Psalm 25

Put your trust in the Lord.

This is the overwhelming message of this Psalm, and this is the way that David lived his life. He then makes two pleas to God, one that God will not let him be put to shame, and that God will not let his enemies triumph over him. When we trust in God we should makes requests to Him, for He is the one we are looking to for salvation. David then follows his requests with a declaration that no one who hopes in the Lord will be put to shame. We ask of God expecting to receive an answer. 

How will this salvation come? By the Lord showing us His ways and guiding us in His paths. He brings us salvation by showing us His ways. Jesus said "follow me", that is the way, indeed Jesus is the way. The way out, or through, any situation is to follow the ways of the Lord. This may require (in fact, almost certainly will require) us to change some of our actions, attitudes and thoughts. We need God to help us to change. Salvation is not a matter of being plucked out of a situation, but left unchanged.

David is aware of his own sinfulness and calls on God to treat him according to His mercy and love. That is what we do when we trust in Jesus. We rely on the forgiveness offered to us in the cross.

The Lord is a God who guides the humble and sinners. Being a sinner is not an obstacle to following God, for Jesus came to save sinners. Being proud is an obstacle. It does not matter what sort of life we lived before hand, what does matter is a willingness to learn from God. That is what repent and believe mean. 

What are the results of turning to the Lord? Prosperity. This does not just mean financial prosperity. In fact I don't like some of the teaching that seems to view the gospel as a get-rich-quick scheme, but following Christ will make a difference to your finances. But the prosperity affects every aspect of our life.

David then closes with a plea to the Lord to look mercifully on him, for he is going through anguish. Trusting in God does not mean that suddenly we find everything easy, it means that in the midst of our difficulties we know that the Lord is the One who will rescue us. We may experience all sorts of heartache, nut deep down we know that the Lord is faithful.