"All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep His covenants and His testimonies."
Psalm 25:10
Psalm 25 is one of the “nine acrostic psalms (9, 10, 25, 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, and 145)” [1] in the Book of Psalms. Boice gives three reasons for writing a psalm in acrostic form.
1. To add beauty and form to the Psalm.
2. It gives the sense that the subject is covered entirely, “from A to Z.”
3. It helps to learn and memorize the Psalm.
In this Psalm of David, we see him “lift up” his soul to the LORD because of those enemies who want to “triumph over” him (vv. 1-7). Then David proclaims the LORD is “good and upright” to those who focus on Him and are “meek” (humble) and that “fear the LORD” (vv. 8-14). He ends the Psalm by keeping his eyes on the LORD despite his affliction, trouble and distress, and pain (vv. 15-22). David will keep “trusting in the LORD.” He waits for the LORD. And he prays for God to “redeem Israel” “out of all his troubles.” Today we will briefly examine how God cares for the humble (v. 10).
“All the paths of the LORD.”
The word picture here in the Hebrew text is of the wagon ruts cut into the path long used by oxen and carts as they pass over “the same ground” [2] (Clarke).
“In the Hebrew, I find the word here used is ‘wheel tracks,’ such ruts as wagons make when they go down our green roads in wet weather and sink in up to the axles. God’s ways are at times like heavy wagon tracks, and they cut deep into our souls, yet they are all of them mercy” [3] (Spurgeon).
To the believer, what are these wagon ruts that “cut deep into our souls?” They –
“Are mercy and truth.”
God’s paths for His child are “mercy and truth!” What a blessed way to travel through this life. The LORD promised Moses many years before this that He has plenty of both.
“And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6).
“mercy and truth” – “God’s grace in promising and faithfulness in performing” [4] (JFB).
His mercy is His “goodness, kindness, and faithfulness” [5] (BDB). We often see this called His “lovingkindness.” This “describes God as absolutely dependable to fulfill His promises” [6] (FSB). And then His truth is His “firmness, faithfulness, and truth” [7] (BDB).
“Mercy and truth are the paths in which God constantly walks in reference to the children of men; and so frequently does he show them mercy, and so frequently does he fulfill his truth that his paths are earnestly discerned. How frequent, how deeply indented, and how multiplied are those tracks to every family and individual!” [8] (Clarke).
Believers, the life rule for us is to stay the course, stick to His path, no detours, no delays, and keep walking with Him!
“This is a rule without an exception. God is good to those that be good. Mercy and faithfulness shall abound towards those who through mercy are made faithful” [9] (Spurgeon).
“Unto such as keep His covenant.”
His paths aren’t for just anyone, but for His children, those who obey His Word.
“To those who are His friends; to those who are faithful to Him. This expression is often used to denote those who are the true people of God” [10] (Barnes).
“The word ‘covenant’ here is equivalent to ‘command or law,’ and the idea is that if they keep His laws, they will find Him to be merciful and true” [11] (Barnes).
“In all His dealings with those who ‘keep His covenant,’ He shows Himself to be at the same time merciful and true: compassionate toward their errors; faithful to His own promises” [12] (Barnes).
This is another reason that we need Him!
“And His testimonies.”
God’s testimonies are true, and they are to be kept! We keep His testimonies by keeping His Word.
“The word ‘testimony’ in the Scripture, in this connection, refers to that to which God bears witness as ‘true;’ or that which He has declared to be truth” [13] (Barnes).
And it is to the things God has declared true that we give our loyalty, namely His Word. We live and die by this Book, for it is true.
“But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear Him, and His righteousness unto children’s children; To such as keep His covenant, and to those that remember His commandments to do them” (Psalm 103:17-18).
Quote: Believers, “Wherever we go, we see that God’s mercy and truth have been there by the deep tracks they have left behind them” [14] (Clarke).
[1] James Montgomery Boice’s quote was borrowed from EWC – David Guzik. Enduring Word Commentary, the electronic version in eSword. Psalm 25 is not quite a complete acrostic.
[2] ACC – Adam Clarke. Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[3] Spurgeon’s quote is from EWC, ibid.
[4] JFB – Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 355.
[5] BDB – Brown, Driver, Briggs. Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[6] FSB – John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ps 25:10.
[7] BDB, ibid.
[8] ACC, ibid.
[9] TOD – C.H. Spurgeon. Treasury of David, the electronic version in eSword.
[10] BNB – Albert Barnes. Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[11] BNB, ibid.
[12] BNB, ibid.
[13] BNB, ibid.
[14] ACC, ibid.