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Psalm 25:8
Good and upright is the LORD, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
6LORD, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.
7Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, LORD.
8Good and upright is the LORD, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
9He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
10All the paths of the LORD are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
Notice
“Therefore” ties God's instruction of sinners to his goodness and uprightness, challenging the thought that failure must put someone beyond his teaching.
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
James 1:5But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.Both passages connect God's generous character with help for people who need wisdom or instruction.
Nahum 1:7The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and he knows those who take refuge in him.Both declare that the LORD is good, expressing that goodness through instruction in the psalm and refuge in Nahum.
Ephesians 1:17–18that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him,God is the source of instruction in the psalm and of wisdom and knowledge of him in Paul's prayer.
Psalm 25:5Guide me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation. I wait for you all day long.The request for God to guide and teach finds assurance in his promise to instruct sinners in the way.
Psalm 32:8I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you.Both passages promise instruction in the way a person should go, using the language of teaching and direction.
Lamentations 3:25The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.Both name the LORD's goodness toward people: sinners receiving instruction here, and those who wait for and seek him in Lamentations.
John 6:44–45No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up in the last day.The shared thread is God's action toward people: the LORD instructs sinners, while the Father draws people to Jesus.
Psalm 92:15to show that the LORD is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.Both declare that the LORD is upright; Psalm 92 makes explicit that there is no unrighteousness in him.
Matthew 9:13But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”Sinners are named in both passages as recipients of divine help: the LORD instructs them, and Jesus calls them to repentance.
Psalm 125:1A Song of Ascents. Those who trust in the LORD are as Mount Zion, which can’t be moved, but remains forever.The connection is broad: both concern dependence on the LORD, through receiving his instruction or trusting in him.
Isaiah 26:7The way of the just is uprightness. You who are upright make the path of the righteous level.Both link God's uprightness with the language of a way or path for people to follow.
Matthew 11:29–30Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.Both connect learning with the teacher's character: the LORD is good and upright, and Jesus is gentle and humble in heart.
Where this verse fits
Guilt and confession. feeling distant from God. sermon or Bible study notes.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
The promise includes sinners among those God will teach. His goodness gives reason to seek his instruction, and his uprightness means his way is right.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).