What does God really want from us? In Psalm 51, the psalmist confesses his sin and asks for God’s forgiveness and cleansing. He acknowledges that God is not pleased with mere external rituals, but with a sincere and contrite heart. He pleads with God to restore his joy and uphold him with a willing spirit. He promises to teach others God’s ways and to praise Him with his lips.
This psalm teaches us that God is more interested in our inner attitude than our outward actions. He wants us to have a genuine relationship with Him, not a superficial one. He wants us to repent of our sins and receive His grace and mercy. He wants us to experience His love and joy in our lives. He wants us to share His goodness with others and worship Him with gratitude.
Remember that God does not desire sacrifice, but mercy. He does not want us to merely perform religious duties, but to love Him and our neighbors. He does not want us to hide our sins, but to confess them and be forgiven. He does not want us to be burdened, but to be free.
Ask Yourself
How can I show God that I desire His mercy more than anything else?
Let Us Pray
Loving God, have mercy on us. Wash us and make us clean. Create in us a pure heart and renew a right spirit within us. Restore to us the joy of Your salvation and sustain us with a willing spirit. Help us to teach others Your ways and to praise You with our mouth. Amen.
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Today’s verse is the Responsorial Psalm for Saturday of the Third Week of Lent. It is part of our blog series called “Lenten Psalms“.