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Selected Verse: Psalms 25:11 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 25:11	Strong Concordance	For thy name's [08034] sake, O LORD [03068], pardon [05545] mine iniquity [05771]; for it is great [07227].
	King James	For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
God's perfections of love, mercy, goodness, and truth are manifested (his name, compare Psa 9:10) in pardoning sin, and the greatness of sin renders pardon more needed.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

God's perfections of love, mercy, goodness, and truth are manifested (his name, compare Psa 9:10) in pardoning sin, and the greatness of sin renders pardon more needed.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
For thy name's sake, O Lord - See the notes at Psa 23:3. The idea here is that God would do this on His own account, or for the honor of His own name. This is A reason, and one of the main reasons, why God ever pardons iniquity. It is that the honor of His name may be promoted; that His glorious character may be displayed; that he may show himself to the universe to be merciful and gracious. There are, doubtless, other reasons why He pardons sin - reasons drawn from the bearing which the act of mercy will have on the welfare of the universe; but still the main reason is, that His own honor will thus be promoted, and His true character thus made known. See the notes at Isa 43:25; notes at Isa 48:9. Compare Psa 6:4; and Psa 25:7. Pardon mine iniquity - This prayer seems to have been offered in view of the remembered transgressions of his early years, Psa 25:7. These recollected sins apparently pressed upon his mind all through the psalm, and were the main reason of the supplications which occur in it. Compare Psa 25:16-18. For it is great - As this translation stands, the fact that his sin was great was a reason why God should pardon it. This is a reason, because: (a) it would be felt that the sin was so great that it could not be removed by anyone but God, and that unless "forgiven" it would sink the soul down to death; and (b) because the mere fact of its magnitude would tend to illustrate the mercy of the Lord. Undoubtedly, these are reasons why we may pray for the forgiveness of sin; but it may be doubted whether this is the exact idea of the psalmist, and whether the word "although" would not better express the true sense - "although it is great." It is true that the general sense of the particle here rendered "for" - כי kı̂y - is "because" or "since;" but it may also mean "although," as in Exo 13:17, "God led them not the way through the land of the Philistines, although - (כי kı̂y) - that was near," that is, that was nearest, or was the most direct way. So in Deu 29:19, "I shall have peace, though - (כי kı̂y) - I walk in the imagination of mine heart." Also Jos 17:18, "Thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though - (כי kı̂y) - they have iron chariots, and though they be strong." Thus understood, the prayer of the psalmist here is, that God would pardon his offences "although" they were so great. His mind is fixed upon the "greatness" of the offences; upon the obstacles in the way of pardon; upon his own unworthiness; upon the fact that he had no claim to mercy; and he presents this strong and earnest plea that God would have mercy on him "although" his sins were so numerous and so aggravated. In this prayer all can join; this is a petition the force of which all true penitents deeply feel.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

For thy name's sake, O Lord - See the notes at Psa 23:3. The idea here is that God would do this on His own account, or for the honor of His own name. This is A reason, and one of the main reasons, why God ever pardons iniquity. It is that the honor of His name may be promoted; that His glorious character may be displayed; that he may show himself to the universe to be merciful and gracious. There are, doubtless, other reasons why He pardons sin - reasons drawn from the bearing which the act of mercy will have on the welfare of the universe; but still the main reason is, that His own honor will thus be promoted, and His true character thus made known. See the notes at Isa 43:25; notes at Isa 48:9. Compare Psa 6:4; and Psa 25:7.

Pardon mine iniquity - This prayer seems to have been offered in view of the remembered transgressions of his early years, Psa 25:7. These recollected sins apparently pressed upon his mind all through the psalm, and were the main reason of the supplications which occur in it. Compare Psa 25:16-18.

For it is great - As this translation stands, the fact that his sin was great was a reason why God should pardon it. This is a reason, because:

(a) it would be felt that the sin was so great that it could not be removed by anyone but God, and that unless "forgiven" it would sink the soul down to death; and

(b) because the mere fact of its magnitude would tend to illustrate the mercy of the Lord.

Undoubtedly, these are reasons why we may pray for the forgiveness of sin; but it may be doubted whether this is the exact idea of the psalmist, and whether the word "although" would not better express the true sense - "although it is great." It is true that the general sense of the particle here rendered "for" - כי kı̂y - is "because" or "since;" but it may also mean "although," as in Exo 13:17, "God led them not the way through the land of the Philistines, although - (כי kı̂y) - that was near," that is, that was nearest, or was the most direct way. So in Deu 29:19, "I shall have peace, though - (כי kı̂y) - I walk in the imagination of mine heart." Also Jos 17:18, "Thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though - (כי kı̂y) - they have iron chariots, and though they be strong." Thus understood, the prayer of the psalmist here is, that God would pardon his offences "although" they were so great. His mind is fixed upon the "greatness" of the offences; upon the obstacles in the way of pardon; upon his own unworthiness; upon the fact that he had no claim to mercy; and he presents this strong and earnest plea that God would have mercy on him "although" his sins were so numerous and so aggravated. In this prayer all can join; this is a petition the force of which all true penitents deeply feel.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
The perf. consec. is attached to the יהי, which is, according to the sense, implied in למען שׁמך, just as in other instances it follows adverbial members of a clause, placed first for the sake of emphasis, when those members have reference to the future, Ges. ֗126, rem. 1. Separate and manifold sins (Psa 25:7) are all comprehended in עון, which is in other instances also the collective word for the corruption and the guilt of sin. כּי gives the ground of the need and urgency of the petition. A great and multiform load of sin lies upon him, but the name of God, i.e., His nature that has become manifest in His mercy and truth, permits him to ask and to hope for forgiveness, not for the sake of anything whatever that he has done, but just for the sake of this name (Jer 14:7; Isa 43:25). How happy therefore is he who fears God, in this matter!

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
For - Or, though (as this particle is often rendered) it be great. Possibly he speaks of his sin against Uriah and Bathsheba. Great - Or, much or manifold. For the Hebrew word signifies both great and much.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon - I have sinned; I need mercy; there is no reason why thou shouldst show it, but what thou drawest from the goodness of thy own nature.

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¹⁰ And they that know [03045] thy name [08034] will put their trust [0982] in thee: for thou, LORD [03068], hast not forsaken [05800] them that seek [01875] thee.

¹⁸ But the mountain [02022] shall be thine; for it is a wood [03293], and thou shalt cut it down [01254]: and the outgoings [08444] of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out [03423] the Canaanites [03669], though they have iron [01270] chariots [07393], and though they be strong [02389].

¹⁹ And it come to pass, when he heareth [08085] the words [01697] of this curse [0423], that he bless [01288] himself in his heart [03824], saying [0559], I shall have peace [07965], though [03588] I walk [03212] in the imagination [08307] of mine heart [03820], to add [05595] drunkenness [07302] to thirst [06771]:

¹⁷ And it came to pass, when Pharaoh [06547] had let the people [05971] go [07971], that God [0430] led [05148] them not through the way [01870] of the land [0776] of the Philistines [06430], although [03588] that was near [07138]; for God [0430] said [0559], Lest peradventure the people [05971] repent [05162] when they see [07200] war [04421], and they return [07725] to Egypt [04714]:

¹⁶ Turn [06437] thee unto me, and have mercy [02603] upon me; for I am desolate [03173] and afflicted [06041].
¹⁷ The troubles [06869] of my heart [03824] are enlarged [07337]: O bring thou me out [03318] of my distresses [04691].
¹⁸ Look [07200] upon mine affliction [06040] and my pain [05999]; and forgive [05375] all my sins [02403].

⁷ Remember [02142] not the sins [02403] of my youth [05271], nor my transgressions [06588]: according to thy mercy [02617] remember [02142] thou me for thy goodness [02898]' sake, O LORD [03068].

⁴ Return [07725], O LORD [03068], deliver [02502] my soul [05315]: oh save [03467] me for thy mercies [02617]' sake.

⁹ For my name's [08034] sake will I defer [0748] mine anger [0639], and for my praise [08416] will I refrain [02413] for thee, that I cut thee not off [03772].

²⁵ I, even I, am he that blotteth out [04229] thy transgressions [06588] for mine own sake, and will not remember [02142] thy sins [02403].

³ He restoreth [07725] my soul [05315]: he leadeth [05148] me in the paths [04570] of righteousness [06664] for his name's [08034] sake.

²⁵ I, even I, am he that blotteth out [04229] thy transgressions [06588] for mine own sake, and will not remember [02142] thy sins [02403].

⁷ O LORD [03068], though our iniquities [05771] testify [06030] against us, do [06213] thou it for thy name's [08034] sake: for our backslidings [04878] are many [07231]; we have sinned [02398] against thee.

⁷ Remember [02142] not the sins [02403] of my youth [05271], nor my transgressions [06588]: according to thy mercy [02617] remember [02142] thou me for thy goodness [02898]' sake, O LORD [03068].