Psalms 25:8

The compact theological statement 'Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way' deduces divine pedagogical grace from divine moral character — precisely because God is good, he does not abandon sinners but instructs them. This inference (the 'therefore' connecting character to action) is unusual: one might expect that divine goodness would move against sinners rather than teach them. The logic is the basis of the entire Psalm 25 meditation on divine instruction (vv. 4-5: 'show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths'), which returns repeatedly to the connection between divine character and his willingness to guide the undeserving. The verse provided Reformation theology with evidence that God's pedagogical relationship with sinners is an expression of grace (goodness) rather than mere legal obligation.