Psalm 25:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.

NIV: For the sake of your name, LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

NASB: For the sake of Your name, Lord, Forgive my wrongdoing, for it is great.

CSB: Lord, for the sake of your name, forgive my iniquity, for it is immense.

NLT: For the honor of your name, O Lord, forgive my many, many sins.

KJV: For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

NKJV: For Your name’s sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

In this verse we read that David asked the Lord to forgive him. He confesses that his guilt is great. He asks for forgiveness for the Lord's name's sake; that is, so the Lord's mercy and love may be shown. Keeping in mind that David was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22), he still knew he was a sinner, whose load of guilt was heavy. He also knew the Lord is merciful and delights in steadfast love (Micah 7:18).

The apostle Paul considered himself the foremost sinner, but he testified that he had received mercy for the Lord's sake. He wrote in 1 Timothy 1:16: "But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life."

We should never minimize our sin. At the same time, we should never minimize the Lord's willingness to forgive our sin. First John 1:9 states: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Psalm 25:8–14 was written by David about the character of God. He expresses the fact that it is wise to trust in God. David trusted God when life seemed tenuous. His foes made treacherous plans to disgrace him, but David trusted God to deliver him, forgive him, and guide him through life. Ephesians 2:8–10 is a companion passage. It teaches that God has a plan for all whom he saves.

This prayer of David uses the Hebrew alphabet as a pattern. This is an acrostic, where verses each begin with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The final verse, however, repeats the letter used in verse 16. David declares his trust in God and the value of the Lord's wisdom. Mixed into these praises of God's truth are multiple requests that David be forgiven of his sins. The psalm ends with David asking for rescue from his enemies, and for a similar redemption for the nation of Israel.

Psalm 25 finds David facing difficulty and seeking the Lord's guidance. Proverbs 3:5–6 offers a similar emphasis on divine guidance for those who seek the Lord's will. Deuteronomy 32 provides parallel teaching, as do Psalm 37:1–7 and Psalm 40.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 5/4/2024 7:55:35 AM