Running to the Lord
Ps 25: 4-5. 6 and 7bc, 8-9. December 12, 2022 - Monday, 3rd Week of Advent
There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet and there are 22 verses in Psalm 25. Each line of Psalm 25 begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, but, two letters are missing and two letters are doubled. It is difficult to find one unifying theme, but a few things stand out. The psalmist is concerned with right living, the forgiveness of sins, and deliverance from all sorts of distress (Ps 25:4-5; 7, 11, 16-22).
Let us begin with the first concern - the right way of living. The psalmist wants to know God’s paths, God’s way, and God’s truth (Ps 25:4-5). But he cannot attain this knowledge by himself. Why? The answer is given in the book of Isaiah. God's thoughts and ways are different from ours. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts”. (Is 55:8-9).
The Gospel illustrates it perfectly. Jesus was not born in a palace but in a manger. He did not grow up among the privileged, but among the poor of God. He did not preach or teach at the famous places of learning but from the Galilean hills, and his parables were directed at ordinary people. Jesus did not save humanity by turning stones into bread or destroying all enemies, but by dying on the cross for the sins of the world. This is the way of the Lord and only God can teach us this way. But do we really want to join this unconventional school?
The second concern is the forgiveness of sins. The psalmist is concerned with the sins of youth. “Be not mindful of my youthful sins and transgressions” (Ps 25:7). Instead of being mindful of our youthful sins, the psalmist asks God to be mindful of His mercy (Ps 25:6). This is brilliant request. God should remember His compassion and not our sins. Then, he prays: “As befits your name, o Lord, pardon my iniquity though it be great” (Ps 25:11). God’s name reminds us of Jesus’ name which means: “God saves” or “salvation of the Lord”. The New Testament proclaims that Christ “is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). But, what is even more incredible is the fact that Christ shared his power of forgiveness with His Church. Our Catechism teaches us: “There is no offense, however serious, that the Church cannot forgive” (CCC, 982).
Finally, let us turn to the concern with deliverance from distress. The psalmist’s distress seems to be caused by affliction and suffering as a consequence of his sins (see Ps 25:18). But he also mentions numerous enemies who unjustly hate him (Ps 25:19). The only solution to his distress was to run to the Lord for healing, forgiveness, protection and salvation. And that is what he did. How about us?