PSALM 25:8–22 The Friendship of the LORD
READ: PSALM 25:8–22
v. 14 “The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him.”
Would you be comfortable describing yourself as a friend of the LORD? That is what David seems to be doing. In Psalm 25 he presents himself as someone who trusts in God (v. 2) then a little later he says, “The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him.”
What does it mean to experience God’s friendship? David speaks about the amazing fact that the almighty God counsels and instructs his people when they humbly approach him. David isn’t claiming to be on equal footing with the LORD. The LORD’s friendship isn’t for everyone, willy-nilly. The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him.
The Bible speaks about the friendship of the LORD in various ways. Abraham was considered a friend of God (Isa. 41:8). Moses went up the mountain and the LORD spoke to him “face to face, as a man speaks to his friend” (Ex. 33:11). Obviously, these two men were unique. Most believers do not have such personal encounters with God. At the same time, the promise of Psalm 25:14 is clearly for all believers: you and I can have this friendship!
But what does this really mean? How can we experience it? God’s friendship means that he guides our lives in two ways. First, it means that he teaches us through his word, the Bible. The word of God “is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). God uses his word to teach us how we are saved from our sins in Jesus Christ, and how we are to live close to him. In other words, when you read your Bible intently, it’s as if God is a divine Friend speaking to you, comforting you when you are struggling, giving you advice on how you should live. What a privilege!
Second, the Lord teaches and guides us through “the other Counselor,” the Holy Spirit. The Spirit teaches us all things and reminds us of everything Jesus taught his disciples (John 14:26). All things—incredible, isn’t it? This includes not just the way of salvation and Christian teachings but also the choices you make in your everyday life (James 1:5). Again, what a glorious privilege!
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