What is shame? The Webster dictionary defines shame as the painful emotion caused by a consciousness of guilt or shortcoming or impropriety. It can also be defined as a feeling of embarrassment or humiliation that arises in relation to the perception of having done something dishonorable, immoral, or improper.
But what can we do about it? Today’s psalm will show us how the psalmist address it.
(A) God Guards Us from Shame; Guides Us in His Ways; and Grants Us Forgiveness Because of His Covenant Faithfulness (Ps 25:1-10)
The Psalm begins with the psalmist lifting up his soul and proclaiming that he trusts in God (Ps 25:1). This psalm, first and foremost is directed to God. David says he lifts up his soul to God. In essence, he commits his whole being to God.
Notice how David addresses God. He calls Him “LORD” — David uses the covenant name of God, Yahweh. Why? It reminds David of God’s sovereignty. He is the God who said, “I AM WHO I AM”. He is not dependent on others, so he is dependable above all. This name also invokes the covenant of God; Israel belongs to God, and God to Israel. David puts his trust in this God; this has to be the case in order for him to commit his soul to God. We see how much he trusts God, that he is willing to entrust his whole being to Him.
How is this instructive for us? When we are distressed and troubled, where do we turn to first? Who, or what can we trust, to deliver us from our troubles? The Bible calls us to put our trust, our whole being, to cast it on the LORD.
David also cries out to a specific God that he knows. Similarly, we cannot trust God if we don’t know him or his character. If you call yourself a Christian today, do you know who God is, what he is like, what he has achieved, what he has promised, and what he will do? The covenant is personal – not secondhand. You need to know God personally through his Word, as He has revealed Himself. If you do not know God in this way, then you will not be able to trust in Him in this way.
David goes on to make a few requests of God, which also shows us his understanding of who God is and what He is like. Firstly, he requests that he is not put to shame, nor let his enemies exult over him (Ps 25:2-3). David trusts that God can protect him in this way. This is a God who is trustworthy, as he is able to lift his soul to God and trust in Him. God is a strong refuge for none who wait for Him shall be put to shame (Ps 25:3a). In fact, those who are wantonly treacherous and do evil without cause are the ones that shall be ashamed.
Secondly, the psalmist requests that he will know God’s ways and requests God to teach him His paths (Ps 25:4-5). The psalmist requests that God lead him in His truth and teach him too. This repetition serves to emphasise the point that this is a God who guides His people. God instructs us and we respond in obedience. David also calls Him the “God of my salvation” (Ps 25:5).
Next, David appeals to God to remember three things: to remember His mercy and steadfast love, not to remember his sins, and to remember him according to His steadfast love and for the sake of His goodness (Ps 25:6-7). His requests are specific and appeals to a specific character and nature of God. He knows of the covenant faithfulness of God who shows steadfast love and forgives sin. God is merciful and faithfully loves according to his covenant. Thus, the psalmist pleads according to God’s steadfast love, and for the sake of God’s goodness.
How are these requests related? All four are interlinked: God guards us from shame, guides us in his ways, forgives our sins, and is faithful to His covenant love and mercy. When we sin, we dishonour God and bring shame unto His name and unto ourselves as His people. God can forgive us and grant us mercy, but what will happen if we persist in our sin? Then we will continue to dishonour God. In fact, the Bible tells us that if we walk in the light, then we will not continue to walk in sin (c.f. 1 Jn 1:5-9). We need to walk in his ways, in his righteousness, that we may not continue to walk and live in sin and shame. To do so, we will need God to guide us in his ways.
How can we be sure that none who wait for God shall be put to shame? The phrasing of it is absolute – none. Instead, it is the evildoers who shall be put to shame in the end. We have confidence because of God’s unchanging character, his faithfulness to his Word and his covenant. David calls out to the LORD – God’s covenantal name. He also uses the phrase “steadfast love”, which is hesed in Hebrew, referring to the love that is faithful and loyal and abiding to God’s covenant (c.f. Jer 31:31-34). God’s covenant to us is that we shall be his people and He shall be our God. He promises to write His law upon our hearts and this will help us to walk in His ways. He will forgive our sins. When we repent of our sin before a God whose love is a faithful love that acts according to His covenant, which He will never break, we can have confidence that we will never be put to shame, and that He will guide us in His righteous paths and His truth.
In Psalm 25:8-10, there is an interlude of praise to God for his character and his acts. The sinners and the humble benefit (Ps 25:8-9). The psalmist groups them in the same category! The sinner has to humbly accept that they are sinners before God.
Do you confess your sin before God? Do you humble yourself before him? How else will you expect to be guided in God’s truth, if we hold on to our sin and pride? Do you strive to keep God’s covenant? Do you seek to please him and walk in his ways? How will you expect to receive the covenant mercies of God if you do not keep his covenant?
In dealing with shame that comes from sin, we have two extremes to avoid. The first is to hide and ignore our sin. David as you notice here, does not shy away from acknowledging his sin. He confesses them to God, and trusts God to grant mercy and forgiveness. If we do not confess our sin, we will not be able to receive forgiveness. Moreover, we are called to walk in holiness in keeping with God’s covenant. As He is holy, we are to be holy – refusing to confess our sin prevents us from walking in holiness, and keeps us in the domain of darkness.
The second is to wallow in our shame. After we confess our sins, we may still feel guilty or ashamed of ourselves. The Bible tells us in 1 John 1:9 that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we still doubt that we have been forgiven – that is unbelief. God is faithful to his covenant, and He will act according to his steadfast love and faithfulness, if you confess your sins, He will forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
(B) Security Amidst Our Struggles: Look to the LORD, Our Refuge and Our Redeemer (Ps 25:11-22)
David turns again to God for pardon of guilt. From Psalm 25:11 we read of his appeal — “For your name’s sake”. David also acknowledges that his guilt is great. We don’t know what sin he is talking about, but when he comes before God he recognises that his sin against God is great.
David also asks for pardon on the basis of God’s own name. This is similar to Moses, who pleaded on behalf of the Israelites in the wilderness, when they had sinned by creating and worshipping the golden calf (c.f. Exo 32:11-14). God himself tells us that he acts “for my name’s sake” to refine his people in the furnace of affliction, that his name would not be profaned (c.f. Isa 48:9-11). Thus, David here links his struggle with the problem of sin and the shame and guilt.
What promises of blessing does David invoke? David says that those who fear the Lord will look to him (Ps 25:12-15). They can be confident that the Lord will instruct them in God’s way. This is similar to his prayer in earlier verses, in Psalm 25:4-5. As a result too, we see that their soul shall abide in well-being. Well-being is the exact opposite of trouble and affliction, peace, joy, gladness. Abiding conveys a deep and lasting relationship. Those who fear the Lord will constantly be abiding in, dwelling in well-being. Their offspring shall inherit the land as promised to Israel’s forefather Abraham by God. They shall also have the Lord’s friendship, or “secret counsel”. this shows a special and close relationship with God himself. The Lord will make known his covenant to them.
All of these promises that David invokes are covenant blessing — walking in God’s way, well-being, prospering, possession of land, having God’s presence with them. As a result, David is able to say confidently that his “eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net” (Ps 25:15). He is certain that God will deliver him. The Bible is realistic – it does not say that those who fear the Lord will never be in trouble. Yet there is a firm sense of surety that the Lord will deliver us out from trouble, even trouble that is deliberately placed in our way, to ensnare us. Only we ought to always look to him in hope.
Some of us may struggle with shame because of our position in life and labels— “poor”, “divorced”, “still single”, “struggling with illnesses/mental health issues”. We may feel that we fall short of many of the worldly standards of ‘ok’. But the covenant blessings of God see none of that – it only requires that we fear the LORD. As part of God’s covenant people, you are his treasured possession, you have his friendship, and your soul shall abide in well-being.
At the end of the psalm, David lists many troubles and asks God to deliver him from all his affliction. David asks God to deliver him from his many afflictions and troubles (Ps 25:16-22). Notice how his troubles are both internal and external. What are the internal ones? David is lonely and afflicted (Ps 25:16b). The troubles of his heart are enlarged and he is distressed (Ps 25:17). He is afflicted and troubled (Ps 25:18a). He struggles with his sin (Ps 25:18b).
Externally, David is hated violently by many foes (Ps 25:19). There is a threat to his life – thus the plea for God to guard his soul and deliver him. He calls God to intervene by turning to him, and being gracious to him (Ps 25:16a) and bringing him out of distress (Ps 25:17b). He also appeals to God to forgive all his sins (Ps 25:18b). David requests that God guard his soul and life from his violent foes and preserve him as he waits for God (Ps 25:20-21). Lastly, David also prays that God can redeem Israel from all his troubles (Ps 25:22).
Notice that this is the third time that David has pleaded with God for forgiveness of sin. There is this constant refrain, again and again, this constant awareness of his sin. And again and again he turns to God in trust. This entire section appears to be more desperate. Though he has called to mind the covenant faithfulness of God, David still struggles emotionally with all of his troubles, with his sense of guilt and shame for his sin, with the oppression and hatred of his enemies.
External struggles connect with our internal one. What is actually going on in our heart? The temptation that we have amidst our struggles, especially our struggles with shame, is to head to a position of strength. We want to ‘have it all together’. We want to be free from our troubles, to show that we have overcome. We want to seek refuge in our own ability to overcome. After all, doesn’t overcoming our challenges dispense with our shame? Does it not bring glory to God? Yes indeed. But we also know that we cannot address our shame and guilt on our own. Isaiah 53:2-6 shows us God’s solution for our shame, in the person of Christ. He has dealt with our sin. He was crushed for our sins and shame.
Do you see how this is God’s solution for your shame? When you are struggling with trouble and affliction, who or what do you turn to? How does God’s steadfast love and faithfulness encourage you to confess your sin and keep his covenant? How can the promise of the Gospel help us remain secure amidst our struggles?