TRV
Translation
King James Version
Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
Complete Jewish Bible
No one waiting for you will be disgraced; disgrace awaits those who break faith for no reason.
Berean Standard Bible
Surely none who wait for You will be put to shame; but those who are faithless without cause will be disgraced.
American Standard Version
Yea, none that wait for thee shall be put to shame: They shall be put to shame that deal treacherously without cause.
World English Bible Messianic
Yes, no one who waits for you shall be shamed. They shall be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.
Geneva Bible (1599)
So all that hope in thee, shall not be ashamed: but let them be confounded, that transgresse without cause.
Young's Literal Translation
Also let none waiting on Thee be ashamed, Let the treacherous dealers without cause be ashamed.
In the KJVVerse 14,255 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 25 verses 1–7
1 ¶ A Psalm of David. Unto thee, O LORD, 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.
4 Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.
5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
6 Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
7 Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
Here we have David's professions of desire towards God and dependence on him. He often begins his psalms with such professions, not to move God, but to move himself, and to engage himself to answer those professions.
I. He professes his desire towards God: Unto thee, O Lord! do I lift up my soul, Psa 25:1. In the foregoing psalm (Psa 25:4) it was made the character of a good man that he has not lifted up his soul to vanity; and a call was given to the everlasting gates to lift up their heads for the King of glory to come in, Psa 25:1. To this character, to this call, David here answers, "Lord, I lift up my soul, not to vanity, but to thee." Note, In worshipping God we must lift up our souls to him. Prayer is the ascent of the soul to God; God must be eyed and the soul employed. Sursum corda - Up with you hearts, was anciently used as a call to devotion. With a holy contempt of the world and the things of it, by a fixed thought and active faith, we must set God before us, and let out our desires towards him as the fountain of our happiness.
II. He professes his dependence upon God and begs for the benefit and comfort of that dependence (Psa 25:2): O my God! I trust in thee. His conscience witnessed for him that he had no confidence in himself nor in any creature, and that he had no diffidence of God or of his power or promise. He pleases himself with this profession of faith in God. Having put his trust in God, he is easy, is well satisfied, and quiet from the fear of evil; and he pleads it with God whose honour it is to help those that honour him by trusting in him. What men put a confidence in is either their joy or their shame, according as it proves. Now David here, under the direction of faith, prays earnestly, 1. That shame might not be his lot: "Let me not be ashamed of my confidence in thee; let me not be shaken from it by any prevailing fears, and let me not be, in the issue, disappointed of what I depend upon thee for; but, Lord, keep what I have committed unto thee." Note, If we make our confidence in God our stay, it shall not be our shame; and, if we triumph in him, our enemies shall not triumph over us, as they would if we should now sink under our fears, or should, in the issue, come short of our hopes. 2. That it might not be the lot of any that trusted in God. All the saints have obtained a like precious faith; and therefore, doubtless, it will be alike successful in the issue. Thus the communion of saints is kept up, even by their praying one for another. True saints will make supplication for all saints. It is certain that none who, by a believing attendance, wait on God, and, by a believing hope, wait for him, shall be made ashamed of it. 3. That it might be the lot of the transgressors; Let those be ashamed that transgress without cause, or vainly, as the word is. (1.) Upon no provocation. They revolt from God and their duty, from David and his government (so some), without any occasion given them, not being able to pretend any iniquity they have found in God, or that in any thing he has wearied them. The weaker the temptation is by which men are drawn to sin the stronger the corruption is by which they are driven by it. Those are the worst transgressors that sin for sinning-sake. (2.) To no purpose. They know their attempts against God are fruitless; they imagine a vain thing, and therefore they will soon be ashamed of it.
III. He begs direction from God in the way of his duty, Psa 25:4, Psa 25:5. Once and again he here prays to God to teach him. He was a knowing man himself, but the most intelligent, the most observant, both need and desire to be taught of God; from him we must be ever learning. Observe,
1.What he desired to learn: "Teach me, not fine words or fine notions, but thy ways, thy paths, thy truth, the ways in which thou walkest towards men, which are all mercy and truth (Psa 25:10), and the ways in which thou wouldst have me to walk towards thee." Those are best taught who understand their duty, and know the good things they should do, Ecc 2:3. God's paths and his truth are the same; divine laws are all founded upon divine truths. The way of God's precepts is the way of truth, Psa 119:30. Christ is both the way and the truth, and therefore we must learn Christ.
2.What he desired of God, in order to this. (1.) That he would enlighten his understanding concerning his duty: "Show me thy way, and so teach me." In doubtful cases we should pray earnestly that God would make it plain to us what he would have us to do. (2.) That he would incline his will to do it, and strengthen him in it: "Lead me, and so teach me." Not only as we lead one that is dimsighted, to keep him from missing his way, but as we lead one that is sick, and feeble, and faint, to help him forward in the way and to keep him from fainting and falling. We go no further in the way to heaven than God is pleased to lead us and to hold us up.
3.What he pleads, (1.) His great expectation from God: Thou art the God of my salvation. Note, Those that choose salvation of God as their end, and make him the God of their salvation, may come boldly to him for direction in the way that leads to that end. If God save us, he will teach us and lead us. He that gives salvation will give instruction. (2.) His constant attendance on God: On thee do I wait all the day. Whence should a servant expect direction what to do but from his own master, on whom he waits all the day? If we sincerely desire to know our duty, with a resolution to do it, we need not question but that God will direct us in it.
IV. He appeals to God's infinite mercy, and casts himself upon that, not pretending to any merit of his own (Psa 25:6): "Remember, O Lord! thy tender mercies, and, for the sake of those mercies, lead me, and teach me; for they have been ever of old." 1. "Thou always wast a merciful God; it is thy name, it is thy nature and property, to show mercy." 2. "Thy counsels and designs of mercy were from everlasting; the vessels of mercy were, before all worlds, ordained to glory." 3. "The instances of thy mercy to the church in general, and to me in particular, were early and ancient, and constant hitherto; they began of old, and never ceased. Thou hast taught me from my youth up, teach me now."
V. He is in a special manner earnest for the pardon of his sins (Psa 25:7): "O remember not the sins of my youth. Lord, remember thy mercies (Psa 25:6), which speak for me, and not my sins, which speak against me." Here is, 1. An implicit confession of sin; he specifies particularly the sins of his youth. Note, Our youthful faults and follies should be matter of our repentance and humiliation long after, because time does not wear out the guilt of sin. Old people should mourn for the sinful mirth and be in pain for the sinful pleasures of their youth. He aggravates his sins, calling them his transgressions; and the more holy, just, and good the law is, which sin is the transgression of, the more exceedingly sinful it ought to appear to us. 2. An express petition for mercy, (1.) That he might be acquitted from guilt: "Remember not the sins of my youth; that is, remember them not against me, lay them not to my charge, enter not into judgment with me for them." When God pardons sin he is said to remember it no more, which denotes a plenary remission; he forgives and forgets. (2.) That he might be accepted in God's sight: "Remember thou me; think on me for good, and come in seasonably for my succour." We need desire no more to make us happy than for God to remember us with favour. His plea is, "according to thy mercy, and for thy goodness-sake." Note, It is God's goodness and not ours, his mercy and not our own merit, that must be our plea for the pardon of sin and all the good we stand in need of. This plea we must always rely upon, as those that are sensible of our poverty and unworthiness and as those that are satisfied of the riches of God's mercy and grace.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–7. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 25
"And let not my enemies mock me." And let them not mock me, who by ensnaring me with serpent-like and secret suggestions, and prompting me with "Well done, well done," have brought me down to this. "For all that wait upon You shall not be confounded" [Psalm 25:3].
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 25:2
I have a sufficient basis for hope, he is saying, in those who already believe in you and enjoy your aid. You are in the habit of showing care for them, while confounding those given to lawlessness.
CassiodorusAD 585
EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 25:4
Waiting for God means waiting courageously during the suffering of evils so that when he comes in his judgment he may grant what the spirit of the devoted person was seeking.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 25:3 serves as a profound declaration within David's earnest prayer, articulating a foundational truth concerning divine faithfulness and justice. It confidently asserts that those who patiently and trustingly await the Lord's intervention will never experience the disgrace of unfulfilled hope or public humiliation. Conversely, the verse invokes a plea for righteous judgment, desiring that shame befall those who act treacherously and without provocation, thereby highlighting the stark moral and spiritual distinction between the righteous who rely on God and the wicked who willfully defy His established order.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 25 is a deeply personal and earnest prayer attributed to King David, structured as an acrostic psalm, though its adherence to the Hebrew alphabet is not perfectly consistent. It likely stems from a period of significant distress, possibly when David faced multiple adversaries, the consequences of past sins, or both. The psalm opens with an immediate and fervent appeal for divine guidance and protection, as seen in Psalms 25:1-2, setting a tone of profound trust in God's character. Verse 3 then emerges as a confident assertion, foundational to David's faith, that God will vindicate those who rely on Him. Subsequent verses include heartfelt confessions of sin (e.g., Psalms 25:7), urgent pleas for deliverance from adversaries (e.g., Psalms 25:19-20), and a culminating longing for the redemption of Israel (e.g., Psalms 25:22). Within this flow, verse 3 acts as a pivotal declaration of God's justice, expressing David's unwavering conviction that God will not abandon His faithful, while simultaneously desiring that the wicked face the shame they justly deserve.
Historical & Cultural Context: Composed by King David, whose life was frequently marked by intense periods of political intrigue, personal betrayal, and military conflict, this psalm profoundly reflects the realities of leadership and faith in ancient Israel. The concept of "shame" (Hebrew: bosh) held immense cultural significance in the ancient Near East, often implying public disgrace, the loss of honor, or the devastating failure of one's expectations or schemes. To be "ashamed" was to be utterly exposed, humiliated, and stripped of one's standing. Conversely, to "wait" (Hebrew: qavah) on God was not a passive state but an active posture of patient endurance, hopeful expectation, and steadfast reliance on Yahweh's timing and intervention. This was a common and vital spiritual discipline for the covenant people, who frequently found themselves in situations requiring divine rescue and vindication. The "transgressors without cause" would have been understood as those who acted with unprovoked malice, treachery, or injustice, perhaps specific political enemies, personal betrayers, or generally those who willfully defied God's moral order and covenant principles.
Key Themes: Psalms 25:3 powerfully underscores God's unwavering divine faithfulness and vindication. It proclaims that God will always uphold those who place their trust in Him, ensuring their hope is realized and their integrity defended against those who seek to undermine them. This stands in stark contrast to the ultimate fate of the wicked, who despite temporary success, will face public disgrace for their unprovoked treachery. The very act of "waiting on God" encapsulates the theme of patient endurance and active reliance, a spiritual discipline where believers confidently anticipate God's perfect timing and intervention. This posture of expectant trust is foundational to the covenant relationship, promising that those who truly seek the Lord will not be disappointed, a truth beautifully echoed in passages like Isaiah 40:31 and reinforced throughout the wisdom literature, such as in Proverbs 28:18. The verse also highlights the pervasive biblical theme of divine justice, where righteousness is ultimately rewarded and wickedness is judged, demonstrating God's moral governance over all creation.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 25:3 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. The most prominent is antithetical parallelism, where the two clauses present opposing ideas in a balanced structure, starkly contrasting the destiny of the faithful with that of the treacherous. This juxtaposition ("none that wait on thee" vs. "them which transgress without cause") creates a powerful rhetorical effect, emphasizing the clear moral and spiritual divide and the distinct outcomes for each group under divine judgment. The repetition of the concept of "shame" (בּוּשׁ, bûwsh) in both clauses, applied to opposing groups, functions as a form of chiasm or antimetabole in its conceptual reversal, reinforcing the central theme of vindication for the righteous and judgment for the wicked. The use of the imperative mood ("let none... be ashamed," "let them be ashamed") functions as a fervent prayer or imprecation, appealing directly to God's justice and active intervention in the affairs of humanity. Furthermore, the concept of "shame" itself functions as a potent symbol, representing public disgrace, the failure of one's expectations, or the ultimate collapse of unrighteous schemes.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse resonates deeply with the broader biblical emphasis on God's unwavering justice and His covenant faithfulness. It affirms that genuine trust in God is never in vain, a truth foundational to the Abrahamic covenant and its subsequent expressions throughout redemptive history. The promise of vindication for the righteous and shame for the wicked is a recurring motif, underscoring God's moral governance of the world and His commitment to uphold His own character. It speaks to the ultimate triumph of righteousness and the futility of rebellion against God, reassuring believers that their patient endurance will be rewarded and their trust honored, even when circumstances seem to suggest otherwise. It highlights the divine commitment to uphold those who depend on Him, ensuring that their hope in Him will not be disappointed, and that His justice will ultimately prevail.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 25:3 offers profound comfort and a clear challenge for contemporary believers. In a world where injustice often seems to prevail, where the wicked appear to prosper, and where our faith can be tested by delays and difficulties, this verse serves as an anchor, reminding us that God sees, God knows, and God will act. It calls us to cultivate a posture of active, patient waiting, trusting in His timing and His perfect justice, rather than resorting to our own devices, despair, or seeking immediate gratification. This active waiting is not passive resignation but a dynamic, hopeful anticipation rooted in God's character. It also compels us to examine our own lives: are we truly among those who wait on the Lord, living with integrity, faithfulness, and a heart fixed on Him? Or do our actions, intentions, or attitudes betray a spirit of treachery, self-reliance, or unprovoked malice that ultimately leads to spiritual and relational shame? This verse assures us that steadfast faith in God will ultimately lead to vindication and honor, while unrighteousness will inevitably lead to disgrace and exposure.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "wait on thee" truly mean in this context?
Answer: "Waiting on God" (Hebrew: qavah) is far more than passive idleness. It implies an active, patient, and hopeful expectation. It means to bind oneself to God, to endure with steadfastness, and to confidently anticipate His intervention and deliverance. It's a posture of trust that God will act in His perfect timing and according to His righteous character, even when circumstances are difficult or His actions are not immediately apparent. It involves leaning into His sovereignty and relying on His promises, as seen in the enduring hope of the prophets and psalmists, such as in Isaiah 30:18.
Does this verse imply that all suffering for believers is a result of sin?
Answer: No, this verse does not imply that all suffering for believers is a result of their own sin. While Psalm 25 as a whole does include David's confession of sin (e.g., Psalms 25:7), verse 3 specifically addresses the shame that comes from unfulfilled hope for the righteous and the shame that comes from treachery for the wicked. Believers may suffer for various reasons, including living righteously in a fallen world (as seen in 1 Peter 4:16), being persecuted for their faith, or simply enduring the common hardships of life. The promise here is that their trust in God will not ultimately lead to disgrace, regardless of the source of their trials, because God is faithful to His own.
How does God "shame" those who transgress without cause?
Answer: God "shames" those who transgress without cause in various ways, often through the natural consequences of their actions, the exposure of their deceit, or ultimately through divine judgment. This shame can manifest as public disgrace, the failure of their wicked schemes, the loss of their influence, or a deep internal conviction of their wrongdoing. In the broader biblical narrative, it points to the ultimate accountability before God, where all hidden things will be brought to light and justice will prevail, as promised in passages like Ecclesiastes 12:14 and Romans 2:5-8. This shame is not merely human embarrassment but a divine verdict on their unprovoked wickedness.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 25:3 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies the one who "waited on" the Father and was gloriously vindicated. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, lived a life of complete reliance and submission to God's will, patiently enduring rejection and suffering, even to the point of death on a cross. He was the innocent one, "transgressed against without cause" by a world that rejected Him and crucified Him, despite His blameless life. Yet, God did not leave Him "ashamed"; rather, He was gloriously vindicated through His resurrection from the dead and His ascension to the Father's right hand, proving Him to be the Son of God with power. For believers, our waiting is now a waiting for Christ's return and the full realization of His kingdom. We are assured that our hope in Him will never lead to shame, for "whoever believes in him will not be put to shame" (Romans 10:11). Christ bore our shame on the cross (as seen in Hebrews 12:2) so that we might receive His glory, transforming the very meaning of "shame" for those who are "in Him." His victory over sin and death ensures that those who trust in Him will ultimately share in His vindication, standing blameless and unashamed before God's throne, as beautifully promised in Jude 1:24.