The meek will he guide - The humble, the teachable, the prayerful, the gentle of spirit - those who are willing to learn. A proud person who supposes that he already knows enough cannot be taught; a haughty person who has no respect for others, cannot learn of them; a person who is willing to believe nothing cannot be instructed. The first requisite, therefore, in the work of religion, as in respect to all kinds of knowledge, is a meek and docile spirit. See Matthew 18:3.

In judgment - In a right judgment or estimate of things. It is not merely in the administration of justice, or in doing "right," but it is in judging of truth; of duty; of the value of objects; of the right way to live; of all upon which the mind can be called to exercise judgment, or to come to a decision.

And the meek will he teach his way - The way in which he would have them to go. The "methods" by which God does this are:

(1) By His word or law,

(a) laying down there the principles which are to guide human conduct, and

(b) in numerous cases furnishing specific rules for directing our conduct in the relations of life;

(2) by His Spirit,

(a) disposing the mind to candor,

(b) enlightening it to see the truth, and

(c) making it honest and sincere in its inquiries;

(3) by His providence - often indicating, in an unexpected manner, to those who are sincere in their inquiries after truth and duty, what He would have them to do; and

(4) by the advice and counsel of those who have experience - the aged and the wise - those who have themselves been placed in similar circumstances, or who have passed through the same perplexities and embarrassments.

By all these methods a peson who goes to God in humble prayer, and with a proper sense of dependence, may trust that he will be guided aright; and it is not probable that a case could occur in which one who should honestly seek for guidance by these helps, might not feel assured that God would lead him aright. Having used these means, a peson may feel assured that God will not leave him to error.

The meek will he guide - ענוים anavim, the poor, the distressed; he will lead in judgment - he will direct them in their cause, and bring it to a happy issue, for he will show them the way in which they should go.

The meek will he guide in judgment,.... Or "the miserable" (z) and afflicted; such as see themselves to be wretched and miserable, lost and undone; and cry out, What shall we do to be saved? and who are meek and lowly, are humbled under a sense of their sins, are poor in spirit, and of broken and contrite hearts; these the Lord will guide by his Spirit into the truth, as it is in Jesus; even the great truth of salvation by him; and in the way of his judgments, statutes, and ordinances; and will give them a true judgment and a right discerning of things that differ; and he will lead them on in judgment, or gently; see Jeremiah 10:24; into every truth of the Gospel by degrees, and as they are able to bear them;

and the meek will he teach his way; of justifying sinners by the righteousness of his son; for such who are humble and confess their sins and unworthiness, and throw themselves on the mercy of God in Christ, are declaratively justified by the Lord, when the proud boasting Pharisee is an abomination to him.

(z) "miseros", Gejerus, Michaelis.

The shortened form of the future stands here, according to Ges. ֗128, 2, rem., instead of the full form (which, viz., ידרך, is perhaps meant); for the connection which treats of general facts, does not admit of its being taken as optative. The ב (cf. Psalm 25:5, Psalm 107:7; Psalm 119:35) denotes the sphere of the guidance. משׁפּט is the right so far as it is traversed, i.e., practised or carried out. In this course of right He leads the ענוים, and teaches them the way that is pleasing to Himself. ענוים is the one word for the gentle, mansueti, and the humble, modesti. Jerome uses these words alternately in Psalm 25:9 and Psalm 25:9; but the poet designedly repeats the one word - the cardinal virtue of ענוה - here with the preponderating notion of lowliness. Upon the self-righteous and self-sufficient He would be obliged to force Himself even against their will. He wants disciples eager to learn; and how richly He rewards those who guard what they have learnt!

The meek will he {g} guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.

(g) He will govern and comfort them that are truly humbled for their sins.

25:9 The meek - Such as meekly submit themselves to God, and are desirous to be directed and governed by him. Judgment - In the paths of judgment, in the right way.

9. in judgment-rightly.

25:8-14 We are all sinners; and Christ came into the world to save sinners, to teach sinners, to call sinners to repentance. We value a promise by the character of him that makes it; we therefore depend upon God's promises. All the paths of the Lord, that is, all his promises and all his providences, are mercy and truth. In all God's dealings his people may see his mercy displayed, and his word fulfilled, whatever afflictions they are now exercised with. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth; and so it will appear when they come to their journey's end. Those that are humble, that distrust themselves, and desire to be taught and to follow Divine guidance, these he will guide in judgment, that is, by the rule of the written word, to find rest for their souls in the Saviour. Even when the body is sick, and in pain, the soul may be at ease in God.