AllPsalms
25

I Lift Up My Soul

22 versesPrayer and TrustThe heading attributes it to David

Psalm 25 summary: what it means

Psalm 25 is a prayer that keeps returning to three requests: teach me, forgive me, and do not let me be shamed. It opens with the writer lifting up his soul to God and asking not to be put to shame before his enemies. Verses 4 and 5 ask to be shown God's ways and taught his paths. Between the requests come statements about God: he is good and upright, and he teaches sinners the way.

The second half grows more personal and more troubled. The writer is desolate and afflicted, his troubles have grown, and his enemies are many. He asks for his sins to be forgiven and for integrity to preserve him while he waits. The final verse steps back from one person and asks God to redeem Israel out of all its troubles.

Psalm 25: I Lift Up My Soul

World English Bible, public domain. allpsalms.com/psalm-25

Psalm 25 commentary: explained verse by verse

To you, LORD, I lift up my soul.

The opening line is a picture of offering: the writer lifts up his soul to God. It sets the direction of the whole psalm, which faces toward God rather than toward the trouble.

Also read Psalm 86:4, 1 Samuel 1:15, Psalm 24:4, Lamentations 3:41

My God, I have trusted in you.Don’t let me be shamed.Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.

Trust is stated first, then two requests follow: do not let me be shamed, and do not let my enemies triumph. The fear is of being publicly let down after trusting.

Also read Psalm 22:8, Psalm 22:5, 1 Peter 2:6, Isaiah 41:16

Yes, no one who waits for you will be shamed.They will be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.

Also read Psalm 69:4, Psalm 27:14, Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 59:2-5

Show me your ways, LORD.Teach me your paths.

This is the psalm's central request for guidance. The writer asks to be shown God's ways and taught his paths, words that describe a route to walk rather than facts to learn.

Also read Psalm 86:11, Psalm 5:1, Psalm 5:8, Exodus 33:13

Guide me in your truth, and teach me,for you are the God of my salvation.I wait for you all day long.

The verse joins teaching and truth: guide me in your truth and teach me. The reason given is that God is the God of the writer's salvation, and the verse ends with waiting all day long.

Also read Psalm 119:66, Psalm 119:97, 1 John 2:27, John 8:31-32

LORD, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness,for they are from old times.

The writer asks God to remember his tender mercies and loving kindness. The reason is that they are from old times, so the appeal rests on how God has always acted.

Also read Colossians 3:12, 2 Chronicles 6:42, Jeremiah 31:20, Psalm 40:11

Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions.Remember me according to your loving kindness,for your goodness’ sake, LORD.

The word remember is used in two directions. God is asked not to remember the sins of the writer's youth, and instead to remember the writer according to his loving kindness, for his goodness' sake.

Also read Psalm 79:8, Psalm 109:14, Isaiah 43:25, Jeremiah 3:25

Good and upright is the LORD,therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.

The verse draws a conclusion from God's character. Because the LORD is good and upright, he will instruct sinners in the way, so failure is treated as a reason to be taught rather than a reason to be shut out.

Also read Matthew 11:29-30, Psalm 119:68, Proverbs 9:4-6, Psalm 32:8

He will guide the humble in justice.He will teach the humble his way.

Also read Galatians 5:23, Psalm 143:10, Psalm 76:9, 1 Peter 3:15

All the paths of the LORD are loving kindness and truthto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

All the paths of the LORD are described as loving kindness and truth. The verse adds who walks them: those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Also read 2 Samuel 15:20, Psalm 119:75-76, Isaiah 43:2, Psalm 57:3

For your name’s sake, LORD,pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

The request for pardon is plain. The writer admits his iniquity is great and asks for forgiveness for the sake of God's name, not his own record.

Also read Isaiah 43:25, Numbers 14:17-19, Psalm 143:11, Ezekiel 20:9

What man is he who fears the LORD?He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.

The psalm asks a question and answers it. The person who fears the LORD will be instructed in the way he should choose, so guidance is promised to that person.

Also read Acts 11:14, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Psalm 32:8, John 3:20-21

His soul will dwell at ease.His offspring will inherit the land.

This verse describes the person who fears the LORD, first named in verse 12. Their soul will dwell at ease and their offspring will inherit the land, so the good reaches past one life to the next generation. The KJV reads his seed shall inherit the earth.

Also read Jeremiah 31:12-14, Psalm 37:11, Zechariah 9:17, Matthew 5:5

The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him.He will show them his covenant.

The World English Bible speaks of the friendship of the LORD with those who fear him. It is paired with a promise that he will show them his covenant, a picture of being let in on what God intends.

Also read John 14:21-23, John 15:15, Ephesians 1:18, Jeremiah 31:31-34

My eyes are ever on the LORD,for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

The writer keeps his eyes on the LORD and expects to be freed from a net. The image is of feet caught in a trap and God pulling them loose.

Also read Psalm 141:8, Jeremiah 5:26, Psalm 31:4, Psalm 124:7-8

Turn to me, and have mercy on me,for I am desolate and afflicted.

The tone shifts to loneliness here. The writer asks God to turn to him and have mercy, because he is desolate and afflicted.

Also read Psalm 88:15-18, Mark 15:33-35, Psalm 60:1, Micah 7:19

The troubles of my heart are enlarged.Oh bring me out of my distresses.

The troubles of the writer's heart are described as enlarged, growing rather than easing. He asks to be brought out of his distresses, a picture of rescue from a tight place.

Also read Psalm 42:7, Psalm 34:19, Psalm 77:2-4, 1 Corinthians 4:11-13

Consider my affliction and my travail.Forgive all my sins.

Two requests sit side by side here: consider my affliction and my travail, and forgive all my sins. The writer brings pain and wrongdoing to God in the same breath without saying one caused the other. The KJV has look upon mine affliction and my pain.

Also read Psalm 119:153, Matthew 9:2, Psalm 32:1-5, Psalm 119:132

Consider my enemies, for they are many.They hate me with cruel hatred.

Also read Psalm 143:3, Psalm 140:11, 2 Samuel 16:11, Psalm 56:2

Oh keep my soul, and deliver me.Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you.

Near the end of the psalm the writer asks God to keep his soul and deliver him. The plea not to be disappointed, or in the KJV not to be ashamed, returns to the fear of shame from verse 2. The reason given is simple: I take refuge in you.

Also read Psalm 17:8, Psalm 71:1-2, Psalm 86:2, Psalm 121:7

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me,for I wait for you.

The writer asks integrity and uprightness to preserve him, as if they were guards. The reason is the one the psalm keeps returning to: I wait for you.

Also read Daniel 6:22, 1 Samuel 24:11-13, Psalm 7:8, Psalm 26:11

God, redeem Israelout of all his troubles.

Also read Psalm 130:8, Psalm 122:6, Psalm 51:18-19, Psalm 14:7

A prayer from Psalm 25

LORD, to you I lift up my soul. I have trusted in you, so do not let me be put to shame. Show me your ways and teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth, for you are the God of my salvation, and I wait for you all day long. Do not remember the sins of my youth. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness' sake. Turn to me and have mercy on me, for I am desolate and afflicted. Look on my trouble and my pain, and forgive all my sins. Keep my soul and deliver me, for I take refuge in you. Amen.

Psalm 25 Bible study questions

  1. In verses 4 and 5, what three things does the writer ask God to do, and what does he say he is doing while he asks?
  2. In verse 7, what does the writer ask God not to remember, and what does he ask God to remember instead?
  3. Verse 18 places affliction and sin side by side in one request; how do you tend to bring these two things to God?
  4. Verse 14 speaks of the friendship of the LORD; what do you think friendship with God might look like in ordinary life?
  5. How does the request to be taught God's way in Psalm 25:4 compare with the same request in Psalm 86:11?

Questions about Psalm 25

What is the meaning of Psalm 25?

It is a prayer for guidance, forgiveness and protection. The writer asks God to teach him his ways, to forgive sins including those of his youth, and to rescue him from enemies, while waiting on God throughout.

Who wrote Psalm 25?

The heading reads By David, so it attributes the psalm to David. The text does not describe the occasion.

What does Psalm 25:4-5 say in the KJV?

The King James Version reads: "Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day."

What does Psalm 25:7 mean?

It asks God not to remember the sins of the writer's youth, and instead to remember him according to God's loving kindness and goodness.

What does Psalm 25:14 mean?

It says the friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him and that he will show them his covenant. The KJV words it "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him."

What does Psalm 25:21 mean?

The writer asks that integrity and uprightness preserve him while he waits for God, treating honest living as a kind of protection.

Psalm 25 KJV: the King James Version

Unto thee, O LORD, do I lift up my soul.1

O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.2

Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.3

Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.4

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.5

Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.6

Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.7

Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.8

The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.9

All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.10

For thy name’s sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.11

What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.12

His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.13

The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.14

Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.15

Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.16

The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.17

Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.18

Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred.19

O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.20

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.21

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.22

Psalm 25 in Hebrew

The Hebrew text from the Westminster Leningrad Codex, public domain. Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible, which counts a psalm's heading as verse 1, so they can run one ahead of English Bibles.

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1 לְדָוִ֡ד אֵלֶ֥יךָ יְ֝הוָ֗ה נַפְשִׁ֥י אֶשָּֽׂא׃

2 אֱֽלֹהַ֗י בְּךָ֣ בָ֭טַחְתִּי אַל־אֵב֑וֹשָׁה אַל־יַֽעַלְצ֖וּ אֹיְבַ֣י לִֽי׃

3 גַּ֣ם כָּל־קֹ֭וֶיךָ לֹ֣א יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ יֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ הַבּוֹגְדִ֥ים רֵיקָֽם׃

4 דְּרָכֶ֣יךָ יְ֭הוָה הוֹדִיעֵ֑נִי אֹ֖רְחוֹתֶ֣יךָ לַמְּדֵֽנִי׃

5 הַדְרִ֘יכֵ֤נִי בַאֲמִתֶּ֨ךָ ׀ וְֽלַמְּדֵ֗נִי כִּֽי־אַ֭תָּה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׁעִ֑י אוֹתְךָ֥ קִ֝וִּ֗יתִי כָּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃

6 זְכֹר־רַחֲמֶ֣יךָ יְ֭הוָה וַחֲסָדֶ֑יךָ כִּ֖י מֵעוֹלָ֣ם הֵֽמָּה׃

7 חַטֹּ֤אות נְעוּרַ֨י ׀ וּפְשָׁעַ֗י אַל־תִּ֫זְכֹּ֥ר כְּחַסְדְּךָ֥ זְכָר־לִי־אַ֑תָּה לְמַ֖עַן טוּבְךָ֣ יְהוָֽה׃

8 טוֹב־וְיָשָׁ֥ר יְהוָ֑ה עַל־כֵּ֤ן יוֹרֶ֖ה חַטָּאִ֣ים בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃

9 יַדְרֵ֣ךְ עֲ֭נָוִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט וִֽילַמֵּ֖ד עֲנָוִ֣ים דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃

10 כָּל־אָרְח֣וֹת יְ֭הוָה חֶ֣סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֑ת לְנֹצְרֵ֥י בְ֝רִית֗וֹ וְעֵדֹתָֽיו׃

11 לְמַֽעַן־שִׁמְךָ֥ יְהוָ֑ה וְֽסָלַחְתָּ֥ לַ֝עֲוֺנִ֗י כִּ֣י רַב־הֽוּא׃

12 מִי־זֶ֣ה הָ֭אִישׁ יְרֵ֣א יְהוָ֑ה י֝וֹרֶ֗נּוּ בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ יִבְחָֽר׃

13 נַ֭פְשׁוֹ בְּט֣וֹב תָּלִ֑ין וְ֝זַרְע֗וֹ יִ֣ירַשׁ אָֽרֶץ׃

14 ס֣וֹד יְ֭הוָה לִירֵאָ֑יו וּ֝בְרִית֗וֹ לְהוֹדִיעָֽם׃

15 עֵינַ֣י תָּ֭מִיד אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֤י הֽוּא־יוֹצִ֖יא מֵרֶ֣שֶׁת רַגְלָֽי׃

16 פְּנֵה־אֵלַ֥י וְחָנֵּ֑נִי כִּֽי־יָחִ֖יד וְעָנִ֣י אָֽנִי׃

17 צָר֣וֹת לְבָבִ֣י הִרְחִ֑יבוּ מִ֝מְּצֽוּקוֹתַ֗י הוֹצִיאֵֽנִי׃

18 רְאֵ֣ה עָ֭נְיִי וַעֲמָלִ֑י וְ֝שָׂ֗א לְכָל־חַטֹּאותָֽי׃

19 רְאֵֽה־אוֹיְבַ֥י כִּי־רָ֑בּוּ וְשִׂנְאַ֖ת חָמָ֣ס שְׂנֵאֽוּנִי׃

20 שָׁמְרָ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי וְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי אַל־אֵ֝ב֗וֹשׁ כִּֽי־חָסִ֥יתִי בָֽךְ׃

21 תֹּם־וָיֹ֥שֶׁר יִצְּר֑וּנִי כִּ֝֗י קִוִּיתִֽיךָ׃

22 פְּדֵ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהִים אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מִ֝כֹּ֗ל צָֽרוֹתָיו׃

Psalm 25 in the Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible

The Douay-Rheims Bible, 1899 edition, public domain. It follows the Greek and Latin numbering, so this psalm is Psalm 24 there.

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1 Unto the end, a psalm for David. To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul.

2 In thee, O my God, I put my trust; let me not be ashamed.

3 Neither let my enemies laugh at me: for none of them that wait on thee shall be confounded.

4 Let all them be confounded that act unjust things without cause. Shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths.

5 Direct me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art God my Saviour; and on thee have I waited all the day long.

6 Remember, O Lord, thy bowels of compassion; and thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world.

7 The sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember. According to thy mercy remember thou me: for thy goodness’ sake, O Lord.

8 The Lord is sweet and righteous: therefore he will give a law to sinners in the way.

9 He will guide the mild in judgment: he will teach the meek his ways.

10 All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, to them that seek after his covenant and his testimonies.

11 For thy name’s sake, O Lord, thou wilt pardon my sin: for it is great.

12 Who is the man that feareth the Lord? He hath appointed him a law in the way he hath chosen.

13 His soul shall dwell in good things: and his seed shall inherit the land.

14 The Lord is a firmament to them that fear him: and his covenant shall be made manifest to them.

15 My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the snare.

16 Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor.

17 The troubles of my heart are multiplied: deliver me from my necessities.

18 See my abjection and my labour; and forgive me all my sins.

19 Consider my enemies for they are multiplied, and have hated me with an unjust hatred.

20 Keep thou my soul, and deliver me: I shall not be ashamed, for I have hoped in thee.

21 The innocent and the upright have adhered to me: because I have waited on thee.

22 Deliver Israel, O God, from all his tribulations.

Psalm 25 in Latin

The Clementine Vulgate, public domain, where this psalm is Psalm 24.

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1 In finem. Psalmus David. Ad te, Domine, levavi animam meam:

2 Deus meus, in te confido; non erubescam.

3 Neque irrideant me inimici mei: etenim universi qui sustinent te, non confundentur.

4 Confundantur omnes iniqua agentes supervacue. Vias tuas, Domine, demonstra mihi, et semitas tuas edoce me.

5 Dirige me in veritate tua, et doce me, quia tu es Deus salvator meus, et te sustinui tota die.

6 Reminiscere miserationum tuarum, Domine, et misericordiarum tuarum quæ a sæculo sunt.

7 Delicta juventutis meæ, et ignorantias meas, ne memineris. Secundum misericordiam tuam memento mei tu, propter bonitatem tuam, Domine.

8 Dulcis et rectus Dominus; propter hoc legem dabit delinquentibus in via.

9 Diriget mansuetos in judicio; docebit mites vias suas.

10 Universæ viæ Domini, misericordia et veritas, requirentibus testamentum ejus et testimonia ejus.

11 Propter nomen tuum, Domine, propitiaberis peccato meo; multum est enim.

12 Quis est homo qui timet Dominum? legem statuit ei in via quam elegit.

13 Anima ejus in bonis demorabitur, et semen ejus hæreditabit terram.

14 Firmamentum est Dominus timentibus eum; et testamentum ipsius ut manifestetur illis.

15 Oculi mei semper ad Dominum, quoniam ipse evellet de laqueo pedes meos.

16 Respice in me, et miserere mei, quia unicus et pauper sum ego.

17 Tribulationes cordis mei multiplicatæ sunt: de necessitatibus meis erue me.

18 Vide humilitatem meam et laborem meum, et dimitte universa delicta mea.

19 Respice inimicos meos, quoniam multiplicati sunt, et odio iniquo oderunt me.

20 Custodi animam meam, et erue me: non erubescam, quoniam speravi in te.

21 Innocentes et recti adhæserunt mihi, quia sustinui te.

22 Libera, Deus, Israël ex omnibus tribulationibus suis.

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Psalm 25 at a glance

Verses22
Heading in the textBy David.
Attributed toThe heading attributes it to David.
TypePrayer and Trust
Number in Greek and Latin BiblesPsalm 24

Read Psalm 25 when you are facing

guidanceforgivenesslonelinesstrusting god

Psalm 25 in other translations

This page prints the World English Bible and the King James Version because both are public domain. The NIV, ESV, NKJV, NLT and NASB are under copyright, so they cannot be printed in full here. You can read Psalm 25 in those translations at Bible Gateway.

Where Psalm 25 belongs

Psalms of DavidBook 1 of the Psalms

How this page was made

The psalm text comes from public domain translations and is not edited. The summary, the verse notes and the answers are written for this page from the text of the psalm itself. Where a claim goes beyond the text, it is sourced below.

Sources

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Written by

Lucas Pradella

Last checked 25 September 2026 · How pages are checked

I built AllPsalms because I could not find one site that covered all 150 psalms properly. I am a Christian and a reader of the psalms, not a scholar or a minister. What I can do is the work: put every psalm in one place, in plain English, with the text unedited and every claim sourced.

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