We have looked at the concepts of forgiveness and repentance for a reason. We need to think about what it takes to be forgiven. As we walk steps on the path to Easter, our devotions will center on what the Church used to call the Penitential Psalms. Augustine identified these psalms in the early 5th century as expressive emotions of sorrow for sin.
The reason that we are thinking about forgiveness and repentance is not theological. It is extremely practical. The more that we understand what we have been forgiven, the more apt we will be to graciously forgive others.
Teaching of Jesus
When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He proclaimed, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” When we understand the depth of our sins being forgiven, how can we do anything but forgive others?
Wasn’t that the point of Jesus’ parable in Matthew 18?
Jesus tell the parable about the servant of a king whose massive debt is forgiven. The amount owed was so much the servant would never have been able to repay, had he lived 200 years. After the king forgave the debt, the servant found a man who owed him a much smaller debt. When the man could not pay, the servant had the man thrown in prison. When the king found out, he was furious. He asked the servant why he failed to respond with similar mercy.
The king then had the servant bound and thrown into prison. If we truly understand the mercy shown by God to us, we will do the same toward others.
Penitential Psalms
One – Psalm 6
Two – Psalm 31
Three – Psalm 38
Four – Psalm 51
Five – Psalm 102
Six – Psalm 130
Seven – Psalm 143
Psalms and Worship
Though it seems hard to imagine today, there was a time in the history of the church when these seven psalms were as popular and well known as Psalm 23 is today. Ignatius, a church leader of the second century, closed every worship service with the reading of Psalm 51. All seven psalms eventually worked their way into the public liturgy of the Catholic Church.
In addition to being the backbone of Christian worship and theology, the psalms inspired the creatives behind many of the arts. Literature, poetry, and art owe a magnificent debt to these psalms. Many art galleries have complete sections dedicated to these seven special Psalms from the Bible. For over one thousand years, the Penitential Psalms formed the heart of Christian worship.
The rich language central to historical Christianity trickles away with every passing year. Words capturing the essence of sin and the frailty it causes have all but disappeared from the Church’s teaching. Psychologist and author Karl Menninger wondered, “Whatever Became of Sin?” Penance, penitence, and repentance sound archaic now, eclipsed by other priorities and positive encouragements.
Penitential Perspective
Just as powerfully as these psalms became a part of Christian worship, they disappeared from the official liturgy passages and vanished from public reading in 1911. Only personal, private devotion recognized the value and importance of these psalms. Evangelical churches today tend not to focus on deep study of the Psalms. Using the Psalms for penitence fails consideration.
I love studying the Psalms. These books reveal our deepest emotions, our most cumbersome struggles, and allow us to listen as the faithful cry out to their God. When the Psalms are read, the Christ is revealed. We learn of God’s love, His grace, and His commitment to forgive.
From now until the week before Easter, we will spend time on our knees, contemplating these seven Penitential Psalms. We will ponder forgiveness means to the believer. We will pray for the strength to graciously demonstrate the same mercy and forgiveness to others.
Despite the brave faces and stoic interactions we have with others, most believers are full of grief, sorrows, fears, doubts, insecurities, perplexities, and anxiety. As John Calvin perceptively wrote, we experience all of the emotions that are a part of the life of faith. Proclaiming the language of empathy and compassion as the hurts of the human condition unfold, our study in these psalms will provide us with a rich cure for the soul, undying gratitude toward a merciful God, and overwhelming motivation to demonstrate that mercy to a world so desperately in need.