Psalm 51: 3-6ab, 12-14, 17

Our responsorial this week comes from Psalm 51, a moving prayer of repentance attributed to King David. As we hear about humanity’s fall in Genesis and Jesus’ fidelity in the desert, Psalm 51 gives voice to our own need for a clean heart and a right spirit.

If this psalm seems familiar, it was also our responsorial at the Ash Wednesday liturgy, just a few days ago.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. 

The passage begins with an admission of guilt and a plea for mercy.

Notice that he appeals to God not by his own merit, but to God’s own covenant dispositions: goodness (hesed) and compassion or “womb-love” (rahămîm), the kind of attachment a mother has to the child she has carried in her womb. 

This psalm uses distinct Hebrew words to describe sin, each with its own nuance. The term here for “offense” (pesha’) denotes willful rebellion — a conscious turning away from God’s authority. Its use reminds us that sin is not simply weakness, but a refusal to trust God, echoing humanity’s first disobedience in Genesis.

The verb “wipe out” (machah) conveys the image of completely erasing a wrongful deed, like wiping a slate clean.

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me.

The psalmist uses a series of intense and varied images to show the depth of their repentance and acknowledge the thoroughness of the cleansing needed.

“Wash” (kābas) refers to the treading or pounding involved in removing deep-set stains from garments.

“Guilt” (‘āwōn) refers to moral corruption or perversity. It implies a habitual distortion of God’s will — a bent toward sin that influences behavior over time.

Hattā’â is one of the most commonly used words for “sin”; it carries a more technical, juridical nuance. It comes from the verb that means “miss the mark,” and it connotes a violation of some law or statute. The failure involved is usually deliberate, not accidental.

“Cleanse” (tāhēr) signifies deep purification, often associated with the ritual cleansing required for priests or for those recovering from impurity, such as leprosy. It conveys the idea of being purified not just outwardly but at the core, restoring one to a state of holiness and spiritual health.

For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always:

The psalmist does not minimize or rationalize his wrongdoing. To acknowledge sin is to live in truth.

“Before me always” suggests the awareness of his sin is ever-present, weighing upon the heart.

Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.

The psalmist acknowledges that, while sin may affect others, its ultimate offense is against God’s holiness and divine law.

The word used for “evil” (ra‘) is broad and unspecific, versus hattā’â and pesha‘, which recur here.

A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

The prayer now turns from forgiveness to formation. The Hebrew verb “create” (bārā’) is the same one used in Genesis 1:1, suggesting that only God can bring about this kind of new beginning.

The request for a steadfast spirit implies a desire not just for absolution but for strength to remain faithful moving forward.

Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me.

The plea is reframed in negative terms: Do not cast me from your presence, do not take your Spirit from me.

Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me.

The psalmist voices a fear rooted in love: separation from God would be the greatest loss. He longs to rediscover the deep happiness that comes from being in right relationship with God.

A “willing spirit” suggests an obedience that is freely given, sustained not by fear, but by desire aligned with God’s will.

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

The psalm concludes by recognizing that even praise is a gift. Only God can open the lips that sin has closed.

As we journey into Lent, this psalm reminds us that repentance is not an end in itself. God’s mercy restores us so that we may live faithfully, resist temptation, and once again proclaim his praise with hearts made new