Psalms 25:4–5
One who prays asks to be shown the paths, and waits all day
Study it word by word4Your ways, YHWH, make me know; your paths teach me.
5Direct me in your truth and teach me, for you are the Elohim of my salvation; for you I have waited all the day.
In its context
2My Elohim, in you I have trusted; let me not be ashamed; let not my enemies exult over me.
3Also all who wait for you will not be ashamed; they will be ashamed who act treacherously without cause.
…
6Remember your mercies, YHWH, and your acts of loyal love, for they are from eternity.
7The sins of my youth and my transgressions do not remember; according to your loyal love, you remember me, for the sake of your goodness, YHWH.
Its words in the original
- דְּרָכֶיderache· way
Way, road, journey. Figuratively, the way one lives or acts.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- הוֹדִיעֵhodie· know
Know. Not only having a fact: it is knowing by experience and closely; also recognize, care for, make known. So Hebrew also uses it for the intimate union of a man and his wife ("he knew his wife").
- אֹרְחוֹתֶיorchote· path, way
Way, path; one's usual manner. "The way of women" is menstruation. Also a caravan.
- לַמְּדֵlamde· teach, learn
Teach; in another form of the verb, learn.
- הַדְרִיכֵhadriche· tread, march, bend
Tread, walk, march on; also string a bow by stepping on it.
- אֲמִתֶּamite· faithfulness, truth
Truth, firmness. Said of a person or of God, faithfulness: he can be trusted because he keeps his word. It often goes with "loyal love".
- אֱלֹהֵיelohe· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- יִשְׁעִyishi· salvation, deliverance
Salvation, deliverance; the safety and well-being of one who has been rescued. From the same root as "save."
- קִוִּיתִיkiviti· gather; wait for
Gather together, collect in one place (said of the waters). In other passages the same verb means "wait for" with hope.
- יּוֹםyom· day
Day: the hours of light, or a whole day from one evening to the next. Also an indefinite time or age ("in the day that...", "in those days").