“Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day” (Psalms 25:4-5)

Notice the words “shew me” and “teach me” and “lead me.” Why did David petition God to show him (His ways), teach him (His paths), and lead him (in His truth)? Why? Because David knew (by experience) that He was the God of his Salvation.

That is, David’s daily salvation, his daily preservation, was in God. So for David to prosper temporally (and for us also), first God must show (or reveal) His ways; for God’s ways are not our ways. The Apostle Paul wrote:

“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?” (Romans 11:33-34)

Therefore, we the created, we the children, must have our Father reveal His ways to us; for without revelation, we could not know His ways (John 3:27). His ways are truth; they are right and just, pure and holy. His ways are for His Glory and for our good. His ways are the ways of blessings and rewards. His ways are Life (Eternal Life); His ways are the ways of Liberty (for truth makes men free); His ways are the ways of Love.

Second David said, “teach me thy paths.” Psalms 25:10a says, “All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth...” It is one thing to have revelation of His ways of righteousness; but to walk in His Commandments, to walk in the paths of mercy and truth, requires teaching. That is not only of facts, but a desire to follow these facts, to be a disciple, to be one who will “…keep (or obey; endure in) his covenant (His Commandments) and his testimonies (His witness)” (verse 10b). The child of God has to be taught the path he is to walk. The Holy Spirit is the Teacher (John 14:16-17, 21-25; 16:13-15; 1 John 2:20, 27). The path is to walk even as Christ walked (1 John 2:4-6; John 13:34-35). Then His love is perfected in us.

Psalms 25, verses 8, 9, 10, 12, and 14 show us:

“Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way” (verse 8 )

“…the meek will he teach his way” (verse 9b)

“…such as keep his covenant and his testimonies” (verse 10b)

“What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose”  (verse 12)

“The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant” (verse 14)

Thirdly, David said, “Lead me in thy truth.” That is, not only reveal truth; teach truth; but also lead me in truth. David was petitioning God for the Power of God to Perform the Commandments of God. David realized that he could not perform truth without the Power of God working in him (Philippians 4:13).

Not only was David petitioning God for Power, but also for the Perception of Christ as the Captain of the Hosts; as He is the Leader, the General of the Army of God, and the Example to the members of His Body, the Church. David, and all the children of God, need to see Christ, who is the Head of the Body, the Church, walking in Truth and Holiness and Peace to help His Wife, His Body, His children, to perform His Commandments as He performed and performs them (John 13:34-35).

David was saying, “Lead me, guide me, carry me, lift me up. Let me see my God and all of His Glory; in all of His Love; in all of His Power. Not only God, ‘shew me,’ or reveal me, Thy ways of Thy Sovereignty; but also ‘teach me’ Thy Paths of Truth, Holiness, and Peace. And then God, ‘lead me,’ or show me how to walk, in Your Ways, upon Your Paths. Be Thou my Example.”

See Hebrews 12:1-3, especially verse 3:

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, (2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (3) For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

In Proverbs, we find that the “fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” and “the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Proverbs 1:7; 8:13; 9:10; 14:26-27). This means that Wisdom Himself (Proverbs 8:12) lives and abides in a person; which means they are born from above by the Spirit of God; since Wisdom is Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Our text verses conclude with “…on thee do I wait all the day.” When we need advice, ask no man – only God. Help us to always to wait “on God”; for the revelation of His Ways; to be taught His Path; to be lead in His Truth. And then we shall be saved (or preserved) daily.