Lent with Jesus, Week 4: March 20/21, 2022
Lesson
Psalm 51 Responsive Reading Text
Additional Resources
Confession and Self-Examination Guide (Posted for Week 2)
Weekly Lenten Prayers (Collects) (Posted for Week 2)
Overview (Posted for Week 1)
Chapter: Psalm 51
When the Enemy is Me
Prepared for Psalms Group, January 24, 2021
They say confession is good for the soul, But that sure doesn’t make it easy! In general, our culture is neither good at confessing or at hearing confessions. Given our fierce independent natures, and our tendencies toward perfectionism, we are slow to admit our sin, and uncomfortable when we do. We would rather have superficial relationships than expose our deep seated fears and secrets…The psalms of penitence have much to teach us—about the results of sin, the attitude of God, and the hope for change. It is when we come to God with empty hands that we understand his unfailing love.
Wilson and Nygren, The Cries of the Faithful, Vol. 1, p. 63
Email preparing for Sunday, January 24, 2021
Dear Psalms friends,
After focusing on Psalm 32 for the first time in our group last Sunday, it seems timely to focus on Psalm 51 this coming Sunday. These are the most well-known of the penitential psalms. In our January lectionary readings, we have also recently read Psalms 6 and 38, two other penitential psalms. How can we actually use these penitential psalms as penitence? And what is penitence anyway?
Toni’s Title
Forgiveness and the Community
ESV Title
Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God
Literary Type
This is an individual lament, a penitential psalm
Laments
More than 1/3 of the Psalms fall into the category of complaints to God in situations of limitation or threat. These laments were a form of prayer and praise based on the conviction that God is concerned about people and answers the human cry in ways surpassing human expectation or understanding. Israel’s laments out of distress were a way of praising God even when he seemed absent. The faith of the psalmists is founded on the good news that God intervenes in desperate situations to help those who are distressed. The psalmists share a deep confidence that God is compassionate, concerned, hearing his people and involved with them; God is faithful and trustworthy. A lament is an outcry to God from a responsive heart. Laments came from individuals or from the community.
Examples: Psalms 3-5, 22, 27:7-14, 42, 51, 69, 90, 130, 137 and many others
NT Prayer Guide
1 John 1:8-9
Superscription
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.
51
Miserere mei, Deus
1 Have mercy upon me, O God, in your great goodness; *
according to the multitude of your mercies wipe away my offences.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness *
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my faults, *
and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against you only have I sinned, and done this evil in your sight, *
so that you are justified in your sentence, and blameless in your judgment.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in wickedness, *
and in sin my mother conceived me.
6 But behold, you desire truth in the inward parts *
and shall make me understand wisdom secretly.
7 You shall purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; *
you shall wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 You shall make me hear of joy and gladness, *
that the bones which you have broken may rejoice.
9 Turn your face from my sins, *
and blot out all my misdeeds.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, *
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from your presence, *
and take not your holy Spirit from me.
12 O give me the comfort of your help again, *
and sustain me with your willing Spirit.
13 Then shall I teach your ways unto the wicked, *
and sinners shall return unto you.
14 Deliver me from blood-guilt, O God, the God of my salvation, *
and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, *
and my mouth shall show forth your praise.
16 For you desire no sacrifice, or else I would give it to you; *
but you delight not in burnt-offerings.
17 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; *
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you shall not despise.
18 O be favorable and gracious unto Zion; *
may you build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you shall be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt-offerings and oblations; *
then shall they offer young bullocks upon your altar.