Confession / Psalm 51 Mash-up...

Psalm 51 came up in our reading cycle a few weeks ago, the same week that we had planned to observe communion in our congregation. We wanted to do something different with our congregational confession this time; so I mashed up the Psalm reading and a traditional corporate confession, the "leader" read the text of the psalm, the congregation read the words of the confession.

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I have added the verse markers back into the sections pulled from the psalm.

For this reading we used THE VOICE translation.

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Look on me with a heart of mercy, O God,

according to Your generous love.

According to Your great compassion,

wipe out every consequence of my shameful crimes. (1)

Most merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.

For I am fully aware of all I have done wrong,

and my guilt is there, staring me in the face.

It was against You, that I sinned,

for I have done what You say is wrong, right before Your eyes. (3-4a)

We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent

Cleanse me of my wickedness and I will be clean.

If You wash me, I will be whiter than snow. (7)

have mercy on us and forgive us

Create in me a clean heart, O God;

restore within me a sense of being brand new.

11 Do not throw me far away from Your presence,

and do not remove Your Holy Spirit from me. (10-11)

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name

12 Give back to me the deep delight of being saved by You (12a)

Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins … [and] strengthen us in all goodness

Help me hear joy and happiness as my accompaniment,

so my bones, which You have broken, will dance in delight instead.

9 Cover Your face so You will not see my sins, and erase my guilt from the record (8-9) \\ [and] let Your Spirit sustain me. (12)

and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. In the name of Jesus Christ our lord. Amen.