A Verse A Day (Day 5)

The 25^th psalm has a puzzling line: “God instructs sinners in the way.” 

 

Taken in isolation, this snatch of the psalm could imply many things, since the phrase “the way” is left ambiguously undefined. But, the phrase is only undefined if we take it apart from the rest of the psalm. The psalmist has already said, “Make me to know your ways,” “Teach me your paths,” adding that God’s mercy and steadfast love have been God’s manner from of old. And the psalm will go on to say, “All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness.” So, the itty bit of the line is much clearer when we put it in its full verse: Good and upright is the Lord; therefore God instructs sinners in the way.” 

 

It’s an interesting theology, considering the competition. There were competing doctrines, largely gathered under the idea or personification of “fate,” which argued that us “sinners” were more or less destined for wealth or destitution, greatness or servitude. There were competing theologies of the gods who were angered by “sinners,” and therefore required some kind of appeasing sacrifice, whether a prized bull or a selected virgin. There were competing visions of the good life, mostly through hedonistic, misogynistic, and intensely violent exertions of power against others. 

 

The development of theologies and doctrines is an interesting subject in itself, but will have to wait for another day. Suffice it to say, though, that these competing doctrines of fate, appeasement, and power as proof of divine pleasure all find their way into the Scriptures along the way, because even competing theologies are grounded in the same mess of human experience and encounter the same questions that arise from it. But, those doctrines do not ultimately define the God of this psalm. 

 

The 25^th Psalm simply presumes that God is good and upright, that God’s love is steadfast, and that, therefore, God’s manner with sinners is not to leave them to their fate, to lash out in anger, or to equip them to fight it out, but to change them with instruction. We can be taught! – says the psalmist. And God teaches. That brings me hope.