Reading Psalm 51 on Ash Wednesday

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.
For I was born a sinner—

yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
But you desire honesty from the womb, 

teaching me wisdom even there.

Purify me from my sins, 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 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.

Amen

Amen

Amen

Is there a word or phrase you that is drawing you closer to God, a word or phrase through which you can “breathe” your prayers during Lent?

Take your word or phrase and create a "breath prayer."   Take this link for more information on how to create a breath prayer ... 6-8 syllables is optimal for breathing.  

Here is my Lenten Breath Prayer:

Breathing in ... Unseal my lips Lord (pause)

Breathing out ... So I may praise you! (pause) 

If music is a pathway to God for you ... watch this youtube video:  Create in me a Clean Heart.

Ash Wednesday ... In the Most Secret Place

Psalm 51:1-17 (CEB)For the music leader. A psalm of David when the prophet Nathan came to him just after he had been with Bathsheba. 

Have mercy on me, God, according to your faithful love!
   Wipe away my wrongdoings according to your great compassion!
Wash me completely clean of my guilt; purify me from my sin!
Because I know my wrongdoings, my sin is always right in front of me.
I’ve sinned against you—you alone.
   I’ve committed evil in your sight.
That’s why you are justified when you render your verdict,
   completely correct when you issue your judgment.
Yes, I was born in guilt, in sin, from the moment my mother conceived me.
And yes, you want truth in the most hidden places;
   you teach me wisdom in the most secret space.
Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean;
   wash me and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and celebration again;
   let the bones you crushed rejoice once more.
Hide your face from my sins; wipe away all my guilty deeds!
Create a clean heart for me, God;
   put a new, faithful spirit deep inside me!
Please don’t throw me out of your presence;
   please don’t take your holy spirit away from me.
Return the joy of your salvation to me and sustain me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach wrongdoers your ways, and sinners will come back to you.
Deliver me from violence, God,
God of my salvation, so that my tongue can sing of your righteousness.
Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will proclaim your praise.
You don’t want sacrifices.
   If I gave an entirely burned offering, you wouldn’t be pleased.
A broken spirit is my sacrifice, God.

You won’t despise a heart, God, that is broken and crushed.   Amen.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent.  Lent is a time of preparation.  During the liturgical (worship work of the people) season of Lent, we spend time reflecting on our life as we prepare our hearts for the resurrection of Christ ... and the resurrection of our own souls once again ... again and again!  We ask ourselves ... "what needs to be cleared from within the self ... in the secret space ...  in order to make way for our true self, the one we were created to be, to emerge."  

Lent invites us to change our behavior as we look toward the Cross and the Resurrection which lie ahead of us on this journey.  Many persons "give up" something in their life that has a grip upon them ... in order to be free.  Many persons engage more fervently in spiritual disciplines such as prayer and fasting ... seeking God in the secret!  As you seek the "clearing" deep within your soul ...

What has a grip on you?  What do you need to "give up" this Season of Lent?

What spiritual discipline could you "take up" this Season of Lent as you seek God?

We begin our Lenten Journey on Ash Wednesday.  On this day of "new beginnings" we recognize once again our fragility as human beings, created and formed from the soft and dusty earth!   

On Ash Wednesday, we remember!  

In many faith communities, the people of God attend a special worship service on Ash Wednesday.  Psalm 51:1-17 is often read as a Prayer of Confession and Repentance after which assurance is needed and given ... 

Take a moment to read Psalm 51:1-17 again slowly.  

Now hear this:  In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!    

How do you live a forgiving and a forgiven life?

During the Ash Wednesday Service a cross of ashes is smudged on the forehead as a sign/symbol of remembrance, mourning, and repentance.

If music is a pathway to God for you, listen to this song by Chris Tomlin called In the Secret each day as you contemplate your relationship with God this Lenten Season.   

May God bless you richly as your journey through the Lenten Season!

Ash Wednesday - Psalm 51:1-17

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

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 judgment.

Indeed, I was born guilty,

a sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;

therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

and do not take your holy spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will return to you.

Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,

O God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

For you have no delight in sacrifice;

if I were to give a burnt offering,

you would not be pleased.

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart,

O God, you will not despise.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Lenten season.  The introduction note tells us that Psalm 51 is the prayer of repentance that David wrote after he was confronted by the prophet Nathan.  David had committed sinful actions toward Bathsheba and her husband. See 2 Samuel 11 and 12 for the story.

All of us have fallen short of the ethical and moral behavior that we are called to and that I believe deep down in our soul what we want to do.   When we call out to God for mercy, it is ours … In the Old Testament God says, “I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:34) and in the New Testament God says, ¹²”For I will be merciful towards their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)  God is serious about forgiveness! 

In many Ash Wednesday services we hear the words 'Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return.'   I invite you to ponder these words and listen to this lovely arrangement of a portion of Psalm 51 called Create in Me a Clean Heart.