Psalm 25:8 kjv
Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
Psalm 25:8 nkjv
Good and upright is the LORD; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
Psalm 25:8 niv
Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
Psalm 25:8 esv
Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
Psalm 25:8 nlt
The LORD is good and does what is right;
he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
Psalm 25 8 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 34:8 | Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! | God's goodness is experienced and perceived. |
| Ps 100:5 | For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever. | God's enduring goodness and faithful love. |
| Nah 1:7 | The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; | God's goodness provides protection and refuge. |
| 1 Chr 29:17 | I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. | God delights in integrity and justice. |
| Deut 32:4 | He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. | God's perfect justice and upright character. |
| Ps 7:9 | O righteous God who tests hearts and minds, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous. | God is a righteous judge. |
| Ps 32:8 | I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. | God's promise to personally teach and guide. |
| Isa 48:17 | I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. | God teaches what is beneficial and directs life's path. |
| John 14:26 | The Holy Spirit... will teach you all things. | The Spirit's role in teaching believers. |
| 1 John 2:27 | ...the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. | Divine indwelling teaching, echoing God's instruction. |
| Prov 1:7 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. | Respect for God is the starting point for receiving His instruction. |
| Ps 27:11 | Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path. | A prayer for God's direct guidance. |
| Ps 119:66 | Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. | A request for divine understanding and wisdom to follow His commands. |
| Luke 5:32 | I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. | Jesus' mission aligns with God's instruction of sinners. |
| Rom 5:8 | God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | God's love and grace extend to sinners, providing a way of salvation. |
| 2 Pet 3:9 | The Lord is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. | God's desire for all, including sinners, to turn and be saved. |
| Tit 3:3-5 | For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions... But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared... He saved us. | God's saving act rooted in His goodness and kindness to sinners. |
| Jas 1:5 | If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach. | God provides wisdom to all who ask, including those who acknowledge their lack. |
| Matt 7:7 | Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. | God's accessibility to those seeking His guidance. |
| Jer 31:33 | I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. | God's internal instruction of His people through a new covenant. |
| Heb 8:10 | For this is the covenant that I will make... I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts. | Fulfillment of God's internal teaching in the New Covenant. |
| 1 Thess 4:9 | You yourselves are taught by God to love one another. | God directly instructs believers in righteous living. |
Psalm 25 verses
Psalm 25 8 Meaning
Psalm 25:8 reveals two fundamental attributes of God—His goodness and His uprightness—and shows how these characteristics directly lead to His benevolent action: instructing sinners in His way. It highlights that God, in His perfect moral nature, is not remote from those who err but actively seeks to guide them back to His righteous path, offering divine wisdom and direction even to the undeserving. This verse portrays God as the benevolent Teacher and Guide, driven by His inherent character to lead humanity toward righteousness.
Psalm 25 8 Context
Psalm 25 is a fervent prayer of David, marked by deep personal reliance on God, humble confession of sin, and urgent supplication for guidance and deliverance. It is an acrostic psalm (though some verses deviate), beginning each verse with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which may suggest a structured and complete meditation on his spiritual need. The psalm is set against a backdrop of distress, likely from enemies and personal failings. Prior to verse 8, David repeatedly seeks God's paths and truth (v. 4-5) and prays for forgiveness for his youthful transgressions (v. 7). Thus, verse 8 does not stand in isolation but emerges as a profound theological assertion, anchoring David's hope for guidance and pardon in the unchanging, good, and just character of the LORD Himself. It reveals why David can make such bold requests – because of who God is.
Psalm 25 8 Word Analysis
- Good (טוֹב, Tov): This Hebrew word describes intrinsic excellence, moral virtue, and pleasantness. It signifies not merely a lack of evil, but a positive, active, and beneficent nature. In this context, it speaks to God's inherent benevolence and generosity, His desire for well-being for His creation.
- and (וְ, ve): A simple conjunction connecting two distinct, yet complementary, attributes of God.
- upright (יָשָׁר, Yashar): Signifies straightness, justice, integrity, and righteousness. It suggests a God who is impartial, honest, consistent, and acts according to perfect moral standards. There is no crookedness or perversion in Him.
- is the LORD (יְהוָה, YHWH): The covenant name of God, revealing His personal, self-existent, and faithful nature. It emphasizes His enduring relationship with His people and His reliability to His promises. The assertion "is the LORD" anchors these attributes to the unchanging, eternal God.
- therefore (עַל־כֵּן, 'al-ken): A crucial connecting adverb. It establishes a direct cause-and-effect relationship. God's character (good and upright) is the basis or reason for His action that follows. It is His nature that compels His benevolent instruction.
- he instructs (יוֹרֶה, Yoreh): From the verb יָרָה (Yarah), meaning "to teach, show the way, guide, point out." This term is closely related to Torah, which is divine instruction or law. God is portrayed as the ultimate Teacher and Guide, patiently revealing His way.
- sinners (חַטָּאִים, Hata'im): Refers to those who have "missed the mark," erred, or fallen short of God's perfect standard. It speaks of individuals in a state of rebellion or moral failure. This word choice emphasizes God's outreach not only to the righteous but specifically to those who need His guidance the most.
- in the way (בַּדָּרֶךְ, BaDerech): "The way" (דֶּרֶךְ, Derech) refers to a path, a course of life, a moral conduct, or a manner of living. God instructs sinners not just on abstract principles but on the practical "way" they should live—His righteous path of life, as opposed to their self-destructive sinful ways.
Words-group analysis:
- "Good and upright is the LORD": This phrase lays the foundational theological truth of the verse. It asserts God's moral perfection and inherent benevolence as unchangeable attributes. These qualities are not acquired but are intrinsic to His being. His "goodness" motivates Him to seek the welfare of His creatures, while His "uprightness" ensures that His teaching is pure, just, and perfect.
- "therefore he instructs sinners in the way": This phrase reveals the practical outworking of God's character. His goodness and uprightness mean that He does not abandon sinners but rather extends grace by actively providing guidance. He does not only judge; He also redeems and rehabilitates through teaching. The instruction is specific—"in the way"—indicating a divinely ordained path of living that leads to righteousness and life, transforming the errant.
Psalm 25 8 Bonus section
- This verse counters any legalistic understanding that God only interacts with the flawless; rather, His perfect character is the very reason He can extend teaching to those who fall short.
- It implicitly underpins the Gospel message: God's character (good, upright) motivated Him to provide a "way" (Christ, who taught and embodied righteousness) for "sinners."
- The "instruction" here isn't merely conveying information but a direct, life-altering divine mentorship. It speaks to God's patient, redemptive nature, seeking to transform the character and conduct of individuals rather than merely punishing.
- This specific instruction to sinners also foreshadows the work of the Holy Spirit who convicts, teaches, and guides believers into truth and righteousness.
Psalm 25 8 Commentary
Psalm 25:8 serves as a pivotal theological statement within David’s prayer, offering immense hope. It unveils God not just as a mighty sovereign or a fearsome judge, but as an infinitely good and morally perfect being who actively engages with fallen humanity. His goodness drives His desire for people's flourishing, while His uprightness ensures the absolute truth and righteousness of the "way" He imparts. The radical grace evident here is that God's instruction is extended precisely to sinners, not reserved for the already righteous. This defies common human assumptions that the holy would avoid the unholy. Instead, God's holiness compels Him to teach a holy way, drawing individuals out of their sin. This divine education aims for repentance and transformation, offering a clear, divine path for those lost in transgression. It emphasizes God's redemptive nature and His continuous patience and loving-kindness towards His creation, always seeking to lead them toward Himself.