Daily Dose of the Word of God - Psalm 51: 1-17

Erin Pacheco, Director of Worship

Transcript

Erin Pacheco  0:07

Welcome to Elmhurst CRC’s Daily Dose of the Word of God. Today is Friday, May 23 and Sunday is coming!  It’s the season of Easter, and we are responding in all kinds of ways to the reality of Jesus’ resurrection life. I’m Erin Pacheco.

Erin Pacheco  0:25  

Our Bible reading today is from Psalm 51, which is familiar to many of us. It’s a psalm of confession. And if you looked it up in your Bible, you might see this note at the beginning of the psalm:   A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.  One of my professors in seminary said the inscription at the top of a psalm is kind of like a sign above a door. It lets you know what kind of room you’re walking into as you read and pray your way through this psalm.   Psalm 51 is a room for people who have really messed up. Like King David, who wanted someone else’s wife, used his power to sleep with her, and then, when she got pregnant, arranged to have her husband murdered to cover up the whole thing. A terrible scandal, from the same King David who’s supposed to be a man after God’s own heart. Because sin is real. And none of us is clean. All of us have made a royal mess of our own lives and the lives of others. So I’m just going to read Psalm 51 slowly. And as I do, I invite you to prayerfully walk into this room, holding before God the ugly stuff that you’ve done, or thought, or said — maybe even the stuff you thought you got away with. Come into this space of confession and truth-telling and meet the mercy of God. 

Erin Pacheco  2:16  

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.[a] For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. But you desire honesty from the inmost place,     teaching me wisdom even there. Purify me from my sins,[c] and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.  Create in me a clean heart, O God.     Renew a loyal spirit within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit[d] from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you. Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness. Unseal my lips, O Lord,     that my mouth may praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

Erin Pacheco 4:21  

Let’s pray. Most merciful God, you have promised to hear us when we call on you for help, and to forgive us when we throw our sinful selves at the foot of the cross of Christ. Receive our broken hearts, and help us to walk forward in newness of Jesus’ resurrection life. Through his power and for his glory. Amen.