In my own walk with Christ, I often encounter many individuals who, without a thorough reflection on the Psalms, misunderstand the concept of self-denial as equivalent to complete self-destruction. However, true self-denial is not about destroying oneself but about surrendering selfish desires to follow God more fully. From a Calvinist perspective, when we consider human capabilities, it becomes clear that at salvation, God grants us His will. For His will to be fully realized in our lives, He must reign over us. God cannot save us if our will remains equal to His own; therefore, He must come to dwell within us and work to remove the rebelliousness that resides in our hearts. Whenever the Bible speaks of self-denial, it emphasizes the transformative power of God's grace, which replaces our rebellious, self-centered nature with a new, obedient heart. Our confidence is not placed solely in our act of self-denial but in God's sovereign work within us—His power to change and renew from the inside out. This understanding reminds us that genuine spiritual growth and obedience are rooted in God's mercy and grace working within us, rather than in our own strength or effort alone. Psalm 25:4-5, 7 expresses a heartfelt plea for divine guidance and correction. The psalmist earnestly prays, "Show me your ways; guide me along your paths," indicating a deep desire to understand God's truth and to be led in the right direction. Recognizing that true guidance comes from God's own truth, he openly declares God as his Savior and places his unwavering trust in Him each day. Additionally, he humbly asks God for forgiveness for his past sins and mistakes, trusting in God's enduring love and kindness. He seeks God’s compassion and favor, relying on His merciful nature. This passage highlights an important spiritual lesson: genuine joy and growth in faith do not stem from merely copying others superficially. Instead, authentic discipleship involves not only following Jesus but also internalizing His teachings and principles in one's personal journey of faith. The call from the psalmist and from the apostles goes beyond simple imitation; it challenges believers to live out their faith sincerely and practically, demonstrating God's truth through their daily actions.

The Psalmist has just expressed his confidence in his identity in Christ. And then the next question is about what God wants to do in his life. Each person is going down a road that is different from all other people. The petition is show me your way...teach me your path. Some people say that the bible shows the way. But as I have been saying the Psalmist doesnt say let your word show me the way. He is asking for illumination. As I have been saying that the commands are applied in a million ways. We are in relationships where the needs are as different as each person expresses their wants. We cannot get caught up in focusing on the way that other people are going. Because other people will narrow our focus to what they want. But the Psalmist is expanding his focus. He is applying the Psalms in order to go in the right direction. This is why the Psalmist says that his hope is in God all day long. In other words he is applying these Psalms in order to know what to do next. 

The best way to learn about our path that we are to take is to experience gospel freedom. The goal of our lives is to be delivered from every power that controls us.The only way that we can go from one deliverance to another is for God meet our needs in order for us to be free. So the Psalmist prays out of freedom and not focused on what the law says. He says remember not the sins of my youth. In other words that life was miserable and slavery. God meets all the Psalmist needs by creating new memories. In some other places the Psalmist says that God has led him into a spacious place. We are most useful to others when we are most happy in God creating us to fulfill our purpose in life. The reason that the Psalmist focuses on Gods ability to recreate is because God is most free when He does as He pleases. The Psalmist is most free when he is moved along by illumination.