Psalm 25:22

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) This verse, beginning with Pe, was apparently a later addition. Not only is it an isolated line, interfering with the alphabetical arrangement, but it also differs from the rest of the psalm by employing Elohim in the place of Jehovah. (Comp. Psalm 34:22.)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 25:22. Redeem Israel, O God, &c. — “Have mercy, not upon me only, but upon the whole nation, who are miserably distracted by their divisions, and restore them to peace and quietness.” — Bishop Patrick, who supposes that the Psalm was written during the troubles occasioned by Absalom. David was now in trouble himself, in great trouble, (Psalm 25:17,) and very earnest he was in praying to God for deliverance; yet he forgets not the distresses of God’s church. Good men have little comfort in their own safety while the church is in distress and danger. This prayer is a three-fold prophecy; 1st, That God would at length give David rest, and therewith give Israel rest from all their enemies round about. 2d, That he would send the Messiah, in due time, to redeem Israel from all his iniquities, Psalms 130. ult., and so to redeem them from their troubles; and, 3d, Of the happiness of the future state. In heaven, and in heaven only, will God’s Israel be perfectly redeemed from all troubles.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

25:15-22 The psalmist concludes, as he began, with expressing dependence upon God, and desire toward him. It is good thus to hope, and quietly to wait for the salvation of the Lord. And if God turns to us, no matter who turns from us. He pleads his own integrity. Though guilty before God, yet, as to his enemies, he had the testimony of conscience that he had done them no wrong. God would, at length, give Israel rest from all their enemies round about. In heaven, God's Israel will be perfectly redeemed from all troubles. Blessed Saviour, thou hast graciously taught us that without thee we can do nothing. Do thou teach us how to pray, how to appear before thee in the way which thou shalt choose, and how to lift up our whole hearts and desires after thee, for thou art the Lord our righteousness.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Redeem Israel - Redeem or save thy people - the word "Israel" here being used, as elsewhere, to denote the people of God.

Out of all his troubles - Save thy people from persecution, and from trial of all kinds. The prayer of the psalmist had, before this, related mainly to himself. He had made mention of his own troubles and sorrows, and had earnestly sought relief. The psalm, however, closes appropriately with a reference to others; to all the people of God who might be in similar circumstances. Religion is not selfish. The mind under the influence of true piety, however intensely it may feel its own trouble, and however earnestly it may pray for deliverance, is not forgetful of the troubles of others; and prayers for their comfort and deliverance are freely mingled with those which the afflicted children of God offer for themselves. This verse may be, therefore, taken as an illustration of the nature of true piety: piety that seeks the welfare of all; piety that does not terminate in itself alone; piety that desires the happiness of all people, especially the deliverance of the suffering and the sad. It should, however, be added that this verse is no part of the alphabetical series in the psalm - that having been ended, in Psalm 25:21, with the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This verse commences with the Hebrew letter pe (p). Some have supposed that it was added to the psalm when it was prepared for public use, in order to make what was at first applicable to an individual appropriate as a part of public worship - or because the sentiments in the psalm, originally having reference to one individual, were as applicable to the people of God generally as to the author of the psalm. There is some plausibility in this conjecture.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

22. Extend these blessings to all Thy people in all their distresses.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

If thou wilt not pity and help me, yet spare thy people. who suffer for my sake, and in my sufferings.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. David was not only concerned for himself, but for the whole nation of Israel, which was involved in trouble through this unnatural rebellion of his son, and many of his subjects; and no doubt he may have a further view to the redemption of the church of God, the spiritual Israel, by the Messiah; and his sense may be, that God would send the promised Redeemer and Saviour, to redeem his people from all their iniquities; from the law, its curses and condemnation; to ransom them out of the hands of Satan, that is stronger than they; and to deliver them from all their enemies, and from death itself, the last enemy, which will put an end to all their troubles, Isaiah 35:10.

Geneva Study Bible

Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. A concluding prayer for the nation. The alphabet has been completed, and this is a supplementary distich beginning with Pç, which has already been represented in Psalm 25:16. Psalms 34 has the same peculiarity. Lagarde has ingeniously conjectured that these verses contain a reference to the names of the authors, Pedael and Pedaiah. But this is very doubtful; and this verse at any rate is probably a liturgical addition to the original Psalm. The absolute use of God instead of Jehovah is contrary to the usage of the Psalm, and rare in the First Book of Psalms generally. See Introd. p. lv.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles. It is supposed by some that this verse was added during the "trouble" of the Captivity; and certainly its stand-lug outside the alphabetical arrangement favours this view; but the similar irregularity at the close of Psalm 34, rather makes against it. David evidently was not a slave to a mechanical arrangement; and any pious Israelite, at any age (therefore certainly David) might naturally append a prayer for his people to an outpouring of prayer for himself. Moreover, redemption is an idea familiar to David (Psalm 19:14; Psalm 26:11; Psalm 31:5; Psalm 34:22).



Psalm 25:22

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

His experience is not singular, but the enmity of the world and sin bring all who belong to the people of God into straits just as they have him. And the need of the individual will not cease until the need of the whole undergoes a radical remedy. Hence the intercessory prayer of this meagre closing distich, whose connection with what precedes is not in this instance so close as in Psalm 34:23. It looks as though it was only added when Psalm 25 came to be used in public worship; and the change of the name of God favours this view. Both Psalms close with a פ in excess of the alphabet. Perhaps the first פ represents the π, and the second the φ; for Psalm 25:16; Psalm 34:17 follow words ending in a consonant, and Psalm 25:22; Psalm 34:23, words ending in a vowel. Or is it a propensity for giving a special representation of the final letters, just as these are sometimes represented, though not always perfectly, at the close of the hymns of the synagogue (pijutim)?