Single lesson
Psalm 25: To You I Lift Up My Soul
Psalms 25:1–22
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.
Before you teach
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.
Describe the central teaching of Psalm 25: To You I Lift Up My Soul, using two details from the reading. Psalm 25 shows a worshipper bringing trust, repentance, need and waiting before Yahweh while asking to be taught his way.
Welcome: Psalm 25: To You I Lift Up My Soul
4 minIntroduce “To You I Lift Up My Soul” and locate Psalms 25:1–22. Psalm 25 shows a worshipper bringing trust, repentance, need and waiting before Yahweh while asking to be taught his way. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Psalms 25:1, Psalms 25:12, Psalms 25:22
Read and explain the passage
8 minThe 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.
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.
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.
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “To You I Lift Up My Soul”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Psalms 25:1, Psalms 25:2, Psalms 25:3, Psalms 25:8, Psalms 25:9, Psalms 25:10, Psalms 25:11, Psalms 25:15, Psalms 25:16, Psalms 25:17, Psalms 25:18, Psalms 25:19, Psalms 25:20, Psalms 25:21, Psalms 25:22
Discuss the details and their meaning
6 minUse the three questions below. Begin with “What words show that the speaker wants guidance, not only rescue?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. Psalm 25 shows a worshipper bringing trust, repentance, need and waiting before Yahweh while asking to be taught his way. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Psalms 25:4, Psalms 25:5, Psalms 25:9, Psalms 25:12, Psalms 25:7, Psalms 25:11, Psalms 25:18, Psalms 25:16, Psalms 25:17, Psalms 25:19, Psalms 25:22
Make and respond: Words and images response sheet
9 minWork on “Psalm 25: To You I Lift Up My Soul: Words and images response sheet”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “To You I Lift Up My Soul” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Psalms 25:1, Psalms 25:12, Psalms 25:22
Closing: return to To You I Lift Up My Soul
3 minRevisit Psalms 25:1–22. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about To You I Lift Up My Soul and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Psalms 25:1, Psalms 25:12, Psalms 25:22
Questions to explore
What 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.
Psalms 25:4, Psalms 25:5, Psalms 25:9, Psalms 25:12
How 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.
Psalms 25:7, Psalms 25:11, Psalms 25:18
How 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.
Psalms 25:16, Psalms 25:17, Psalms 25:19, Psalms 25:22
Make, think or respond
Psalm 25: To You I Lift Up My Soul: Words and images response sheet
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- coloured pencils or crayons
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “A repeated word or image”, “Its verse reference”, “What it expresses”.
- Read Psalms 25:1–22. Use “To You I Lift Up My Soul” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Talk through your notes with an adult. Add a word, drawing or short quotation that helps you remember each part.
- Choose one image and add a short written response or a simple drawing. Explain how it connects with the passage.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Psalm 25: To You I Lift Up My Soul connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, read the selected verses aloud, prepare the three panels and let them respond with drawings or a few words. Use To You I Lift Up My Soul as the retelling prompt.
- For older children, add verse references to the response sheet and explain a connection between To You I Lift Up My Soul and the final part of the reading.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Psalms 25:1–22. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 25
1 To you, Yahweh, I lift up my soul.
2 My God, I have trusted in you. Don’t let me be shamed. Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.
3 Yes, no one who waits for you will be shamed. They will be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.
4 Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. I wait for you all day long.
6 Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.
7 Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, Yahweh.
8 Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
9 He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
10 All the paths of Yahweh are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
11 For your name’s sake, Yahweh, pardon my iniquity, for it is great.
12 What man is he who fears Yahweh? He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.
13 His soul will dwell at ease. His offspring will inherit the land.
14 The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.
15 My eyes are ever on Yahweh, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.
16 Turn to me, and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses.
18 Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins.
19 Consider my enemies, for they are many. They hate me with cruel hatred.
20 Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.
22 God, redeem Israel out of all his troubles.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.