John Gill Commentary Psalms 25:1

"Unto thee, O Jehovah, do I lift up my soul." — Psalms 25:1 (ASV)

Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

Either "in prayer", as the Chaldee paraphrase adds ^F19; and denotes sincere, affectionate, hearty prayer to God, a drawing nigh to him with a true heart: for unless the heart is lifted up, the lifting up of the eyes or hands in prayer is of no avail; see (Lamentations 3:41).

Or by way of offering to the Lord, as some Jewish writers ^F20 interpret it; David not only presented his body in public worship, but his soul also as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which was his reasonable service.

Or else as a "depositum", which he committed into the hands of God, to be under his care and protection; and then the sense is the same with (Psalms 31:5) ^F21.

The phrase is sometimes used to express earnest and vehement desire after anything; (See Gill on Psalms 24:4); and may here intend the very great desire of the psalmist after communion with God; which is elsewhere by him expressed by panting after him, and by thirsting for him in a dry and thirsty land, (Psalms 42:1) (63:1); the desires of his soul were not to vain things, the vanities and idols of the Gentiles, but to God only, and to the remembrance of his name.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F19: So Kimchi & Ben Melech.
• F20: R. Moseh in Aben Ezra in loc.
• F21: Midrash Tillim.