David’s contrite heart in Psalm 51 demonstrates truly how beautiful in a proper apology can be. The pain and sorrow are clear, and the resolve is sincere and complete. However, scripture also has many instances where the confessions are either lacking sincerity, or completely nonexistent. Where do we fall? It is easy to deceive ones self into believing one can avoid accepting the blame while apologizing for the wrong. Adam and Eve, after they sinned, shifted the blame rather than apologizing for their wrong (Gen 3:12-13). They recognized the wrong yet did not want to admit their role in it. Later, Lamech, fully admits he killed a man, yet has no guilt ignoring the affect (Gen 4:23). Sadly, neither of them fully admitted to their sin. Consequently,
Personally, I make mistakes every single day. For example, over this past winter break, my Mom bought our entire family tickets to the Seattle Boys Choir for the night I got home. Instead of going to the concert with my family I ditched them to go to a party at my high school friends house. My Mom was really hurt by my lack of recognition of her hard work to create a special memory for my family and I. All she wanted to do was spend time with me and I blew her off for something pointless. When I do something I regret, I hope that whoever afflicted would find it in their heart to see that I was sorry, and that they see that given the chance to re-do the situation, I would choose to change my actions. To be clear, I am not in the slightest defending or validating the actions of the Nazi regime during the time of the Holocaust. But as a person who has regretted certain actions or decisions I’ve made, I can understand the root of his need for forgiveness. The Nazi’s plea for forgiveness points toward his recognition of fault. Many Nazi’s were operating on the mindset that the atrocities they were committing were actually in the right. This Nazi, seeing the error in his actions, shows that he realizes what he did was wrong. For some people, the request for forgiveness isn’t enough to justify the act of giving it. In my opinion, if the person who is requesting the forgiveness is genuine in their motives, then they deserve
...ace. Vain repentance will be too late. Repentance helps only when he has the possibility to reform his actions. His grief will be useless.
St. Albans Psalter Psalm 68 is not long, but it does have lots of detailed material to study the author’s choice of language, and the power of the images that are being conveyed to the readers through an emotional and sentimental way. The simplicity of this psalm’s gives it power, since it expresses an emotional despair in a careful shaped prayer, which comes from a human being in what seems to be a life-threatening situation. In the image and the content, the psalmist’s travels an arc of desperation to salvation, in a vivid personal plea to Christ to save him from what seems to be a swirling vortex of hopelessness that threatens to pull him under forever.
One of the most documented and honest journeys to accepting Christ is presented in St. Augustine’s book, Confessions. He embarks on a mission to find truth and explains the many barriers he had to overcome to understand the greatness of God. Throughout the book, St. Augustine lays out different significant milestones that enabled him to overcome certain barriers of thought that he originally believed. These significant milestones included him meeting Ambrose the Bishop of Milan, the learning of Neoplatonism, meeting Simplicianus and Ponticianus which lead him soon after to convert, and finally reaching the end of his journey to Catholicism when he becomes baptized. Each of these milestones presented a realization that played a significant
When one does wrong, the common reaction is to hide it and pretend as if nothing happened. Because of the human conscience it is difficult to completely forget about a wrongdoing. Through our conscience guilt is built up and eventually that guilt shatters enough barriers and in turn causes the doer to admit his/her wrong.
However, there were characters who saw the error in their ways and tried to gain forgiveness. Othello may have been a little too late to see his wrongdoings but he still asked for forgiveness before killing himself. Desdemona’s purity out weighed her lust, her only sin. From the hurtful accusations to being killed by Othello, she still forgave him after everything he had done to her. The sins will always exist but it is best to know your errors rather than having it continue to consume
Today’s culture is one where people like to do as little work as possible. Even when it comes to reading our own scripture, The Holy Words of God, a lot of people like to look up one verse and reference it to something without knowing what the rest of the passage says. Psalms 109 is no exception, it is one the more widely misused passages as of late. A popular verse from Psalms 109 is verse 8 which reads “Let his days be few; and let another take his office”, this is seen in reference to our current president, but what people fail to realize is what else David is actually praying. This paper is going to go through Psalms 109 and unpack it verse by verse to show the true meaning of what David was praying and to give us a new look at how to pray.
Those who don't see their actions as wrong won't hold themselves accountable. For example, Dr. Felix Hoenikker. He was a man who never took responsibility for himself; he simply wanted to live his own life and have a good time. When his wife died, Dr Hoenikker didn't seem to think he was responsible for her death, but he was. Dr Hoenikker encountered traffic, which he didn't want to wait around for. He abandoned his car
Psalm 42-43 was originally one poem they are located in Book II of the Psalter (Psalms 42-72) as a Korahite psalm. The author of Psalm 42 is unknown; however it is believed by some to have been written by one of the descents of Korah. Many of the psalms open with a heading before the main text. In many instances the headings have the name of the person that was believed to have authored the psalm attached to it. There are some scholars who totally dismiss the heading because of the difference in the Septuagint and Masoretic text. The superscription for psalms 42 reads “To the leader. A Maskil of Korahite.” The word “of” in the superscription may prove to be problematic due to the various meanings of the word “of” in Hebrew. The word of could mean “dedicated to,” “associated with,” “concerning,” “to,” or “of”. The psalmist expresses a desire to be reconnected to God based upon the language of verses 1-3. This psalm falls into the category of a lament because the psalmist expresses feelings of abandonment by God (based on the reference of being forgotten in verse 9). The psalmist recounts the intimacy of God’s presence from the land of the Jordan and of Herman and Mount Mizar. The psalmist is being taunted by enemies but tries not to lose hope in God. There were moments the psalmist questions the soul. In verse 5 the psalmist asked, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted in within me?” The psalmist struggled with depression and hope in verse 5, but in verse 6 the psalmist stops wrestling and admits to having a casted down soul. This psalm expresses the pain and anger the psalmist felt because of the absence of God. It is obvious that the psalmist attempted to ...
Everyone is sinful or guilty in a way, weather it is lying or doing Adultery. “Guilt is through the spirit and Pain is the body.” It is mistakes that are caused by people. Because you will have to be guilty first, in order to suffer the pain that was caused by their sin. Mr. Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he had to suffer his own sin, because he committed adultery with Hester and had a child called Pearl. Hester has to suffer from her own sin, because of adultery and she has to fight the society with no one helping and no one by her side. This is the same situation in The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor had to suffer the sin of his own, because the affair between him and Abigail Williams. But all the people
Divided into five books to correspond with the five books of Moses, the Pentateuch. There are many different types of psalms in the Hebrew bible. A psalm of thanksgiving, which is giving thanks to YHWH who has ended suffering. Psalms as hymns which are songs of praise. Psalms of YHWH’s enthronement are used to celebrate the greatness of YHWH as king. Wisdom psalms are used to help provide wisdom literature. (Collins 486-491) There is also a psalm of lament, which is sung in hopes that YHWH will save one from suffering. A Psalm was often read for emotion and ideas. Psalm 40 is a combination between a psalm of thanksgiving and lament. Psalm 40 is an example of the relationship between YHWH and humanity. In this passage YHWH is shown as a powerful
In Augustine’s Confessions, Augustine is faced with many different situations and tough times, but during these times he is also blessed with good friends who help him through all of it. His story as a whole represents the purpose of life, which is finding people to inspire him, help him, love him, and have his best interests at heart to lead him to his destiny. Throughout
A major theme of Psalm 25 is God’s divine guidance. This psalm teaches us to seek God in hard times (bible.org). During David’s trials, he prayed to the Lord for wisdom and help. He felt lonely and afflicted because of his treacherous enemies seeking to devour him in the night. In verse 7 David prays, “Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions.” He later refers to himself as a sinner and cries out for God’s mercy and forgiveness. Our duty is to affirm by faith that God is always loving, good, and compassionate. No matter how difficult our trials, the Lord is able to deliver us from them. In order for God to willingly heal/deliver us, we must be teachable in the spirit. Seeking Him more in prayer and believing in faith that God is the almighty one. Each psalm has a distinct theme that can be used to minister to any follower of Christ seeking wisdom, knowledge, and
A strong Christian lesson on the true nature of forgiveness can be found in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount:
The double-edged meaning of the word “can be partially explained by the etymology” (Eliade 1). The word confession derives from the Latin word confiteor which means to “confess a sin or fault,” but in a more general since the word can also mean “to acknowledge or avow.” Thus, with the understanding of the Latin root, one may speak of the sinner who confesses his sin, or of the martyr who confesses his faith. Regardless of which usage is being applied, the religious rules of the confession must be followed. It must take place in front of a recipient, or one who hears the confession. “In many cases, it is preformed in the interest not only of the one confessing but also of the community to which both the confessing person and the recipient belong” (Eliade 1). With an understanding of the underlying meanings of the confession one may begin to explore the development of the phenomenon and its function in modern religion.