Seven Penitential Psalms
June 24, 2011
Penitence is
the primary theme of Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143.
Interestingly, many churches in the 17th and 18th
centuries made these psalms part of their admission process (church membership).
Each psalm focuses
on a different aspect of penitence:
-
Ps 6:
begs deliverance from chastisement
- Begging relief is probably
the most self serving motive within
these seven psalms.
-
Ps
32:
asks to be forgiven -
Forgiveness is a critical first step in restoring fellowship between
God and man.
-
Ps
38:
affliction gains attention -
Affliction reminds us to repent and be humble.
-
Ps
51:
communion with God -
Sin drives a wedge between God and man, and saints yearn for His
fellowship.
-
Ps
102:
maintains eternal perspective
- Victory comes not from removing
affliction, but from understanding it in terms of eternity.
-
Ps
130:
looks inward -
fixing attitudes will be more profitable than fixing behavior, than
looking backward
-
Ps
143:
talks to God -
We pray not to inform God, but to love Him
Every revival
recorded in scripture began with repentance; whether national (Neh 1:4-9,
9:1-3), congregational (Rev 2:5-7, 3:19-22), or individual (Act 2:37-40, 2Co
7:9-10). These seven psalms might
be the right place to start when we feel far from God.
But remember, God is not the one who moved!
Article
Written by Elder Dolph Painter, Moriah Primitive Baptist Church
pastordolph@aol.com
This site created by Steve McCannon.
This page last
updated 07/06/2011
