of the heart, and asks for forgiveness, deliverance and protection from many enemies. It also asks that integrity and uprightness preserve the speaker while waiting, then ends by asking God to redeem Israel.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What words show that the speaker wants guidance, not only rescue?
Look for the repeated requests about ways, paths, truth and teaching across the opening half of the psalm.
02How does the psalm speak about both sin and mercy?
Notice the request not to remember youthful sins, the plea for pardon of great iniquity, and the request to forgive all sins.
03How does the ending combine personal need with a wider prayer?
The speaker asks for help with affliction, distress and enemies, then finishes by praying for Israel out of all his troubles.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 25:1–22
1To you, Yahweh, I lift up my soul.
2My God, I have trusted in you. Don’t let me be shamed. Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.
3Yes, no one who waits for you will be shamed. They will be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.
4Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths.
5Guide me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. I wait for you all day long.
6Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.
7Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, Yahweh.
8Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
9He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
10All the paths of Yahweh are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11For your name’s sake, Yahweh, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
12What man is he who fears Yahweh? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.
13His soul will dwell at ease. His offspring will inherit the land.
14The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.
15My eyes are ever on Yahweh, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16Turn to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.
17The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses.
18Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins.
19Consider my enemies, for they are many. They hate me with cruel hatred.
20Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.
21Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
22God, redeem Israel out of all his troubles.