Psalms 51 and 52 from my new book:
A NEW LOOK AT THE OLD PSALMS
Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation
____________________
Psalms 51 and 52 from my new book:
Praying the Psalms: a modern interpretation
____________________
I present here a new perspective on the psalms. I have rewritten them from a New
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.
Testament Christ-centered point of view. I did not try to capture the poetry of the
psalms – I leave that to more gifted writers – but I attempted to capture their message
with a more modern interpretation.
God bless,
John
____________________
Psalm
51
(King David begs forgiveness for committing adultery
with Bathsheba and killing her husband. Since we are all sinners, let his
prayer become our prayer as well.)
F
|
ather, I come before you a sinful man. It is with
heartfelt sorrow that I beg for your mercy and unfailing love. Be
compassionate, Lord, and cleanse me of my sin and guilt. I am ashamed of what I
have done because my sin was a personal affront to you, my God. You have every
right to be upset with me. I am filled with guilt. It haunts me even in my
dreams. I cannot remember a time when I did not sin. I know it is no excuse,
but I can honestly say that I have been a sinner since I was conceived. Not
sinning does not come to me easily. But search me, Lord, to see that I have a
truly contrite heart. Show me what I must do to make things right again between
us.
I beg your total forgiveness. Leave not a spot of
sin on my soul. My heart is pierced with sorrow. I will have no peace until you
forgive me. Purify me and restore my soul to its pristine state. Do not abandon
me, Lord, for my soul is lost without you. Save me from destruction, if not for
my own sake, then for the benefit of others, who will see how merciful and
forgiving you are, and be drawn back to you. Then I will be able to praise you
again.
Lord, I would make a ritual sacrifice in the Temple
to restore our friendship, but what you desire from me is not animal sacrifice,
but a humble, contrite heart. Do not deprive my people of your help because of
my sin. Let them see that you pardon even great sins if the sinner’s heart is
truly repentant. Let their sacrificial offerings be acceptable to you again,
for they will be making them with humility and true contrition. Amen.
Psalm
52
W
|
ho will enjoy eternal life? Not those who commit
crimes; bring disgrace to others; lie and verbally abuse people; cheat and
connive; and prefer evil over good. God will destroy them. The righteous fear
God. They will mock the criminal because he did not trust in God, but in his
wealth. And that is the way he lived his life until the very end.
The virtuous will enjoy God’s favor on earth and,
because of his unfailing mercy, eternal life in the world to come. May God be
praised forever because of what he has accomplished and will do for those who
are holy in his sight. Amen.
Cover image: Christ the Saviour (Pantokrator)." Web. 25 Sept 2016.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spas_vsederzhitel_sinay.jpg
"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spas_vsederzhitel_sinay.jpg
"Creative Commons License." Web. 18 May 2016.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
Scriptural quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,
copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois
60189. All rights reserved.
60189. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2016 by John P. Gross. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this material must
be done in its entirety with the copyright notice intact. This book is not for sale, but is
offered to the public free of charge for the glory of God.
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