Leader: Have Mercy on Me, O God, According to Your Steadfast Love

Psalm 51:1-17

FIRST SETTING:

Responsive Reading – Psalm 51:1-17

Leader: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love. People: According to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. Leader: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. People: Cleanse me from my sin. Leader: I know my transgressions. People: My sin is ever before me. Leader: Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight. People: You are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. Leader: Indeed, I was born guilty. People: I was a sinner when my mother conceived me. Leader: You desire truth in the inward being. People: Therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Leader: Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. People: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Leader: Let me hear joy and gladness. People: Let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Leader: Hide your face from my sins. People: Blot out all my iniquities. Leader: Create in me a clean heart, O God. People: Put a new and right spirit within me. Leader: Do not cast me away from your presence. People: Do not take your holy spirit from me. Leader: Restore to me the joy of your salvation. People: Sustain in me a willing spirit. Leader: Then I will teach transgressors your ways. People: Sinners will return to you. Leader: Deliver me from bloodshed, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance. People: O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. Leader: You have no delight in sacrifice. People: If I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. Leader: The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit. People: A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Hymn/Song Suggestions: “Whiter Than Snow” “Create in Me a Clean Heart, O God” (Integrity Chorus) “Create in Me” – many settings by various composers “Restore My Joy” (Cindy Berry) “Change My Heart, O God” “Go Not Far from Me, O God” “We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise” “Lord, Have Mercy” (various settings)

SECOND SETTING:

Here we have the Psalm in outline form with a faith-word to introduce each phrase. You can present it any way you want; here are a few possibilities:  Simply print it for personal reading in the course of the service; designate a time of silence in which the Psalm is read silently.  Have it read by two readers, one reading the faith-word, the other reading the Psalm statements; take time with this, letting each word sink in before the Psalm statement, then pausing before the next word.  If your room is fairly intimate, have a person (or persons) hold up small posters/ placards with each word, followed by another person (persons) reading the passage.  This is a little more complicated, but using the above idea, have the person holding the placard read the attendant Psalm phrase. I’d prefer they not read the word, simply “show” the word; that’s up to you, of course.  THIS ONE REALLY WORKS WELL… TRY IT!

Mercy. Have mercy on me, O God Love. Have mercy on me according to your steadfast love. Forgiveness. Blot out my transgressions. Abundance. Blot out my transgressions according to your abundant mercy. Cleansing. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Realization. I know my transgressions. Sin. My sin is ever before me. Against you, you alone, have I sinned. Evil. I have done what is evil in your sight. Justice. You are justified when you pronounce my sentence. Blameless. You stand blameless when you pass judgment. Guilt. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. Truth. You desire truth in the inward being. Wisdom. Teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purging. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Cleansing. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Joy. Let me hear joy. Gladness. Let me know gladness. Rejoicing. Let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Sinfulness. Hide your face from my sins. Forgiveness. Blot out all my iniquities. Creativity. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renewal. Put a new and right spirit within me. Safety. Do not cast me away from your presence. Comfort. Do not take your holy spirit from me. Restoration. Restore to me the joy of your salvation. Willingness. Uphold me with a willing spirit. Proclamation. Then I will teach transgressors your ways. Redemption. Sinners will return to you. Deliverance. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God of my salvation. Singing. My tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance. Praise. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. Futility. You have no delight in sacrifice; burnt offerings do not please you. Brokenness. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit. Humility. A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.