Reflection on Psalm 51 (Br Benedict Chng)

Every Friday morning throughout the year we pray Psalm 51. This psalm was composed at different moments in the history of Israel. It was finally fixed during the exile of the Israelites or immediately after their return from Babylon when the feeling of their own guilt was still strong. They saw their sins against Yahweh had been the cause of all their sufferings, especially their experience in exile. Thus, Israel wants to assume all the infidelities of its own history – particularly David’s sin with Bathsheba – until that caused their exile and the destruction of the holy city would be forgiven.

Let us remember that Jesus also took upon himself all our sins and Himself became sin for us. In Order to destroy in His own body, the sin of man.

As church, we are the body of Christ in this world. Hence in union with the universal church, let us seek pardon and mercy for our sins. In prayer, let us assume as our Lord did in His Passion, the sins of the world, interceding for all men with Jesus before our Father as we pray our Psalm.

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Stay tuned for the next post by Br Edward Seah on 09th Nov 2010.