Bountiful Spirit - February 18, 2021

Thursday – February18, 2021

Psalm 25

In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.

I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies’ triumph over me.
No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.

Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

Reflection by Jennifer Smith

If you're looking for scripture that delves into truly human emotions and experiences, you can't go wrong with the Psalms. From deep sadness to the heights of ecstasy, the Psalmists do not shy away from intense feelings. Psalm 25 presents various reflections on the Lord’s goodness, his wisdom, and the refuge He provides to those who hope in Him. But upon a closer look at the abundance of verses which are led off by verbs I was honestly taken aback – this Psalmist is awfully demanding of the Lord their God!

“Show…Guide…Remember…Do NOT remember…Turn…See…Guard…” Fully ten of the twenty- two verses lead with an action word which embodies a new request of God by the Psalmist. My favorites are verses six and seven, wherein the Psalmist asks the Lord to “Remember your great mercy and love…” but “Do NOT remember the sins of my youth…” Isn’t that a beautifully human pair of thoughts? How often have I, when considering the all-knowing God of the universe, hoped He’d use a little selective memory when it came to my behavior, but remember to keep loving me no matter what.