Reflections
Psalm 51: 3-4, 12-13, 14-15 (Read)
“Create a clean heart in me, O God.”
This Sunday's Psalm is David’s mea culpa
and is written after Nathan calls attention
to David’s adultery with Bathsheba. We are
shown in the Psalm that although David was
chosen by God to be king, even David sins
gravely. But God in His compassion and
goodness can blot out David’s offense,
no matter how grave.
David realizes that only God, in His mercy,
can cleanse David from his sins. David’s sins,
David realizes that only God, in His mercy,
can cleanse David from his sins. David’s sins,
like our own, are offensive to God first and
foremost; we are all born of a sinful nature.
David calls on the Lord to blot out his offense,
knowing that the Lord, in His abundant
David calls on the Lord to blot out his offense,
knowing that the Lord, in His abundant
compassion, will wash away his guilt.
David’s words are a prayer of repentance and recall
David’s words are a prayer of repentance and recall
for us the power of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
“A clean heart create for me, O God; renew within me
“A clean heart create for me, O God; renew within me
a steadfast spirit. Give me back the joy of your salvation.”
Where else can we turn when we are separated from God?
Who else has the healing power to cleanse us?
“Do not drive me from your presence, nor take from me
Where else can we turn when we are separated from God?
Who else has the healing power to cleanse us?
“Do not drive me from your presence, nor take from me
your Holy Spirit.” David reminds us that without the Holy
Spirit we are ruled by the desires of this world. And without
the Holy Spirit we cannot bear the fruits of the Spirit,
which we are called to do.
The people of Jeremiah’s time were given the assurance
which we are called to do.
The people of Jeremiah’s time were given the assurance
that David sought. They were assured that the Lord would
forgive their evildoing, their own infidelity to God, and that
their sin would be remembered no more. (Jeremiah 31:34)
On David's part we can almost hear his loud cries and see
On David's part we can almost hear his loud cries and see
his tears, as he offers this psalm as prayer and seeks his
own inner renewal. When Christ was in the flesh, this is
how He himself prayed, as we are reminded in Sunday's
second reading. (Hebrews 5:7)
David prays that God will create for him a clean heart,
because God alone can bring about this transformation.
We, too, are called to seek our Savior’s mercy for our sinful
David prays that God will create for him a clean heart,
because God alone can bring about this transformation.
We, too, are called to seek our Savior’s mercy for our sinful
ways, especially during this Lenten season. We, too, are
given an opportunity to be restored in the joy of His Salvation,
to offer up what is dead within us, so that we can again bear
fruit and be good witnesses for the Lord. (John 12: 24)
In that way, we will then teach the wicked, God's ways,
In that way, we will then teach the wicked, God's ways,
and our mouths will proclaim His praise.
Amen
Amen
Discussion Questions for Reflection
1. Our psalmist King David cites the greatness of the Lord's compassion in calling
upon God to wipe out his offense. Even though David was an adulterer and
a murderer, he knew that he could call upon the Lord to restore him and create
for him a clean heart. Does this give you confidence that no matter how serious
your sins may be, you can call upon God to be thoroughly cleansed? Explain.
2. As our psalmist implies, it is not enough to call upon God to create a clean
2. As our psalmist implies, it is not enough to call upon God to create a clean
heart within us. We must also ask for a steadfast spirit, for the Holy Spirit to be
sustained within us. Tell how the Holy Spirit is working within you and what you
are inspired to do through the gifts of the Spirit.
Psalm 51 asks deliverance from sin and its impacts. Although this is not a ‘happy-clappy’ Psalm as such, it does seem to reflect the inevitable point in life when we realize we have been making an entire series of mistakes, and the reality of this starts to hit us.
ReplyDeleteToday, when someone is accused of something, the response may be hostility or an attempt to shift the blame. Another result can be guilt and remorse over what had happened. But remorse and repentance are not necessarily the same thing. When Judas realized what he had done, he experienced a great feeling of remorse. He tried to ease his conscience by giving back the money he had accepted. When that failed, he committed suicide.
However, David’s actions were different. Instead of hiding, or denying the charges, David turned to God in prayer and repentance. He did not try to justify or explain his actions. He recognized what he had done and threw himself on the mercy of God. Regardless of what happened, the important point is that David did turn back to the Lord.
Today, for us Christians, even though we try and fail, there is forgiveness in Jesus Christ. For a Christian, that forgiveness is guaranteed AS LONG as that Christian walks in the light of the Lord. The only way that that promise can be lost is for a person to deliberately reject and turn away from the relationship that is established in Jesus Christ.
Create a clean heart in me, O God.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I read Psalm 51, I realize that David's heart was truly sorry that he had sinned against God when the Prophet Nathan pointed to his sins of adultery and murdering Bathsheba's husband.
How come a Godly person like David committed these kinds of grave sins without a guilty feeling or remorse? David came to his senses when Nathan pointed out what he had done against God. He right away admitted his sins and repented in front of God asking forgivingness, “Create a clean heart in me, O God."
I have to study David's sincere attitude to learn how to amend my wrongdoings.
Sometimes I commit sins without being aware of them unless the Holy Spirit touches my conscience. Through the work of the Holy Spirit I am convicted of my sins.
Yes I believe my sins are thoroughly cleansed if I call upon God and repent asking for forgiveness as David did. The Lord will restore and sustain me again and create a new person within me so that I can taste the joy of peace and have reconciliation with God. What a great God we have!
This Psalm is a good example of a sinner’s prayer. I pray the same prayer as David did, “Create a clean heart in me, O God," whenever I have sinned against God.