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have mercy on me, O God......

Fr. Tom Konopka
Feb 20
2 min read

Throughout Lent, we will hear Psalm 51 at different points. “Have mercy on me. O God, in your goodness and wipe out my offense.” These ancient words are the ancient cry of King David as he mourned the loss of his child. However, it is more than a loss of a child. David had fallen in love with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite after he spied on her taking a bath. David’s want of her so great that he even arranged to have Uriah killed in a battle. The loss of his child was not God’s punishment, but it made his heart break even more. His ancient lament for his sin is still prayed by us today. All through Lent and every Friday morning in the Liturgy of the Hours, the church cries out her sorrow and begs forgiveness.

In one translation of this psalm, it begins: “Have mercy on me, O tender God.” What a great reminder that when we come before God with humbled and contrite hearts, he does not turn his back on us. He embraces us with love and forgiveness. We learn from these ancient words to name sins out loud and to have contrite hearts. We must be honest with ourselves. I am sure David had to face himself in the mirror and admit what he had done was wrong and sinful. We are reminded that what God desires is a contrite and humbled heart. The sorrow of our hearts must rise before God like the incense we use in our prayer. How we sing those sacred words must be in a minor key and sung like the lament that David cried out before God over 3,000 years ago.

During Lent, I would encourage you to pray that Psalm every day. Pray it line by line very slowly and allow the feelings it elicits to arise. Allow the sorrow of your heart to sing the cry for forgiveness. And when all is said and done, like David, God will fill our hearts with the calming balm of forgiveness.

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