Psalms 25:11
For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Psalms 25:11
For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The psalmist argues that the greatness of his iniquity is precisely why God should pardon it. He's not saying his sin is so bad it can't be forgiven, but rather that forgiving something so monumental will best showcase God's immense mercy and honor His name.
The psalmist, after reflecting on God's faithfulness and love to those who follow Him, realizes his own profound sinfulness. This realization leads him to earnestly plead for God's forgiveness, not based on his own merit, but on the honor and reputation of God's merciful nature. He acknowledges the immense depth of his guilt, presenting it as a reason why only God's great mercy can address it.
When we confess our sins, we often feel like our guilt is too big to overcome. But David points us to a powerful argument for seeking God's forgiveness. What is it?
The psalmist doesn't base his plea for pardon on his own goodness or merit. Instead, he appeals to God's character – His "Name." In the ancient world, a person's name carried immense weight, representing their reputation, their essence, and their actions.
Admitting our sin is one thing, but acknowledging its greatness can feel like sealing our own doom. Why does David confess the magnitude of his guilt?
David doesn't minimize his sin; he confronts its enormity. This isn't about wallowing in despair, but about understanding the depth of his need and the height of God's grace.
Understand the original words
shem · Hebrew Noun
In Scripture, this represents God's revealed character, authority, reputation, and presence. To act for His name's sake is to act in a way that preserves and manifests His glory and holiness.
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal, covenantal name of God revealed to Israel. It signifies His eternal self-existence, faithfulness, and His active role in the salvation and life of His people.
avon · Hebrew Noun
An inner state of moral twistedness, perversion, or iniquity. It refers not only to the act of sin but to the resulting state of culpability and the burden of guilt that requires atonement.
This passage speaks of God's character as merciful and forgiving, which is the very basis of the psalmist's plea: he appeals to God's nature for forgiveness because his sin is great.
Isaiah 43:25Here, God directly states 'I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.' This echoes the psalmist's plea to pardon 'for your name's sake,' highlighting that God's forgiveness is rooted in His own glorious character.
2 Samuel 12:13This verse shows David confessing his great sin with Bathsheba, after which Nathan says, 'The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.' It connects the confession of great sin with God's declarative pardon, mirroring the sentiment in Psalm 25:11.
Luke 7:47Jesus states, 'Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much.' This highlights how the magnitude of sin, when met with repentance and love, is precisely why God's forgiveness is so profoundly demonstrated.
cambridgePsalms 25:11: "For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great."
11 . The thought of God’s requirements ( Psalm 25:10 ) makes him feel his own shortcomings, and prompts this prayer for pardon. He appeals to Jehovah’s revelation of Himself as the God of mercy. The verse combines Psalm 25:5; Psalm 25:9 of Exodus 34. Cp. Psalm 23:3 , note; Isaiah 43:25 ; Jeremiah 14:7 .
pulpitPsalms 25:11: "For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great."
Verse 11. - For thy Name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity. The psalmist here resumes the attitude of prayer, which he had laid aside in ver. 8. The" sins of his youth," and his other "transgressions," which he had asked God to forget (ver. 7), rankle in his own memory, and force him to cry out again and again for pardon (see ver. 18; Psalm 32:5; Psalm 38:18; Psalm 39:8; Psalm 41:4, etc.). Here he beseeches G…
The psalmist argues that the greatness of his iniquity is precisely why God should pardon it. He's not saying his sin is so bad it can't be forgiven, but rather that forgiving something so monumental will best showcase God's immense mercy and honor His name.
The psalmist, after reflecting on God's faithfulness and love to those who follow Him, realizes his own profound sinfulness. This realization leads him to earnestly plead for God's forgiveness, not based on his own merit, but on the honor and reputation of God's merciful nature. He acknowledges the immense depth of his guilt, presenting it as a reason why only God's great mercy can address it.
The psalmist, after reflecting on God's faithfulness and love to those who follow Him, realizes his own profound sinfulness. This realization leads him to earnestly plead for God's forgiveness, not based on his own merit, but on the honor and reputation of God's merciful nature. He acknowledges the immense depth of his guilt, presenting it as a reason why only God's great mercy can address it.
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"For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great." — The psalmist argues that the greatness of his iniquity is precisely why God should pardon it. He's not saying his sin is so bad it can't be forgiven, but rather that forgiving something so monume…