Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 25:9
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
9. The meek ] The humble-minded. See note on Psa 9:12. Humility is indispensable for God’s scholars. Cp. 1Pe 5:5.
in judgment ] The practice of right; often coupled with righteousness and equity; e.g. Pro 1:3.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The meek will he guide – The humble, the teachable, the prayerful, the gentle of spirit – those who are willing to learn. A proud person who supposes that he already knows enough cannot be taught; a haughty person who has no respect for others, cannot learn of them; a person who is willing to believe nothing cannot be instructed. The first requisite, therefore, in the work of religion, as in respect to all kinds of knowledge, is a meek and docile spirit. See Mat 18:3.
In judgment – In a right judgment or estimate of things. It is not merely in the administration of justice, or in doing right, but it is in judging of truth; of duty; of the value of objects; of the right way to live; of all upon which the mind can be called to exercise judgment, or to come to a decision.
And the meek will he teach his way – The way in which he would have them to go. The methods by which God does this are:
(1) By His word or law,
(a) laying down there the principles which are to guide human conduct, and
(b) in numerous cases furnishing specific rules for directing our conduct in the relations of life;
(2) by His Spirit,
(a) disposing the mind to candor,
(b) enlightening it to see the truth, and
(c) making it honest and sincere in its inquiries;
(3) by His providence – often indicating, in an unexpected manner, to those who are sincere in their inquiries after truth and duty, what He would have them to do; and
(4) by the advice and counsel of those who have experience – the aged and the wise – those who have themselves been placed in similar circumstances, or who have passed through the same perplexities and embarrassments.
By all these methods a peson who goes to God in humble prayer, and with a proper sense of dependence, may trust that he will be guided aright; and it is not probable that a case could occur in which one who should honestly seek for guidance by these helps, might not feel assured that God would lead him aright. Having used these means, a peson may feel assured that God will not leave him to error.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 25:9
The meek will He teach His way.
The humble
The heathen moralists give many admirable counsels, but always forget humility. They had not, indeed, the word for it. The term humility before Christianity meant what is base, despicable, vile. Humility can only come with the knowledge of ones self, and man did not truly know himself until he had made a study of himself in the light of the holy God. Comparing himself only with his fellow men, he would never learn humility. There is something still more efficacious than the sight of the perfection of Jesus Christ to produce humility, it is the sight of His love. It is at the foot of the Cross humility is born. Christian humility should penetrate our entire being. Our intelligence must be humble. We are in danger of forgetting this in this age of criticism and discussion. Only that intelligence which humbles itself before God can readily teach. Our heart must be humble. We can submit our intelligence entirely to God, sacrifice our reason to Him, boast of a blind faith, and shelter in our hearts a whole world of pride. So far as humility has not yet reached and conquered our heart, it is but a theory. It happens, in the Church, that the men to whom God has dispensed the finest gifts advance in humility in the same measure as they advance in age and experience. Consider the promises which God makes to the humble. The meek will He teach His way. Unless man be taught he will never find Gods way. Today mans intelligence has assumed an immense and superb confidence in itself. It has faith in its powers; it thinks that it has come to an end of all problems, that it will surmount every obstacle. It is not in the power of ignorance and mediocrity to produce humility; very often they nourish pride. Let intelligence grow, but let it never forget its dependence on God. People talk of the benefits of trial. Yes, when it is accepted in humbleness of heart: otherwise it will rather harden. It is a marvellous thing that God has never wanted to be served by the strong, but always by the humble. Pass in review all those who have served His designs, all those by whom He has taught and saved men, you will see that they all have been formed in the school of humility. Let, then, those who work for God lay hold on the thought that to humble souls alone has God taught the way of success. (E. Bersier, D. D.)
The humble taught the Lords way
The righteous Lord will teach sinners His way; but the sinners, in order to be thus divinely taught, must be humble. Men are comparatively little attracted by the more quiet and passive virtues of life, and among these the virtue of humility is one of the least popular. The truth is, that we are still under the influence of pagan notions about it. The philosophers of the past never understood it. Christianity has transformed and ennobled the despised word by giving us the thing itself. In Christ we see that humility makes no man contemptible. The words before us present this virtue of humility under one special aspect. Man has something to learn, and God has something to teach, and humility is teachableness. Humility is the result of self-knowledge, and this cannot be obtained until man has learned to know himself in the light of Gods wisdom and holiness. So long as he compares himself with his fellow creatures around him, it may seem to him that there is no necessity for such an element of character as this. God teaches us humility in another way. He shows us His love in Christ. How can we be proud when we know that God has loved us, and that Christ has died for us? The very faith which accepts the Gospel has its root in lowliness of mind. All our Christian life, in one aspect of it, is a growth in humility. This beautiful virtue affects our whole being, rescuing for God all that has been usurped by sin. Our reason must be humble. Our heart must be humble. Our conduct must be humble. Gods promise to teach His way applies to our knowledge of Divine truth; the everyday dispensations of life; our bearing towards others; and to our Christian work. (Clement Bailhache.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 9. The meek will he guide] anavim, the poor, the distressed; he will lead in judgment – he will direct them in their cause, and bring it to a happy issue, for he will show them the way in which they should go.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The meek, i.e. the humble and lowly, such as meekly submit themselves to Gods hand and word, and are willing and desirous to be directed and governed by him.
In judgment, i.e. in the paths of judgment; or in the right way wherein they should walk, as the next clause explains this; or by the rule of his word, which is oft called his judgment, or judgments. Or, with judgment, i.e. with a wise and provident care, and a due regard to all their circumstances. See Jer 10:24; 1Co 10:13.
His way; either Gods way, which God prescribes; or his own way, in which he ought to walk.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. in judgmentrightly.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The meek will he guide in judgment,…. Or “the miserable” z and afflicted; such as see themselves to be wretched and miserable, lost and undone; and cry out, What shall we do to be saved? and who are meek and lowly, are humbled under a sense of their sins, are poor in spirit, and of broken and contrite hearts; these the Lord will guide by his Spirit into the truth, as it is in Jesus; even the great truth of salvation by him; and in the way of his judgments, statutes, and ordinances; and will give them a true judgment and a right discerning of things that differ; and he will lead them on in judgment, or gently; see Jer 10:24; into every truth of the Gospel by degrees, and as they are able to bear them;
and the meek will he teach his way; of justifying sinners by the righteousness of his son; for such who are humble and confess their sins and unworthiness, and throw themselves on the mercy of God in Christ, are declaratively justified by the Lord, when the proud boasting Pharisee is an abomination to him.
z “miseros”, Gejerus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The shortened form of the future stands here, according to Ges. 128, 2, rem., instead of the full form (which, viz., , is perhaps meant); for the connection which treats of general facts, does not admit of its being taken as optative. The (cf. Psa 25:5, Psa 107:7; Psa 119:35) denotes the sphere of the guidance. is the right so far as it is traversed, i.e., practised or carried out. In this course of right He leads the , and teaches them the way that is pleasing to Himself. is the one word for the gentle, mansueti , and the humble, modesti . Jerome uses these words alternately in Psa 25:9 and Psa 25:9; but the poet designedly repeats the one word – the cardinal virtue of – here with the preponderating notion of lowliness. Upon the self-righteous and self-sufficient He would be obliged to force Himself even against their will. He wants disciples eager to learn; and how richly He rewards those who guard what they have learnt!
9. He will guide the poor in judgment. The Psalmist here specifies the second manifestation of his grace which God makes towards those who, being subdued by his power, and brought under his yoke, bear it willingly, and submit themselves to his government. But never will this docility be found in any man, until the heart, which is naturally elated and filled with pride, has been humbled and subdued. As the Hebrew word ענוים, anavim, denotes the poor or afflicted, and is employed in a metaphorical sense, to denote the meek and humble, it is probable that David, under this term, includes the afflictions which serve to restrain and subdue the frowardness of the flesh, as well as the grace of humility itself; as if he had said, When God has first humbled them, then he kindly stretches forth his hand to them, and leads and guides them throughout the whole course of their life. Moreover, some understand these terms, judgment and way of the Lord, as denoting a righteous and well ordered manner of life. Others refer them to the providence of God, an interpretation which seems more correct, and more agreeable to the context, for it is immediately added, All the ways of Jehovah are mercy and truth. The meaning therefore is, that those who are truly humbled in their hearts, and brought to place their confidence in God, shall experience how much care he has for his children, (558) and how well he provides for their necessities. The terms, judgment and way of the Lord, therefore, are simply of the same import in this place as his government, in the exercise of which he shows that he, as a kind father, has a special interest in the welfare of his children, by relieving them when they are oppressed, raising them up when cast down, cheering and comforting them when sorrowful, and succouring them when afflicted. We perceive, then, by what order God proceeds in the manifestation of his grace towards us. First, he brings us again into the way when we are wandering and going astray from him, or rather, when we are already fugitives and exiles from him, he restrains our frowardness; and whereas we were before froward and rebellious, he now subdues us to the obedience of his righteousness: and, secondly, after he has afflicted and tried us, he does not forsake us; but after he has moulded and trained us by the cross to humility and meekness, he still shows himself to be a wise and provident father in guiding and directing us through life.
(558) “ Quel soin il ha de ses enfans.” — Fr.
9. The meek Or, humble. The idea is, that of a teachable, submissive spirit. As God will “teach sinners in the way,” (Psa 25:8,) it would seem to be spoken for their encouragement.
DISCOURSE: 531 Psa 25:9. The meek will he guide in judgment; and the meek he will teach his way.
THE necessity of a revelation is universally acknowledged: for no man could possibly know Gods will, unless God himself should be pleased to communicate information respecting it from above. But the necessity for any divine influence upon the soul, in order to a due improvement of a revelation already given, is not generally admitted. But we are expressly told, that all Gods children shall be taught of him: and both the goodness and integrity of God are pledged for the performance of the promise [Note: ver. 8.]. There are, however, certain qualifications which we must possess, before the proffered benefits can be extended to us: and what they are, it is my intention, in this present Discourse, to set before you.
Let me then state,
I.
What dispositions are necessary for a reception of divine truth
The term meekness is of very extensive import. But, instead of entering into the variety of senses in which the word is used, we shall find it more profitable to confine ourselves to the precise view in which it is used in the passage before us. Men may be denominated meek,
1.
When they are sensible of their own ignorance
[Ignorant we are, whether we be sensible of it or not. The fall of man has proved no less injurious to his intellectual powers than to his heart. His understanding is darkened: the god of this world has blinded his eyes: and he is alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in him, and because of the blindness of his heart. Very different is their conduct, when they are become truly meek. Then they perceive their want of spiritual discernment [Note: 2Co 2:14.]. They feel that no efforts of flesh and blood will suffice for the illumination of their minds [Note: Mat 16:17.]; and that they need not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that they may know the things that are freely given to them of God [Note: 1Co 2:12.].]
2.
When they are willing and desirous to be taught of God
[As man by nature is not sensible of his own blindness, so has he no wish to obtain a spiritual insight into the things of God. He is satisfied with a speculative knowledge: and, if he possess that which may be apprehended by reason, and which may be attained by his own personal exertions, he has all that he desires. All beyond that is, in his estimation, a vain conceit. Such are the dispositions which characterize the people whom God will instruct. II.
Whence arises the necessity for them
There is, in the whole scope and tenor of the Gospel,
1.
A contrariety to our carnal reason
[The substitution of Gods co-equal, co-eternal Son in the place of sinners, his vicarious sacrifice, his bringing in a righteousness by the imputation of which sinners may be justified before God, and his imparting all the blessings of redemption to them, through the exercise of faith, and without any respect whatever to their works; these are truths to which carnal reason is extremely averse. They are among those things of the Spirit which the natural man neither does, nor can, receive. A man may, indeed, adopt these things as his creed, and may account an opposition to them heresy; whilst yet he has no spiritual acquaintance with them in his own soul: but to see the excellency of them, to love them, to delight in them, to account all things but dung for the knowledge of them, is an attainment which the natural man has no idea of, and which, instead of desiring, he hates. They form altogether a mystery. Hence, till he is humbled before God, he cannot possibly comprehend these things: they are a stumbling-block to him; they are mere foolishness in his eyes.]
2.
An opposition to our depraved appetites
[The Gospel calls upon us to mortify our members upon earth, yea, and to crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts: and to such an extent does it require the subjugation of our corrupt appetites, that, if there be a thing dear to us as a right eye, it calls upon us to pluck it out, or a thing useful as a right hand, to cut it off. Now, how can such doctrines as these be received by a proud, unmortified, and unhumbled spirit? It is not possible but that there should be the utmost repugnance to them in all who feel not the value of their own souls, and desire not above all things to obtain peace with God. In truth, the doctrines of Christianity are not a whit more offensive to the reason of the natural man, than the duties of it are to his corrupt affections; which, therefore, must be mortified, before he can acquiesce in them as good and right.]
3.
An inconsistency with our worldly interests
[The instant we embrace the Gospel with our whole hearts, the world will become our enemies. They hated and persecuted the Lord of glory himself: can we suppose that the disciple will be above his Lord, or that, if they called the Master of the house Beelzebub, they will not find some opprobrious names for those also of his household? We are taught by our Lord that we must be hated of all men for his names sake; and that, if we will not take up our cross daily, and follow him, we cannot be his disciples. Nay more; if we be not willing to forsake all, and even to lay down our lives for him, we cannot be partakers of his salvation. But what will an earthly mind say to this? Will not a faithful declaration of these things draw forth that reply which was given to our Lord, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? Many, when our Lord proclaimed these things, turned back, and walked no more with him: and this cannot but be the result with every carnal and worldly mind, when such sacrifices are required. III.
The promise made to those who are possessed of them
It has already appeared, that men, by the Fall, have suffered loss both in their intellectual and moral powers. And, in both respects, shall they be restored to a rich measure of their pristine dignity, if only they cultivate the dispositions which God requires.
1.
God will guide them in judgment
[They see at present through a dense and delusive medium: and hence every thing relating to God assumes, in their eyes, an odious and distorted shape. But God will rectify their views: he will enable them to discern every thing in its proper colours, and to see its bearings on the welfare of the soul. The excellency of salvation through a crucified Redeemer, the blessedness of having all our corruptions mortified, and the wisdom of sacrificing all our worldly interests to the welfare of the soul; these, and all other truths connected with them, shall be brought home to the mind with an evidence which it cannot doubt, and with a power which it cannot withstand: or, to use the expressive language of the Psalmist, In the hidden part God shall make them to know wisdom [Note: Psa 51:6.]. In a word, he will bring the soul out of darkness into marvellous light; so that it shall no more call evil good, and good evil, but shall be guided into all truth, and shall have the very mind that was in Christ Jesus.]
2.
He will enable them, also, to walk in his ways
[Truth shall not float in their minds as a mere theory or speculation, but shall influence their every act, their universal habit. God will, by his word and Spirit, reduce them from their wanderings, and guide their feet into the way of peace. And, if at any time they be for a moment turned aside through error of judgment, or instability of mind, he will cause them to hear a word behind them, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it. He will go before them, as he did before the Israelites in the wilderness, causing his word to be a light to their feet and a lantern to their paths: and thus he will guide them by his counsel, until he shall finally receive them to glory. 1.
Whence it is that the blessings of the Gospel are so pre-eminently enjoyed by the poor
[It is a fact, that not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble, are called; but that God has revealed to babes and sucklings the things which, to so great an extent, are hid from the wise and prudent. The wise and great are too generally under the influence of self-sufficiency and self-dependence. They cannot bow to the humiliating doctrines of the Gospel: they will not endure to view themselves in so destitute a condition as the Gospel represents them. Hence they, almost universally, stumble at the word, being disobedient. But the poor are easily brought to see that they need instruction from above: their very incompetency to enter into deep researches of any kind gives them a comparative diffidence of their own powers, in relation to the things of God. Hence they see but little to stumble at even in those points which the wise and learned find most difficult to overcome: and, being more easily brought to seek instruction from God, they, in far greater numbers, are taught of God, and almost engross to themselves, as it were, the possession of his kingdom. O, ye poor, never repine at your lot; but rather rejoice that you are of the happy number of those whom God has chosen chiefly, though not exclusively, to be rich in faith, and heirs of his kingdom. And, ye rich or learned, seek to become as little children, and be willing to become fools, that ye may be truly wise.]
2.
Whence it is that there are so many falls and errors in the religious world
[People, when they have embraced the truth, are but too apt to lose the simplicity of their earlier days, and to become wise in their own conceits. Hence many of them fall into errors of divers kinds; and not unfrequently dishonour, by their conduct, their holy profession. Alas! alas! what a picture does the religious world present! See what controversies and animosities obtain amongst those who profess themselves children of one common Father! Dear Brethren, dreadful is the advantage which our great adversary gains by these means. Remember, I pray you, that your growth in grace is to be shewn, not by a proud dogmatizing spirit, but by a spirit of meekness, and humility, and love. He is most acceptable to the Lord Jesus, who most resembles a little child: and he shall have the richest communications from God, who, with most lowliness of heart, implores his continual aid. In reading the Holy Scriptures therefore, and under the public ministration of the word, be careful not to lean to your own understanding, but to trust in God for the teaching of his good Spirit; that receiving the word with meekness, as an engrafted word, you may find it effectual to sanctify and save your souls.]
Psa 25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
Ver. 9. The meek will he guide in judgment ] Or, the poor (viz. in spirit) will he make to tread in judgment; to foot it aright, to walk judiciously, to behave themselves wisely, as David did, 1Sa 10:14 , so that Saul feared him, 1Sa 23:22 . Natural conscience cannot but stoop to the image of God, shining in the hearts and lives of the really religious.
And the meek will he teach his way meek = patient, or good.
in judgment = to be vindicated.
meek: Psa 22:26, Psa 76:9, Psa 147:6, Psa 149:4, Isa 11:4, Isa 61:1, Zep 2:3, Mat 5:5, Gal 5:23, Jam 1:21, 1Pe 3:4, 1Pe 3:15
guide: Psa 23:3, Psa 32:8, Psa 32:9, Psa 73:24, Psa 119:66, Psa 143:10, Pro 3:5, Pro 3:6, Pro 8:20, Isa 42:1-3, Eze 11:19, Eze 11:20, Eze 36:27
his way: Psa 119:35, Joh 14:6, Act 9:2, Act 13:10, Heb 10:20
Reciprocal: Psa 27:11 – Teach Psa 31:3 – lead Psa 48:14 – guide Psa 69:32 – The humble Psa 94:10 – teacheth man Psa 119:26 – teach Psa 119:68 – teach Psa 139:24 – and lead Pro 2:9 – General Pro 15:19 – the way of the righteous Isa 2:3 – he will teach Isa 29:19 – meek Isa 30:21 – thine ears Isa 35:8 – the wayfaring Isa 48:17 – which teacheth Isa 58:11 – the Lord Jer 50:5 – ask Mic 4:2 – and he Mat 1:20 – while Mat 13:11 – Because Joh 7:17 – General Joh 8:32 – ye shall Joh 9:37 – Thou Joh 14:26 – he Act 8:31 – How Act 9:6 – and it Act 10:2 – and prayed Act 17:12 – many Act 18:25 – instructed Act 22:10 – What Gal 5:18 – if Phi 3:15 – God Jam 3:13 – with meekness
25:9 The meek will he {g} guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
(g) He will govern and comfort them that are truly humbled for their sins.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
MEEK DOCILITY INCULCATED
But men are unconscious of this. They feel that their powers are strong for the investigation of human sciences; and they see no reason why they should not be equally so for the comprehension of things relating to the soul. Any intimation to this effect they are ready to resent, as the Pharisees did of old: Are we blind also? [Note: Joh 9:40.]
But a person who possesses the disposition spoken of in our text, desires to be taught of God, and to be guided into all truth. He is not contented with abiding in the outer court of the temple; but longs to be introduced within the vail, even into the sanctuary of the Most High, in order that he may behold God shining forth in all his glory, and receive from him the richest possible communications of his grace and love. For this end, whenever he opens the inspired volume, he lifts up his heart to God, and prays, Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law! In relation to the whole work of redemption, whether as revealed in the word, or as experienced in the soul, he desires to hear God himself, and be taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus [Note: Eph 4:20-21.]: and he pleads with God that most encouraging promise, Call upon me, and I will shew thee great and mighty (hidden) things, which thou knowest not [Note: Jer 33:3.].]
We are next to shew,
Hence, then, it is evident, that, unless a very great change be wrought in the heart of an unconverted man, he neither will, nor can, be in a state to receive truths to which his whole nature is so averse. If he really desired to do Gods will, the film would be removed from his eyes, and he would be able to appreciate the things which are set before him in the Gospel: but, till he becomes thus meek and docile, he will be inaccessible to the light, or rather, the light itself will only augment his blindness.]
That all may be encouraged to seek these necessary dispositions, I proceed to notice,
Here, then, we may see,
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes