Ash Wednesday Psalm 51:1-17

Introduction

A Model for Confession

The season of Lent often begins with a call to repentance, and it is a season of reflection and contrition. Ash Wednesday's readings always feature Psalm 51, written by David after he has come face to face with his own grievous sin, provides a guide for Christian pilgrims in practicing confession.

Perhaps after you read and reflect upon this Psalm during your Ash Wednesday service, you might consider encouraging your congregation to read it daily throughout Lent.

Ellen Davis writes, “Psalm 51 is the Lenten psalm par excellence, for it is the only psalm—and perhaps the only passage in the Bible—that offers in-depth guidance for the particular work of that season, the work of contrition.” [1] For those of us unschooled in the practice of regular confession, this time offers the opportunity to be trained in the work of acknowledging and repenting of our sins.  

Ancient Lens

What can we learn from the historical context?

The Context of the Psalm

The background for David’s writing of Psalm 51 can be found in 2 Samuel 11-12. Here we find the account of David committing adultery with Bathsheba and all that follows from it: Bathsheba becomes pregnant, David attempts to cover up the pregnancy, he sets in motion events that result in the death of her husband, and the prophet Nathan’s confronts David and his sin. It is a text where we encounter King David using his power to take what he wants, then conniving to cover up what he has done. Derek Kidner highlights the contrast between this description of David and the David who composes Psalm 51:

Between the David of this Psalm and the cynical tactician of 2 Samuel 11 there stands simply (on the human scene) Nathan the prophet. The power of God’s Word is nowhere more strikingly evident than in this transformation. [2]

The Word of God confronts David, and his heart undergoes a dramatic change. It is God and his Word spoken through Nathan that brings about the change—David cannot bring about this transformation himself.

Unmediated Access

Over and again in this Psalm, David addresses God directly. He begins by pleading to God for mercy (verses 1-2), followed by a confession of his sins (verses 3-5). In verses 6-9, David expresses his hope that God will restore him. He asks to be re-formed (verses 10-13) and expresses his worship of God from the posture of a broken heart (verse 14-17). David’s outcry for mercy is based upon the character of God, who is gracious and compassionate (Exodus 34:6). This is covenantal language, rooted in God’s promise to be faithful to his people.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes, “Most Psalms presuppose complete assurance of the forgiveness of sins.” [3] And this Psalm is no exception. David relies on the tender mercies of God who is full of grace and loving-kindness. 

Ongoing Usage in Worship

The Psalm is deeply personal, but the specific event of David’s adultery is not mentioned in the Psalm itself, making it a model for prayer for all people in any circumstance. Its introductory text, inclusion in the Psalter, and the last two verses of the Psalm (which make reference to temple worship) provide evidence that this Psalm was used long after by the worshiping community at large to express its repentance. 

Jesus Lens

How do we point to Jesus?

David Looks Forward to Jesus

The grace and mercy that David is so certain of finds its fulfillment in Jesus. David recognizes that the God of the covenant is gracious and compassionate, and we see the ultimate revelation of God’s character in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. In Jesus, transgressions are blotted out, iniquities are washed away, and people are cleansed of their sin. 

All sin is betrayal against God, and yet, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NIV). Jesus carried the weight of the world’s sin even as he continued to face the world’s condemnation and betrayal. As Tim Keller writes,

Only in the New Testament do we learn what it cost Jesus to ‘cancel the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us’ (Colossians 2:14). [4]

David, under God’s inspiration, writes a Psalm that points to the redeeming work of Jesus. 

Thou shalt teach me. Thou shalt purge me. Thou shalt make me hear.

These words, too, find their fulfillment in the life of Jesus. Jesus, the Rabbi and teacher, went throughout Galilee proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Jesus, the cleanser and healer, reached out his hand to touch those who came to him and healed them of many diseases. Jesus, the Word of God made flesh, spoke with unaccountable and unexpected authority. The key to the restoration of the repentant one (whether David or anyone else) is through the mighty power of God, which we see on display through the tender mercy of Christ, our Savior. 

Modern Lens

How does this touch my heart, life, emotions, thoughts and relationships today?

Approach with Confident Trust

Just as David confidently trusted that God would forgive his sin, we should be assured that we too will receive forgiveness for all our debts:

All hope is fixed on free forgiveness, as it has been offered to us and promised by God in his word about Jesus Christ for all times. [5]

As we enter this season of Lent with the people God has entrusted to our care, we do turn our attention to confession of sins and repentance, but we do so with the full knowledge and assurance of forgiveness—which we should faithfully keep before our congregations.

In the same way that King David confidently hoped in the steadfast love and forgiveness of God, we too boldly rely on the merciful and generous forgiveness of God to be poured out upon us (1 John 1:9 is a great reminder!). During Lent we reflect on our sin, our mortality, our inevitable death, but we also cling with firm hope to the God who makes all things new and brings life to that which is dead. 

Not only can we count on God’s forgiving mercy, we can also rely on God to restore and renew us. David pleads with God to wash him thoroughly, to cleanse him through and through. He asks that his broken bones be made to rejoice (verse 8). The word picture provided by Eugene Peterson’s translation of this verse answers the question, “what do bones do that rejoice?” Verse 8 in The Message reads:

Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
set these once-broken bones to dancing.

Rejoicing bones are dancing bones. God’s loving word transforms us from brokenness to dancing. David expects no half-measures with God, and we shouldn’t either. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (1 Corinthians 5:17, NIV). We can rely on our Savior for complete forgiveness. 

[1] Ellen F. Davis, Getting Involved with God (Cowley Publications, 2001) 168.

[2] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72 (Intervarsity Press, 1973) 207.

[3] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible (Augsburg Publishing House, 1970) 50.

[4] Tim Keller, The Songs of Jesus (Viking, 2015) 109.

[5] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible (Augsburg Publishing House, 1970), 51.

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1. What different church practices have you seen that involve confession? In what ways to do you practice confession?

2. What makes you nervous about confession?

3. How can your church community learn to practice confession joyfully?

4. What difference does it make that we come to confession already assured of full forgiveness

5. How does this knowledge impact the way we respond to the mistakes of others?