Psalm 25:14 Covenant Fear

Psalm 25:14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.

 

With Psalm 25 David takes us back to some of the themes that have dominated so far. He begins by entrusting himself again to the LORD, asking that he will not be put to shame and that his enemies will not triumph over him. He is confident that hope in God is the key and that those who lack it will be judged. However, he is not complacent but wants to know God's truth and asks to be remembered. Although in previous psalms he has spoken of his own righteousness, here he clearly relies on God's mercy, saying (7) Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. He sees the fear of the LORD as being a further key to success and in the remainder of the psalm he continues to express his confidence in the LORD and to pray for release. Verse 14 is a statement rather than a prayer and a striking one at that. The parallel statements say that The LORD confides in those who fear him and that he makes his covenant known to them. The latter idea of God making covenant is a great theme in Scripture. David, like Abraham and Jacob and others, were in covenant (ie a solemn and binding relationship) with God, as were the Israelites as a body. This is the position of all New Covenant believers. It can be thought of as being in God's confidence or friendship (ESV). The KJV rightly translates The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him. The fear, of course, is not and cannot contextually be cringing or servile fear but is like that of son to father, friend with friend. May we know it always.