Psalm 25 and the Legacy of Acrostic Psalms

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MALLORY’S Show me your ways, O LORD. Six chapters today! Let's get to it.

Psalm 25-30

March 9th 2025

Psalm 25, attributed to David, seems to speak of the Nation being captive to Babylon, so again the authorship is questionable. Psalm 25 also introduces us to what is called an acrostic, where each line begins with a letter from the Hebrew Alphabet with the subsequent line following with the next sequential alphabet letter.

There are seven Acrostic Psalms:
Psalm 25: One verse begins with each of the 22 Hebrew letters
Psalm 34: One verse begins with each of the 22 Hebrew letters, though one line is missing
Psalm 111: Half a verse or less of material starts with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
Psalm 112: Half a verse or less of material starts with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet
Psalm 119: Eight verses begin with each of the Hebrew letters
Psalm 145: Recited three times a day in Jewish services

Now, I have long perpetuated a myth and I want to correct it today, and the myth was the sacred nature and manner in which the Nation transcribed the text in their care. But Psalm 25 proves this to be a myth in many cases, as they were frankly often careless in the watch over the text because here the letter vau is lacking in the fifth verse, the koph is missing in the 18th, the resh is twice inserted, once instead of a koph, and a whole line is added at the end which is entirely out of the alphabetical series.

It stands to reason that if the Nation was irresponsible and indifferent in their pre-captivity allegiance to all that God told them, their allegiance to rightly recording his words was also indifferent. How badly this was is uncertain for me, but I step away from the rigid conformity to perfection I once granted them. We will read quickly and pause on passages that catch our eye.

Pleas for Guidance and Salvation

Psalm 25:1 Unto thee, YAHAVAH, do I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. 3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. At this point, Mallory took the text from verses 5-6 which we heard a moment ago as it reads:

4 Show me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. 5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for you are the God of my salvation; on thee I wait all the day. What profound desires this author had, ones we would do well pursuing as he distinctly wrote:

Show me your ways, O LORD (as opposed to keeping his ways in place)
Teach me thy paths (so as to know how and where to walk)
Lead me in thy truth (instead of the false truths of the world)
And teach me (a second reference to Him teaching the author not the author receiving instruction from any other.)
For you are the God of my salvation.

The Hebrew word for salvation translated here is yey-shaw, meaning rescue or deliver. YAY-SHOO-AH, which means, “He will save, He will deliver” is obviously a derivative and meaningfully we also remember Mallory singing from Isaiah 33:22:

For YAHAVAH is our judge, YAHAVAH is our lawgiver, YAHAVAH is our king; he will save us. Tying YAHAVAH (YAHAVAH) to YAYSHOOAH (the Man) who did come and save us all.

Biblical References

This unique name, which became more popular after the Captivity, is found 29 times I think in the Old Testament, mostly in Ezra and Nehemiah but also in 1st and 2nd Chronicles. Ezra 2:2, 2:6, 2:36, 2:40, 3:2, 3:8, 3:9, 3:10, 3:18, 4:3, 8:33; Nehemiah 3:19, 7:7, 7:11, 7:39, 7:43, 8:7, 8:17, 9:4, 9:5, 11:26, 12:1, 12:7, 12:8, 12:10, 12:24, 12:26; 1 Chronicles 24:11; and 2 Chronicles 31:15. In Nehemiah 8:17, this name refers to Joshua son of Nun, the successor of Moses, as leader of the Israelites.

And the writer continues, saying:
6 Remember, YAHAVAH, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old. (meaning that God has never not been this way)
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, YAHAVAH.
8 Good and upright is YAHAVAH: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. (of His righteousness though sinners deserve destruction in a great sense)
9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. (probably referring to the poor of money or spirit but certainly the

Understanding God's Mercy and Truth

All the paths of YAHAVAH are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies. For thy name's sake, YAHAVAH, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great. This line, “for thy names sake” speaks to God acting simply because He is good.

What man is he that feareth YAHAVAH? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth. The secret of YAHAVAH is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. Another way to read he that feareth might be, those who have a proper apprehension of his holiness, justice, and truth; and who, at the same time, sees himself a fallen spirit, and a transgressor of God's holy law, and consequently under the curse. That is the person that truly and reverently fears God.

Cry for Deliverance

And the chapter wraps with: Mine eyes are ever toward YAHAVAH; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses. Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins. Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

And as stated, verse 22 breaks the unity of this acrostic which is odd but the truth of it stands.

Psalm 26 and the Pursuit of Integrity

Psalm 26 along with 27 and 28 are believed by some to belong to the same song. And again, they are believed to have been created while the nation was in captivity. Judge me, YAHAVAH; for I have walked in mine integrity: (I have not been out to harm any other person) I have trusted also in YAHAVAH; therefore I shall not slide. Examine me, YAHAVAH, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

Now at verse 4-5, the writer says: I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers. I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked. Then here at six-seven he speaks of being even more separate from the vain dissemblers, hating the congregation of evildoers and refusing to sit with the wicked. Aren’t these verses describing a way of living that was very different from what Yeshua did? In that economy the separations were material and were actuated by Israel physically distancing themselves from others – and in many ways this was an honorable thing for them to do under the Law.

Listen to verse six where the personal choice to keep oneself separate from sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. and filth is reiterated as he says: I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, YAHAVAH: That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

Love for God's House

Now compare and contrast with his efforts to be separate and clean from the wicked around them when he now says: LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men: In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless YAHAVAH.

The poetic genius of the Psalmist is present here in chapter 26 and he describes what he has done to remain distant and untainted by sinners, which is all balanced by the place and time when he would find rest at verse 8 where he adds: LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Have you ever experienced the habitation of God’s house in your life through times we’re we are able to escape from our surroundings and dwell in that space? Can you comprehend what it will be like to have doors open to that dwelling place?

The Significance of Psalm 27

The peace, serenity, the light, warmth, truth, unity, and love. Of course, this passage is speaking of the Tabernacle/Temple, but the imagery is amazing in my mind. Psalm 27 is easily seen as a continuation of 26 as we will see when the writer speaks of the House of YAHAVAH.

That said, we really cannot tell, again, when this was written or by who because it can easily be assigned to David and or to the Nation during captivity. Some believe that this Psalm is tied to the anointing of David, who was given the royal unction or anointing three times in his life:

• In Bethlehem from the hand of Samuel, in the house of his father Jesse; (1st Samuel 16:13).
• At Hebron after the deathSeparation from God—now overcome. Physical death remains, but it no longer separates us from life with God. of Saul, by the men of Judah; (2nd Samuel 2:4).
• By the elders of Israel, at Hebron, after the death of Ishbosheth, when he was acknowledged king over all the tribes; (2nd Samael 5:3)

David's Connection to Psalm 27

The question becomes was this written during any of these anointings? Finally, there is the idea that David composed this Psalm right after his fight with Goliath. Bottom-line – we don’t know and the reality is the sentiments read by the spirit make knowing almost irrelevant. Use your imagination.

YAHAVAH is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? YAHAVAH is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Have you ever considered the idea that there is nothing on earth, above earth, in space or in the power of any thing that can extinguish, diminish, or control the Light that the Lord is? This is the light that the writer is writing about. It is His light and salvation and he adds the verse that makes some wonder if this speaks of Goliath, saying

2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

The Desire for the House of YAHAVAH

At verse four we have the evidence that this is a continuation of Psalm 25 and dwelling in the habitation of God as it reads

4 One thing have I desired of YAHAVAH, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of YAHAVAH all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of YAHAVAH, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

Interestingly, Christ of course is our Rock upon which we all rest upon, dwelling in the House of YAHAVAH above. Speaking to His disciples in that day He said,

John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

I maintain that this is the habitation of all who are His in the most spiritual sense possible – we are in Christ, Christ is in us, Christ is in the house of His Father. From that position there is nothing that can reach, harm or unmoor us from His protective hand.

6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto YAHAVAH.

Because these are Psalms we read about singing, praising throughout most of them because that is what they are for! At verse 7 we embark on new requests, though repeated in the Psalms:
7 Hear, YAHAVAH, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then YAHAVAH will take me up. (Better put, my father and my mother have forsaken me, but YAHAVAH has gathered me up)
11 Teach me thy way, YAHAVAH, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had

The Goodness of YAHAVAH in the Land of the Living

Believed to see the goodness of YAHAVAH in the land of the living.

And finally, another principle worth remembering, worth walking by, worth living by as the writer concludes with:

14 Wait on YAHAVAH: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on YAHAVAH.

It’s strange, isn’t it, that we enter into relationship in phases, don’t we? We first choose to believe. Then we choose to trust. Then we are literally forced to choose to wait on Him and that then value in this waiting is that our hearts are strengthened through the process.

Psalm 28: A Cry for Support and Triumph

PSALM 28 reads the Psalm of David – who knows, but in the first five verses the author prays for support against his enemies, who appear to have acted treacherously against him. In the sixth and seventh, he is supposed to have had the victory, and returns with songs of triumph. In the eighth is a chorus of the people sung to their conquering king. And the ninth is the prayer of the king for his people.

Unto thee will I cry, YAHAVAH my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. (The idea is that in death, the pit, God does not speak or relate to those there for as Christ taught, He is the God of the living and not the dead).

2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. 3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbors, but mischief is in their hearts. 4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. 5 Because they regard not the works of YAHAVAH, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up.

We have had a tendency as followers of God in the past to disregard the works of YAHAVAH and the writer here calls upon Him to “give them according to the works of their own hands” for the simple reason that they do not, “regard the works of YAHAVAH nor regard the operations of His hands.”

What would those be in that day? His miracles to them, no doubt, but I wonder if they were also blind to His Creation above and below them?

The longer I live and the more I assess this life, the more in awe I am of the works of His hands, which are all around us in profound scope and measure and many of us are just happy to see it as nothing more than the place we live, the place we own, the place we die. In the next Psalm, we will read what the author MAY be referring to in terms of Him being present in the world (figuratively) but hidden from those indifferent to Him. But first, the rest of the Psalm:

6 Blessed be YAHAVAH, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 7 YAHAVAH is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. 8 YAHAVAH is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. 9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.

Psalm 29: The Voice of YAHAVAH

PSALM 29

This is known as the Psalm of the Strong Ones or the Son’s of Rams, and it is believed it was written in or after a mighty thunderstorm.

1 Give unto YAHAVAH, O ye mighty, give unto YAHAVAH glory and strength. 2 Give unto YAHAVAH the glory due unto his name; worship YAHAVAH in the beauty of holiness.

From verse 3 to 11 the Psalmist uses the word KOHL which means to proclaim, call, cry, or sound. The phrase, voice of the LORD is used 48 times in scripture and in this chapter alone a total of 7. Let’s read the Psalm and then we will discuss the Voice of the LORD. So verse 3 says:

3 The voice of YAHAVAH is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: YAHAVAH is upon many waters. 4 The voice of YAHAVAH is powerful; the voice of YAHAVAH is full of majesty. 5 The voice of YAHAVAH breaketh the cedars; yea, YAHAVAH breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He maketh

The Voice of the Lord in Nature

them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. 7 The voice of YAHAVAH divideth the flames of fire. 8 The voice of YAHAVAH shaketh the wilderness; YAHAVAH shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 9 The voice of YAHAVAH maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. 10 YAHAVAH sitteth upon the flood; yea, YAHAVAH sitteth King for ever. 11 YAHAVAH will give strength unto his people; YAHAVAH will bless his people with peace.

The phrase Voice of the Lord is fascinating as it appears to invoke the sound of the Lord, the words of the Lord, the vibrations, tone, syntax, flow from the Living God. All the way back in Genesis 3:8, after eating from the forbidden tree, we read, And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. Some theologians see this line as a metaphor of God's presence becoming known to them then which was most likely through a sound (like wind) or a distinct atmospheric change which caused them to hide because they felt his imminent presence instead of them literally hearing a spoken voice in the human sense. Therefore, the "walking" signifies God's active presence in the garden.

Expressions of the Voice of the Lord

This view is significant because it is one of two distinct ways, the Voice of the Lord is used – first, as evidenced through changes in nature and second, as received through revelation by others and given to Man. The Old Testament speaks of both expressions – with the Psalmist here pointing to the sentimentality that nature is the voice of God. Anthropologists maintain that this was the origin of pagan religion that as a person was walking in a meadow and an earthquake hits, they believed that this was the Creator speaking to them. Volcanic eruptions, wind, thunder, cosmic signs and wonders, lightning and things being cleaved asunder all were seen as the Voice of God calling out to humans and making His presence known.

In this way, literally or not, God’s voice or at least presence, was known to Man. Where God is most likely NOT personally speaking through these events, He can be seen as existing in and through their power – and I have no reason to dismiss these ancient as merely superstitious reactions cultivated by fear. Certainly, powered like lightning, thunder, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions could evidence His power and glory while not being His actual voice. It was a lightning storm that caused Martin Luther who was caught in the midst of it, to cry out to God for mercy and to move him forward to launch the Protestant Reformation.

Personal Reflection on Nature's Power

From the comfort of our home and in an age where such manifestations seem sort of cute and laughable, all one has to do to understand the voice of God in nature is to be caught in the middle of its most violent acts to deeply reflect upon the Creator, our relationship to Him in the face of our obvious insignificance to the terror around us. When I was in my thirties and needing to make some money for the family, I was driving for FEDEX in the early mornings to and from LAX and had my days free. I decided to attempt to return to the job of my youth (ocean lifeguarding) and began to train to try and qualify for an interview.

Qualifying meant swimming out into the ocean about 1000 yards around a buoy and returning to shore at least near the top of the heap who would then go on to compete in other things and hopefully land a coveted interview spot. Once super stormy afternoon, I walked out to the berm and began my daily swim. The surface of the sea was super choppy which is good for a swimmer like me because I am a much better ocean swimmer than pool as I learned early on the technique which is to use the chop to propel and ride rather than fight against, with the end result being akin to skiing down a towering face of moguls.

As I swam the chop got really heavy, and rain starting pouring down upon me. The wind increased and by the time I could see the writing on the buoy I wondered if I had made a mistake because the sky was illuminated by lightning and thunder.

A Terrifying Experience at Sea

The few times I have ever been fearful in the sea, but the soul-crushing moment of absolute terror lied ahead of me as I pushed toward the buoy. When I got within feet of it, hand to God as my witness, I popped up from a deep trough to the top of some chop to take a look at where I was and lightning and thunder struck at what seemed like the exact same time. I saw myself in the midst of a completely brilliant sea illuminated by a flash, which seemed like it was upon me along with the heaviest loudest thunderclap I have ever heard.

If I could have fallen to the earth in terrified respect and honor, I would have, but I honestly thought I was about to die and I cried out to God to deliver me from whatever was happening and to get me back to shore – which He obviously did. That experience brought what I perceived as the full power of nature into my being and if God was the controller and source of that, I learned that very day to be in awe of Him.

This was a predicator to my roadside experience which I witness to you now. So I get the references to the voice of God at Sinai terrifying the Nation, it shaking the earth, breaking apart the trees, and causing lambs to give birth.

The Voice of God

That is the God who became flesh and dwelled among us and what is interesting is that the phrase VOICE OF GOD is not used in the Apostolic Record – at all. Why? With the exception of the Voice of God speaking from heaven to witness the belovedness of His own son at his baptism and at Pentecost, the voice of God was heard through the Son Himself, called the very word of God. Voices cannot be known nor distinguished unless they physically utter sound, song or words, and spiritually, unless they are discerned by the Spirit.

Which gives some understanding to how during the incarnation He spoke, not through many physical signs or prophets but through His Son, His very word made flesh.

Reflections on Psalm 30

PSALM 30

This Psalm or song is said to have been made or used at the dedication of the house of David meaning either in the dedication of a house or temple – the question is what house or temple is meant? Some say, the temple built by Solomon; others refer it to the dedication of the second temple under Zerubbabel, and some think it intended for the dedication of a third fictitious temple, which is to be built in the days of the Messiah’s reign.

Others suggest who assign the song to the dedication of the house which David built for himself on Mount Sion, after he had taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites or perhaps when David re-dedicated his own house which was defiled by the wicked conduct of his own son Absalom.

Finally some suppose it was written and performed by David on the dedication of the place which he built on the threshing floor of Araunah, after the grievous plague which had so nearly desolated the kingdom.

All the parts of the Psalm support either or any interpretation so we will just read it on principle of a house dedication and leave it at that. What we can say, however, is this Psalm presents seven distinct “states of mind” of the writer, who was probably David and they are:

1. It seems that David had been in great distress, and nearly overwhelmed by his enemies.
2. David extols God for having lifted him up, and having preserved him from the cruelty of his adversaries.
3. He is brought into great prosperity, trusts in what he had received, and forgets to depend wholly on YAHAVAH.
4. YAHAVAH hides his face from him, and he is brought into great distress.
5. He feels his loss, and makes earnest prayer and supplication.
6. He is restored to the Divine favour, and filled with joy.
7. He dedicates himself to glory in God alone, and to trust in him for ever.

Because it seems difficult to be in each of these conditions at the same time some believe that it is a compilation of events that have been recorded in a journal and summarized here. You decide as we wrap today up with a simple reading.

1. I will extol thee, YAHAVAH; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made

Praise and Thanksgiving

my foes to rejoice over me.

2 YAHAVAH my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3 YAHAVAH, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4 Sing unto YAHAVAH, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Endurance and Faith

6 And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7 YAHAVAH, by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8 I cried to thee, YAHAVAH; and unto YAHAVAH I made supplication. 9 What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10 Hear, YAHAVAH, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper.

Turning Mourning into Joy

11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. YAHAVAH my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

Questions/Comments Prayer