Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way.
Parallel translations
- WEB Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
- KJV Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
- ESV Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
- NKJV Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
- NASB ¶The Lord is good and upright; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
- NLT The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Because God is good and upright, he instructs sinners in the right way. God's goodness moves him to teach even the wayward.
Overview
David grounds his hope for instruction in God's own character as good and upright, the very reason God condescends to guide sinners back to the right path. Divine goodness expresses itself in patient teaching rather than mere condemnation. This pictures the grace that meets sinners in Christ, who came not to call the righteous but to seek and save the lost.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- Jas 1:5Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.
- Eph 1:17–18that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him.
- Ps 32:8I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you.
- John 6:44–45“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
- Ps 92:15to proclaim, “The LORD is upright; He is my Rock, and in Him there is no unrighteousness.”
- Matt 9:13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
- Matt 11:29–30Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- Isa 26:7The path of the righteous is level; You clear a straight path for the upright.
- Prov 9:4–6“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment.
- Prov 1:20–23Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
- Ps 119:68You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.
- 2 Cor 4:6For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
- Prov 2:1–6My son, if you accept my words and hide my commandments within you,
- Mic 4:2And many nations will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways, so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
- Luke 11:13So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 25:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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