Eastern Mennonite Seminary provides this reflection for use in public settings such as worship, Bible studies or Sunday school. Please give credit to the author when using this work.
Mary Jo Bowman
March 1, 2007
I. Introduction
I鈥檓 going to be preaching on Psalm 51, and in a minute or two I鈥檒l be asking you to read the Psalm with me from the hymnal. Please go ahead and turn to that now鈥攊t鈥檚 #818. 1
But, first let me tell you a story. It seems that a young priest in the 1970s was so taken with the latest bestseller 鈥淚鈥檓 Okay, You鈥檙e Okay鈥� that he gave it a rave review in one of his sermons. When he was greeting people at the door afterwards, he asked one of his parishioners what he thought of the sermon. The man responded, 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 read the book. Maybe it really is better than the Bible. But as you were preaching I kept thinking of Adam and Eve, Moses and Aaron and the golden calf. And David and Bathsheba. Even more, I kept thinking of Christ on the Cross saying to those who were watching him die: 鈥業f everybody鈥檚 okay, what am I doing up here?鈥欌��2
If I鈥檓 okay and you鈥檙e okay, then we don鈥檛 need Lent or Easter. We don鈥檛 need God鈥檚 mercy. We don鈥檛 need confession, repentance, forgiveness, and a clean heart. We don鈥檛 need Psalm 51! However, I believe none of us is okay. I chose to preach on Psalm 51 because I think we need to recover the practice of confession鈥攁s individuals and as a church.
In some liturgical traditions and monastic communities, Psalm 51 is used frequently鈥攚eekly or even daily鈥攊n communal prayers. However, I鈥檝e noticed that confession of sin is often not included in the worship services at my church, and I tend to forget to include confession in my personal prayers. I think that needs to change.
Psalm 51 can serve as a model prayer and help us revitalize the practice of confession. Taking a careful look at this psalm of penitence and lament3 may help us to reflect on our own practices of prayer and worship, and how confession of sin and God鈥檚 creative work of cleansing shapes our ministry.
If you look the psalm in the hymnal, you鈥檒l notice that it鈥檚 basically the聽NRSV, with a few changes in wording. Notice that the hymnal leaves out vs. 13-14, which is kind of disappointing to me because I think they are especially important. I鈥檒l read them myself as we come to that point, between the last two sections. There are two more verses at the very end that are also not printed here, and because of time I am not going to deal with them, except to say that vs. 18-19 are believed to have been a later addition to the Psalm, after the restoration of the temple.4 These last verses remind us that Psalm 51 has a communal as well as a personal message. I encourage you to look them up on your own.
As we read the psalm together, I invite you to notice that all the way through, the psalmist speaks directly to God. Notice the rich variety of words about who God is and what God is asked to do, about the reality of human sin and God鈥檚 creative work of cleansing and making new. And notice that towards the end the psalm the focus shifts from the inward work of confession to reaching outward in teaching and testimony.
Please join me in reading the psalm together.
II.Section 1: vs. 1-2 Plea for mercy God鈥檚 and forgiveness (Address to God)
This psalm begins with 鈥淗ave mercy on me, O God.鈥� This is the best place for confession to begin: with an appeal to God鈥檚 steadfast love and abundant mercy, or as the聽NIV聽translates it: 鈥渦nfailing love and compassion.鈥� We find the same Hebrew words about God鈥檚 mercy in Ex. 34:6, where the聽LORD聽responds to Israel鈥檚 first major rebellion鈥攖heir worship of the golden calf (Ex. 32). Even though the people had broken the covenant with Yahweh, God is 鈥渕erciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.鈥�5 What does a person or community do in the presence of such a merciful God? We can almost see the psalmist fall to his knees, weighed down by guilt. At the beginning of the psalm, there are three words for wrongdoing, the same words found in Ex. 34:7 6 First, 鈥渢ransgressions,鈥� which means rebellion, disobedience, defiance or revolt. It implies a willful act of deviating or straying.7 Second: 鈥渋niquity鈥� which means 鈥渂ending or twistedness鈥�8, crookedness, perverseness9 or guilt.10 And third, plain old 鈥渟in鈥� points to 鈥渇ailure or missing the mark.鈥�11
Facing the reality of guilt, the Psalmist asks for cleansing: 鈥淏lot out my transgressions,鈥� 鈥渨ash me,鈥� 鈥渃leanse me from my sin.鈥� In the OT, sin was understood as defilement, dirt, or stain that created a barrier between people and God. Purity laws and rituals for cleansing recognized God鈥檚 holiness and made provision for cleansing as a regular part of worship.
III. Section 2: vs. 3-6 Confession of Sin (Complaint against self and sinfulness)
While a specific sin is not named in Psalm 51, the superscription connects it with the story of David and Bathsheba, one of the greatest OT soap operas鈥攖he king of Israel, guilty of adultery (or perhaps rape)12 and responsible for the death of a man and an illegitimate child (2 Samuel 11-12). Whether it was written at the time of David or considerably later,13 Psalm 51 acknowledges the recurring problem of sin in the story of God鈥檚 chosen people. David鈥檚 story becomes our story, and gives us an opportunity to recall our own personal sins and those of our church communities, now and throughout history.
The next verse gets more introspective: 鈥淔or I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.鈥� Like an honest look in the mirror. As Eugene Peterson (in聽The Message) puts it: 鈥淚 know how bad I鈥檝e been; my sins are staring me down.鈥�14 There鈥檚 no getting around it, no place to hide.
The Psalmist says to God: 鈥淎gainst you, you alone, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.鈥� This echoes the words of King David in 2 Samuel 12. When he was confronted by Nathan, David said 鈥淚 have sinned against the Lord.鈥� (2 Sam. 12:13). What are we to make of these words: 鈥渁gainst you, you alone have I sinned鈥�? Surely, in David鈥檚 case, he sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah, and betrayed the trust of his people. Yet, aren鈥檛 all offenses ultimately sins against God? 鈥攙iolation of God鈥檚 commands15 and failure to honor God?16
The Psalmist tells it like it is鈥斺�淚 have done evil in your sight.鈥� He knows he deserves judgment and punishment. As Peterson puts it: 鈥淵ou have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair.鈥�17
In verse 5 we find a troubling concept about guilt: The聽NRSV聽says: 鈥淚ndeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.鈥� This verse has been used by many throughout church history as a basis for the doctrine of original sin, including a negative view of sex. But let鈥檚 not get sidetracked with that. A better interpretation of this verse focuses on the universal human condition of sinfulness, 18 as expressed in wording in the hymnal: 鈥淚 was born聽in the midst聽of iniquity;聽in the midst of sin聽my mother conceived me.鈥� As the apostle Paul put it: 鈥淎ll have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.鈥� ( Rom. 3:23)
Even though this section of the psalm focuses on the reality of sinfulness and God鈥檚 judgment, it ends with a message of hope: Sin is not the ultimate reality鈥擥od, in divine wisdom, provides a way that brings new life. 19鈥淵ou desire truth鈥攖each me wisdom鈥� (v. 6). The focus on 鈥渢ruth鈥� and 鈥渨isdom鈥� here is similar to these words found in I John 1:8-9: 鈥淚f we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.鈥�
IV. Section 3: vs. 7-12 Petition for Cleansing and Restoration
Let鈥檚 look at the images of 鈥渃leansing鈥� here. First: 鈥淧urge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.鈥�(7a) 鈥淧urge鈥� is a strong word鈥攏ot a gentle rinsing. It鈥檚 more dramatic鈥攍ike the process for cleaning out the bowels in preparation for a colonoscopy. (I鈥檝e never had that done, but I hear it requires spending all day or all night very close to a toilet鈥攁 rather smelly, painful process!) That鈥檚 purge! And what is hyssop? It鈥檚 an herb used in cleansing ceremonies, as described in Leviticus (14:2-9 and 48-53)鈥攆or persons with leprosy, and also for cleansing of contaminated houses. Also, a hyssop brush was used to sprinkle blood on the doorposts at Passover (Ex.12:22).20 So, hyssop is a metaphor for rituals of purification and deliverance. The second image of cleansing is gentler: 鈥淲ash me, and I shall be whiter that snow.鈥� Or as the hymnal puts it: 鈥淿purer_ than snow.鈥� With cleansing comes joy, a kind of lightness, like the fragrance of a spring rain shower or the freshness of clean bed sheets.
But what does this sentence mean: 鈥渓et the bones that you have crushed rejoice鈥�? I鈥檓 not sure what to make of the suggestion that God is the one who crushed the bones鈥攑erhaps that is an expression of being judged and humbled by God. Several Psalms speak of problems with bones. For example, in Ps. 22:14, the psalmist鈥檚 bones are out of joint. And in Ps. 38: 3: 鈥淭here is no health in my bones because of my sin.鈥� In the ancient world, illness and other misfortunes were often understood to be a result of sin. I鈥檓 not sure what I think about this idea, but I do know about bone pain and how deep and excruciating it can be. When I broke my arm and had surgery on it鈥攁fter the metal plates were screwed onto my bones, and before the morphine was hooked up鈥擨 felt like I had a truck crushing my arm!
Then there is the request: 鈥淗ide your face from my sins鈥� (v 9a). In OT language, when God hides his face from someone, God is showing disapproval.21 Here, the psalmist asks God to turn away from the sin, not from the person. 鈥淏lot out all my iniquities鈥� can be understood as a plea to remove the sins from God鈥檚 sight鈥攍ike removing a stain from cloth, so the sin can no longer be seen or remembered.
This brings us to the most familiar part of this psalm, and a significant turning point.
鈥淐reate in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.鈥� The word 鈥渃reate鈥� used here is the Hebrew word that is used only for God鈥檚 work鈥攖he same word used in the creation story in Genesis, and in Isaiah 43:122: 鈥淭hus says the Lord who created you鈥�, who formed you鈥�; do not fear, for I have redeemed you.鈥� God is able to make us new! Heart and spirit鈥攖he core of who we are, our breath, our life, our will. This is a chance to begin again!
With this cleansing comes a desire to be in God鈥檚 presence. 鈥淒o not cast me away from your presence. And do not take your holy spirit from me.鈥� (v 11). Don鈥檛 reject me. As聽The Message聽says: 鈥淒on鈥檛 throw me out with the trash.鈥�23 (v 12) 鈥淩estore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing (or generous) spirit.鈥�
This familiar part of the psalm reminds us God can take our brokenness and make something new鈥攖o restore our connection with God, to replace remorse with joy. This good news evokes a voluntary, public response鈥攁 vow of praise鈥攐n the part of the psalmist. This is typical of laments, but is something I had never noticed before in Psalm 51.
V. Section 4: vs. 13-17 Vow of Praise and Public Contrition
In the final section of the Psalm, we find a vow to teach others and to praise. Let me read the two verses that are missing from the version in the hymnal: (v 13) 鈥淭hen I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.鈥� This is a promise to tell others about God, with confidence that they will repent. And vs 14: 鈥淒eliver me from bloodshed, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.鈥� Evidently, the psalmist is not quite done with asking for God鈥檚 help鈥斺�渟ave me from 鈥榖loodshed鈥欌�攔escue me from 鈥済uilt鈥� or 鈥渧iolence.鈥�24 There is a hint of bargaining with God here: 鈥淗elp me, and I promise to praise you.鈥� Whatever the motive, the movement is into the public, social arena of testimony and worship: 鈥淥 Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.鈥�(v 15)
鈥淔or you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.鈥� (vs 16) This sounds very much like the OT prophets, like in Hosea 6:6 鈥淚 desire steadfast love and not sacrifice; the knowledge of God and not burnt offerings.鈥� God wants humility. 鈥淭he sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.鈥� (vs 17)
The kind of worship God desires is for us to bring our whole selves to God, in honest repentance, so that we can be cleansed, made new, and given a message of joy and hope to share with others.
VI. Conclusion
Finally, the practice of confession includes not only looking inward and telling God that we are sinners and naming what we have done wrong. The practice of confession includes affirming that we need God and that we trust God to heal us and make us new. And even more, what I noticed for the first time in Psalm 51 is that confession actually prepares us and equips us for ministry: As verse 13 says: 鈥淚 will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will return to you.鈥� There is a striking element of reaching out in mission鈥攖eaching, calling others to repentance and new life.
Praying Psalm 51 invites us into mission, to sharing the good news of God鈥檚 mercy鈥攑articipation in what the apostle Paul called 鈥渢he ministry of reconciliation.鈥� In the end, Psalm 51 points us to the kind of ministry expressed in Paul鈥檚 words found in 2 Corinthians 5:17-20: 25
So, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation; everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (NRSV)
Let鈥檚 pray: Have mercy on us, O God. We have sinned against you. Purge us, wash us, make us new creations by your spirit. Then we will teach others about you, as your ambassadors.
Deliver us from evil and equip us to be your ministers of reconciliation. O Lord, open our lips, and our mouths will declare your praise. Accept our humble prayer, in Jesus鈥� name, Amen.
Bibliography
Anderson, Bernhard W.聽Out of the Depths: The Psalms Speak for Us Today. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000.
Brueggemann, Walter, Charles B. Cousar, Beverly R. Gaventa, and James D. Newsome.聽Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the Nrsv, Year聽A. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995.
Forest, Jim.聽Confession: Doorway to Forgiveness. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2002.
Hymnal: A Worship Book. Elgin, Illinois: Brethren Press; Newton, Kansas: Faith and Life Press; Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Mennonite Publishing House, 1992.
J. Clinton McCann, Jr. 鈥淧salm 51:1-19.鈥� In聽The New Interpreter鈥檚 Bible, edited by John J. Collins, 883-89. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996.
Peterson, Eugene H.聽The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2002.
Tate, Marvin E. 鈥淎 Confession of Sin and Prayer for Forgiveness (51:1-21).鈥� In聽Word Biblical Commentary, edited by John D. W. Wattts. Dallas: Word Books, 1990.
Waltner, James H.聽Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms. Edited by Elmer A. Martens and Willard M. Swartley, Believers Church Bible Commentary. Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 2006.
Young, Robert.聽Young鈥檚 Analytical Concordance to the Bible. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers.
Endnotes
1.听Hymnal: A Worship Book, (Elgin, Illinois: Brethren Press; Newton, Kansas: Faith and Life Press; Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Mennonite Publishing House: 1992).
2. Jim Forest,聽Confession: Doorway to Forgiveness聽(Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 2002), 2. Adapted.
3. This Psalm is typically classified as the most important of the seven penitential Psalms in the Psalter. It is also usually considered a lament, with the structure of address to God (v. 1-2), complaint [against sinful self] (v. 3-6), petition (v. 7-12), vow of praise (v. 13-17).
4. James H. Waltner,聽Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms, ed. Elmer A. Martens and Willard M. Swartley, Believers Church Bible Commentary (Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 2006), 260.
5. Jr. J. Clinton McCann, 鈥淧salm 51:1-19,鈥� in聽The New Interpreter鈥檚 Bible, ed. John J. Collins (Nashville: Abingdon, 1996), 885. It is interesting to note that Ex. 34:7 does include a judgement on future generations.
6. Ibid.
7. Marvin E. Tate, 鈥淎 Confession of Sin and Prayer for Forgiveness (51:1-21),鈥� in聽Word Biblical Commentary, ed. John D. W. Wattts (Dallas: Word Books, 1990), 15.
8. Ibid.
9. Waltner,聽Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms, 257.
10. J. Clinton McCann, 鈥淧salm 51:1-19,鈥� 885.
11. Waltner,聽Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms, 257.
12. Walter Brueggemann et al.,聽Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the Nrsv, Year聽A (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995), 176. Text is ambiguous about nature of David鈥檚 encounter with Bathsheba.
13. Waltner,聽Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms, 256-57.
14. Eugene H. Peterson,聽The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language聽(Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2002), 975.
15. Tate, 鈥淎 Confession of Sin and Prayer for Forgiveness (51:1-21),鈥� 17.
16. J. Clinton McCann, 鈥淧salm 51:1-19,鈥� 885.
17. Peterson,聽The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language, 975.
18. Tate, 鈥淎 Confession of Sin and Prayer for Forgiveness (51:1-21),鈥� 19.
19. J. Clinton McCann, 鈥淧salm 51:1-19,鈥� 886. 鈥淕od desires not sinfulness but faithfulness or 鈥榯ruth鈥�; see Pss 26:3, 45:4). The wisdom the psalmist requests consists of openness to Go and dependence upon God (see Pss 37:30, 49:3, 90:12, Prov 1:7, 9:10).鈥�
20. Tate, 鈥淎 Confession of Sin and Prayer for Forgiveness (51:1-21),鈥� 21.
21. Ibid.
22. Robert Young,聽Young鈥檚 Analytical Concordance to the Bible聽(Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers), 210.
23. Waltner,聽Believers Church Bible Commentary: Psalms, 259. The term 鈥渉oly spirit鈥� (with a small h) is used only one other place in the OT, in Is. 63:10-11, in a communal psalm of lament about Israel鈥檚 history with God鈥斺�淭hey rebelled and grieved his holy spirit.鈥�
24. J. Clinton McCann, 鈥淧salm 51:1-19,鈥� 887.
25. Various commentators point to this New Testament corollary.