The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Psalm 51:17
An initial reading of verse 17 from Psalm 51 leaves a certain sense of discomfort and unease. Words such as "sacrifice," "despise," and "broken," the latter of which actually appears twice in the short passage, practically jump from the page.
After reading and reflecting upon the full Psalm, however, a more positive and loving message emerges. The Psalm is David's emotional plea for God's forgiveness for a terrible sin - adultery - and it describes the path to redemption. It reminds us that God loves and will forgive us in spite of our many flaws. What could be more positive than that?
This particular passage emphasizes that it is not enough to ask for God's mercy. We must also show honest regret, or contrition. This is what the Psalm means by a "broken spirit." Holding ourselves accountable for our sins - having a "contrite heart" - is the only price for His forgiveness. If we have strayed, through that "sacrifice" we find the path to His love.
On Sundays at St. James', we confess our sins and say, "we are truly sorry, and we humbly repent." These are elegant and powerful words. If they are to be "acceptable to God," however, we must feel them in our hearts and live our lives accordingly.
What can we do today to show God we are truly sorry for our sins?
The Pickart Family (2009)
