{"id":4201,"date":"2023-09-19T20:01:32","date_gmt":"2023-09-19T19:01:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/?p=4201"},"modified":"2023-09-19T20:01:32","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T19:01:32","slug":"a-psalm-a-day-psalm-51","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/a-psalm-a-day-psalm-51\/","title":{"rendered":"A Psalm a Day: Psalm 51"},"content":{"rendered":"
Throughout September 2022, I managed to read and reflect \u2013 briefly \u2013 on a Psalm each day. For December 2022, attempted to pick up the discipline. I got part-way through that month, and so after a long hiatus, am determined to get going. I\u2019ll read the Psalm, pray, and then ponder a few questions:<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll close the post with a simple prayer, trying to draw the themes together.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
On the 19th of September 2023, here’s Psalm 51:<\/p>\n
1\u00a0<\/sup>Have mercy\u00a0on me, O God,<\/span> 3\u00a0<\/sup>For I know my transgressions,<\/span> 7\u00a0<\/sup>Cleanse\u00a0me with hyssop,\u00a0and I will be clean;<\/span> 10\u00a0<\/sup>Create in me a pure heart,\u00a0O God,<\/span> 13\u00a0<\/sup>Then I will teach transgressors your ways,<\/span> 18\u00a0<\/sup>May it please you to prosper Zion,<\/span> <\/p>\n What is this Psalm about?<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a Psalm of repentance. It isn’t obvious from the plain text, but scholars agree that this is what David sang and prayed and plead after his adultery with Bathsheba (it’s rather more complex than that – read 2 Samuel 11:1-12:9). It’s the psalm or song or prayer of someone who is seeking to repent, to return to intimacy with God. Soberingly, it is the words of someone who knows and understands God (v16 – David is not doing things he knows God does not want).<\/p>\n What does this Psalm teach about God?<\/strong><\/p>\n The fact that this Psalm exists and is in the canon perhaps suggests that God is a God who hears, a God who can be repented to, and a God who can indeed turn a broken and contrite heart into a pure heart. Ultimately all sin is sin against God – even where it affects other people – and at the same time God is saviour (v14). God is one who is interested in the individual – in this case David – but also the wider view, of nations and cities and peoples (v18). God is a God who hears our prayers.<\/p>\n How does this Psalm connect to God\u2019s people today?<\/strong><\/p>\n No matter how long we’ve been following Jesus, we will fall into sin from time to time. This Psalm challenges us to repent, to turn back to the Lord, no matter our infraction. It shows that repentance must be a whole-hearted, whole-sef thing, before God is who is just and right. It is also a reminder that God looks at the heart – something easy to forget when we can appear very ‘busy for God’.<\/p>\n A prayer drawn from Psalm 51<\/strong><\/p>\n Lord, Have mercy on me, O God, <\/span>according to your unfailing love; <\/span><\/span>according to your great compassion <\/span>blot out my transgressions. <\/span><\/span>Wash away all my iniquity <\/span>and cleanse me from my sin. Help me see where there is sin in my life, and lead me in deliverance from it. May your Spirit be ever with me, Amen.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Throughout September 2022, I managed to read and reflect \u2013 briefly \u2013 on a Psalm each day. For December 2022, attempted to pick up the discipline. I got part-way through that month, and so after a long hiatus, am determined … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"kt_blocks_editor_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[554,223,288,606,49],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4201"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4201"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4201\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4203,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4201\/revisions\/4203"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4202"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4201"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4201"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thomascreedy.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4201"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>according to your unfailing love;<\/span><\/span>
\naccording to your great compassion<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>blot out\u00a0my transgressions.<\/span><\/span>
\n2\u00a0<\/sup>Wash away\u00a0all my iniquity<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and cleanse\u00a0me from my sin.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and my sin is always before me.<\/span><\/span>
\n4\u00a0<\/sup>Against you, you only, have I sinned<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and done what is evil in your sight;<\/span><\/span>
\nso you are right in your verdict<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and justified when you judge.<\/span><\/span>
\n5\u00a0<\/sup>Surely I was sinful\u00a0at birth,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>sinful from the time my mother conceived me.<\/span><\/span>
\n6\u00a0<\/sup>Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you taught me wisdom\u00a0in that secret place.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.<\/span><\/span>
\n8\u00a0<\/sup>Let me hear joy and gladness;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>let the bones\u00a0you have crushed rejoice.<\/span><\/span>
\n9\u00a0<\/sup>Hide your face from my sins<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and blot out\u00a0all my iniquity.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and renew a steadfast spirit within me.<\/span><\/span>
\n11\u00a0<\/sup>Do not cast me\u00a0from your presence<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>or take your Holy Spirit\u00a0from me.<\/span><\/span>
\n12\u00a0<\/sup>Restore to me the joy of your salvation<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and grant me a willing spirit,\u00a0to sustain me.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>so that sinners\u00a0will turn back to you.<\/span><\/span>
\n14\u00a0<\/sup>Deliver me\u00a0from the guilt of bloodshed,\u00a0O God,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you who are God my Savior,<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.<\/span><\/span>
\n15\u00a0<\/sup>Open my lips, Lord,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and my mouth will declare your praise.<\/span><\/span>
\n16\u00a0<\/sup>You do not delight in sacrifice,\u00a0or I would bring it;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.<\/span><\/span>
\n17\u00a0<\/sup>My sacrifice,\u00a0O God, is[b<\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0a broken spirit;<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>a broken and contrite heart<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>you, God, will not despise.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>to build up the walls of Jerusalem.<\/span><\/span>
\n19\u00a0<\/sup>Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,<\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>in burnt offerings\u00a0offered whole;<\/span><\/span>
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>then bulls\u00a0will be offered on your altar.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n