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Psalm 25:11 For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

What is the meaning of for in this verse? which word can be substituted instead of for to get the most accurate meaning. Let me give 2 suggestions.

  1. For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; because it is great.

  2. For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; which it is great.

This question has a background which is the answer given by b a in What does the word “for” mean and imply in Psalms 18:17?

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  • כִּי Prepositional prefix, I don’t think it carries the amount of weight you are affording it but maybe I’m wrong. Certainly I don’t currently don’t see it that way
    – Nihil Sine Deo
    Commented Jan 11, 2019 at 4:53
  • @MrConstantin—כִּי is not a prepositional prefix in Hebrew.
    – Der Übermensch
    Commented Jan 11, 2019 at 5:33
  • That’s true it’s the full form of a prepositional prefix or a primitive particle, consequently used as an adverb or conjunction.
    – Nihil Sine Deo
    Commented Jan 11, 2019 at 11:15

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כִּי is yet again causal and is perhaps best understood as “because” or “since.”

According to Franz Delitzsch,1

כִּי gives the ground of the need and urgency of the petition.

Footnotes

1 Delitzsch, p. 344

References

Delitzsch, Franz. Commentary on the Old Testament. 1900. Reprint. Trans. Bolton, Francis. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.

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  • I would also like the comment/answer of @ba
    – Siju George
    Commented Jan 11, 2019 at 5:58
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Here is a capture from Bible Hub for this word, "for". https://biblehub.com/psalms/25-11.htm

There is a wonderful expression of God's grace here by David. He is pleading forgiveness because God is who He is - kind, merciful and forgiving. Further, it is urgent because David's sin is so great. It reminds me of Paul's remark in Rom 5:20, "... But where sin increased, grace increased all the more".

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  • I read a sermon by Jonahan Edwards based on the same way of interpretation but @ba gave a different meaning to for in another verse. So I was curious.
    – Siju George
    Commented Jan 11, 2019 at 14:58

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