March 20, 2015: Psalm 51:1-12

We encourage you to read this devotion three times a day.  Start in the morning and reflect upon the morning reflection question. Then in the afternoon, read it again and reflect using the noon question for reflection.  For the evening, take time to ponder how this has resonated with you in the day and reflecting using the evening question.  We offer a prayer with each devotion for you to pray or we invite you to pray what is in your heart.

Psalm 51:1-12

To the leader. A Psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

¹ Have mercy on me, O God,  according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. ² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. ³ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. ⁴ Against you, you alone, have I sinned,  and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgement. ⁵ Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. ⁶ You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. ⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. ⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. ⁹ Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. ¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Reflection:

Lent is a time of confession. It is falling down before God and desiring to be made clean and whole by God who forgives. This is a powerful Psalm of confession, for David wants nothing more than to be made right with God; to feel that peace that passes all understanding. We must remember this psalm is supposedly written after King David has done some outrageous and awful things as to commit adultery, and to have the husband of Bathsheba killed. David is experiencing guilt just as we too experience guilt when we know we have done wrong. So, examine yourself before God. Come clean of all the things you may have done to wrong God, others, and yourself, and then pray for God to forgive you for those things you have done that have harmed others that you are not aware of. God will most certainly create in us a clean heart, if we are sincere and truly desire to put our dependence upon God again.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: How often do you confess to God, and do you truly mean it?

Afternoon: What does it mean to you for God to clean your heart?

Evening: How will you place your dependence upon God again?

Prayer: Most Merciful God, you know all of my faults, mishaps, and those I have wronged. Help give me courage to confess to you and come clean of what I have done. Help me to know your peace and grace in the midst of my weaknesses. I pray your Holy Spirit would lift me up again and aid me to embrace you as the Living God who does forgive all. In Your Holy Name I pray.