Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 25:7

"Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: According to thy lovingkindness remember thou me, For thy goodness` sake, O Jehovah." — Psalms 25:7 (ASV)

Remember not the sins of my youth - In strong contrast with God, the psalmist brings forward his own conduct and life. He could ask God (Psalms 25:6) to remember His own acts—what He himself had done; but He could not ask Him to remember his own conduct—his past life. He could only pray that this might be forgotten. He did not wish it to come into remembrance before God; he could not ask that God would deal with him according to that.

He prays, therefore, that as he advanced in life, he might not be visited with the fruits of his conduct in early years, but that all the offenses of that period of his life might be forgiven and forgotten.

Who is there who cannot with deep feeling join in this prayer? Who is there who has reached middle or advanced age, who would be willing to have the follies of his youth, the plans, and thoughts, and wishes of his early years brought to remembrance again? Who would be willing to have recalled to his own mind, or made known to his friends, to the society around him, or to assembled worlds, the thoughts, the purposes, the wishes, the imaginings of his youthful days? Who would dare to pray that he might be treated in advancing years as he treated God in his own early life?

Indeed, who would venture to pray that God would treat him on the day of judgment as he had treated the friends of his childhood, even the father who begot him, or the mother who bore him? Our hope for God’s favor is that He will not summon up the thoughts and purposes of our early years; that He will not treat us as if He remembered them; but that He will treat us as if they were forgotten.

Nor my transgressions - The sins of my early years.

According to thy mercy remember thou me - Deal with me, not according to strict justice, but according to mercy. Deal with me indeed according to Your nature and character; but let the attribute of mercy be the guide rather than the attribute of justice.

For thy goodness’ sake - In order that Your goodness or benevolence may be displayed and honored—not primarily and mainly that I may be saved, but that Your character may be seen to be good and merciful.