TRV
Translation
King James Version
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
Complete Jewish Bible
Don't remember my youthful sins or transgressions; but remember me according to your grace for the sake of your goodness, ADONAI.
Berean Standard Bible
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my rebellious acts; remember me according to Your loving devotion, because of Your goodness, O LORD.
American Standard Version
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: According to thy lovingkindness remember thou me, For thy goodness’ sake, O Jehovah.
World English Bible Messianic
Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, LORD.
Geneva Bible (1599)
Remember not the sinnes of my youth, nor my rebellions, but according to thy kindenesse remember thou me, euen for thy goodnesse sake, O Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
Sins of my youth, and my transgressions, Do not Thou remember. According to Thy kindness be mindful of me, For Thy goodness' sake, O Jehovah.
In the KJVVerse 14,259 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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Diodorus of TarsusAD 390
COMMENTARY ON PSALM 25
By “youthful sin” he refers to the people’s sins in Egypt, where they committed idolatry, remember. So now, he is saying, remember not those sins but your lovingkindness, by which even then you were kind to them in their ignorance and had mercy on them of your own accord even without being asked; and so now, too, exercise such care and lovingkindness for your own sake.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 25
"Remember not the offenses of my youth and of my ignorance" [Psalm 25:7]. The offenses of my presumptuous boldness and of my ignorance reserve not for vengeance, but let them be as if forgotten by You. "According to Your mercy, be mindful of me, O God." Be mindful indeed of me, not according to the anger of which I am worthy, but according to Your mercy which is worthy of You. "For Your goodness, O Lord." Not for my deservings, but for Your goodness, O Lord.
Theodoret of CyrusAD 458
COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 25:3
In those expressions what he was asking for was this: According to your great mercy, remember me; remember not my sin but me in loving fashion.
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 25:7 is a heartfelt and profound prayer from King David, expressing deep humility and an unwavering reliance on God's inherent character for grace and forgiveness. In this earnest petition, David appeals to the LORD not to hold his past errors and rebellious acts against him, but rather to remember him with divine mercy and benevolent goodness, acknowledging that the sole basis for such favor lies entirely in God's nature, not in any human merit or achievement.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse is rich with Parallelism, a defining characteristic of Hebrew poetry. "Sins of my youth" is paralleled with "my transgressions," creating a comprehensive scope of David's sinfulness, encompassing both early and more deliberate failings. Similarly, "according to thy mercy" and "for thy goodness' sake" form a synonymous parallelism, emphasizing that the sole basis for God's favorable remembrance is His divine character, specifically His compassion and benevolence. The use of Repetition (or a form of Anaphora with a negative and positive command) in "Remember not" and "remember thou me" highlights the active nature of God's 'remembering' and David's desperate desire for a favorable, rather than judgmental, remembrance. The direct address "O LORD" is an example of Apostrophe, where the speaker directly addresses God, intensifying the personal and fervent nature of the prayer and underscoring the intimate relationship between the psalmist and his Creator.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 25:7 profoundly articulates the theological truth that human forgiveness is not earned but is a gracious act rooted entirely in the unchanging character of God. David's comprehensive confession of "sins of my youth" and "my transgressions" underscores the pervasive nature of human sinfulness, from early life to mature rebellion, while his unwavering appeal to God's "mercy" (chêçêd) and "goodness" (ṭûwb) reveals the only sure foundation for hope and reconciliation. This verse teaches that God's "remembering" is an active, volitional act—He chooses not to hold our confessed sins against us, and instead chooses to remember us with favor, for His own name's sake. This divine initiative in forgiveness, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His own nature even when humanity is unfaithful, is a cornerstone of biblical theology, pointing forward to the ultimate provision for sin.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 25:7 offers profound encouragement and a timeless model for believers today. Like David, we are called to approach God with genuine humility, acknowledging the full scope of our sinfulness—not just recent transgressions, but also the patterns and mistakes from our past, including those of our youth. This comprehensive confession is profoundly liberating, as it places our hope entirely on God's character, not on our ability to erase or compensate for our past. The verse reminds us that our hope for forgiveness and a renewed relationship with God rests solely on His boundless mercy and inherent goodness, not on our own attempts to earn or merit His favor. No matter how old we are, or how deeply ingrained our past mistakes, God is able and willing to forgive when we genuinely turn to Him in repentance and faith. This truth provides immense solace, assuring us that our past follies do not define our future in Christ, but rather serve to highlight the magnificent, unmerited grace of God. It empowers us to live forward in freedom, knowing we are fully pardoned and remembered by God with favor.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does God literally forget our sins when we confess them?
Answer: The biblical concept of God "remembering not" our sins (as in Jeremiah 31:34) does not imply a literal loss of divine memory. Instead, it signifies a profound act of divine choice and relational commitment. When God says He will "remember not" our sins, it means He chooses not to hold them against us, not to reckon them for judgment, and not to allow them to hinder our relationship with Him. It's a legal and relational act of pardoning and removing the guilt and consequences of sin, effectively treating us as if we had never sinned in the first place, based on the atoning work of Christ.
Why does David specifically mention "the sins of my youth"?
Answer: David's mention of "sins of my youth" serves several purposes. Firstly, it indicates a comprehensive and lifelong awareness of his sinfulness, acknowledging that even in his formative years, he was prone to error and rebellion. Often, youthful sins can be impulsive, less considered, or even deeply ingrained habits formed early in life. By including them, David demonstrates a thorough and humble confession that leaves no stone unturned. Secondly, it might reflect a particular burden or regret from that period of his life that continued to weigh on him. Ultimately, it underscores the universal human condition of being born into sin and the lifelong need for divine grace and forgiveness, covering all stages of life from childhood to old age.
Is God's forgiveness conditional on human actions?
Answer: God's willingness to forgive, as expressed in Psalms 25:7, is ultimately rooted in His unconditional character—His boundless mercy (chêçêd) and inherent goodness (ṭûwb). However, the reception of that forgiveness by humanity is indeed conditioned on repentance and faith. While God's willingness to pardon is boundless and flows from His very nature, it is appropriated when individuals humbly acknowledge their sin, turn away from it (repent), and place their trust in God's provision for salvation. David's prayer itself is an act of humble confession and appeal, demonstrating the necessary human response to receive God's freely offered pardon. This dynamic is consistently seen throughout scripture, where God initiates salvation, but humanity must respond in faith, as seen in Acts 3:19.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 25:7 finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. David's desperate plea for God to "remember not" his sins and to "remember thou me" according to His mercy and goodness is fully answered in the Messiah. Through His perfect, sinless life, His atoning death on the cross, and His victorious resurrection, Jesus became the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). It is through Christ's sacrifice that God can be both perfectly just in punishing sin and the justifier of those who believe in Jesus (Romans 3:26). The New Covenant promises that God will remember our sins and lawless deeds no more (Hebrews 8:12), a promise made possible because Christ bore the full weight of our transgressions and the penalty for our sins. The "mercy" and "goodness" David appeals to are perfectly demonstrated in God sending His Son to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), effectively canceling the record of debt that stood against us by nailing it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-14). In Christ, our "sins of youth" and all our "transgressions" are truly remembered no more by God, for we are clothed in His perfect righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), enabling God to remember us always with favor, compassion, and the promise of eternal life.