Psalms 25:9
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
The beatitude of meekness runs throughout Scripture. Proverbs 11:2: "with the lowly is wisdom." Proverbs 15:33: "before honour is humility." Zephaniah 2:3: "Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth...seek meekness." Jesus declared: "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5), directly echoing Psalm 37:11.
Meekness was countercultural in the ancient world, which valued power, pride, and dominance. The Greek and Roman honor-shame cultures rewarded self-assertion and punished weakness. Yet biblical faith consistently elevated humility. James 4:6 quotes Proverbs 3:34: "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."
David exemplified meekness despite his position as king and warrior. He spared Saul's life when he could have killed him (1 Samuel 24, 26). He accepted Shimei's cursing as possibly from God (2 Samuel 16:10-12). He confessed sin when confronted by Nathan (2 Samuel 12:13). His meekness wasn't absence of power but submission of power to God's authority.
The connection between meekness and teachability is crucial. Pride makes people unteachable—they trust their own wisdom and resist correction. Humility makes people teachable—they recognize their need for instruction and submit to divine guidance. Proverbs 12:15: "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise."
Questions for Reflection
- How is biblical meekness different from weakness, and why does strength under God's control make someone teachable?
- Why does pride prevent people from receiving God's guidance while humility opens them to instruction?
- What is the difference between God guiding us in specific decisions (judgment) and teaching us His general way of acting and thinking?
- In what areas of life do you struggle with pride that makes you resistant to divine guidance, and how can you cultivate meekness?
- How did Jesus perfectly embody meekness (Matthew 11:29), and how does His example encourage us to pursue humility?
Analysis & Commentary
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. This verse continues the theme of divine instruction, specifying who receives God's guidance: the meek. The parallel structure (guide/teach, judgment/his way) emphasizes both the recipients and the content of God's teaching.
"The meek" (anavim, עֲנָוִים) comes from anav (עָנָו), meaning humble, afflicted, lowly, gentle. This isn't weakness but strength under control—those who have been humbled by circumstances or who voluntarily humble themselves before God. Moses was called "very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" (Numbers 12:3), yet he confronted Pharaoh and led Israel. Meekness is power submitted to God's authority.
"Will he guide" (yadarekh, יַדְרֵךְ) uses darak (דָּרַךְ) in causative form—to cause to walk, to lead, to direct. God actively guides the meek person's steps, like a shepherd leading sheep or a father teaching a child to walk. This guidance is personal, ongoing, and practical—not abstract truth but specific direction for daily decisions.
"In judgment" (bamishpat, בַּמִּשְׁפָּט) means in justice, in what is right, in proper decision-making. God guides the meek in discerning right from wrong, in making just choices, in understanding proper courses of action. This encompasses both moral wisdom (knowing what is right) and practical wisdom (knowing how to apply it).
"And the meek will he teach his way" parallels and intensifies the first line. God not only guides the meek in making right decisions but teaches them His characteristic way of acting. This is the higher level—not just learning what to do in specific situations but learning to think and act like God Himself, internalizing His values and methods.