Scripture
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51.7
A Word of Hope
The first time I read Psalm 51, I was about thirteen years of age. I learned that the great mighty king David had fallen from grace by sinning terribly against humankind and God. King David had not only committed adultery with the wife of one of his generals, but had then plotted and ordered the murder of the women’s husband. My Sunday school teacher used this lesson to illustrate that even the mighty David who had been raised from a Sheppard boy to power had fallen before God. As I read the Psalm and memorized it, I could not help but feel sorry for David even though he had been found guilty. This Psalm had sorrow written all over it.
Years later I found myself away from God, living life with my own set of rules. I had come out as a Gay and in my mind I had fallen from grace by sinning terribly against God. I said to myself if I’m going to hell, I might as well enjoy the ride there. I lived life carelessly, recklessly and denying myself the joy of my true calling to serve others. How could I serve God if I chose to be myself? One day I found myself empty, alone and desperate. I remembered the story of King David and pictured him lying on the ground in a potato sack with ashes on his head praying “have Mercy on me oh LORD!” Although I had not committed murder in the literal sense of the word, I had used words that had offended and brought pain to others. Worst, I had lived in fear, denying that God had created me in the Divine image. But, by the grace of God, circumstances changed, and I finally understood that God loved me regardless of my gender identity or sexual orientation. I felt liberated.
I remember kneeling and reading Psalm 51 again carefully. I remember saying “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean”, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoiced. “ We are each and all of us imperfect and many times we need to pause and make changes in our lives. Psalm 51 is a reset button that allows us to go before God broken and all. We all have the ability to go before God and say “Have Mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; blot out my transgressions!” Today I see the story of King David not just as the fall of a mighty leader but as a story of redemption. Psalm 51 helps us see a heart that is broken and ready to receive grace and mercy from a God that loves us regardless of anything.
Prayer God may we remember that your grace and love is upon us and that it is a gift waiting for us to accept. May we remember that you can make everything in us new.
Amen