The 7 Penitential Psalms |
David takes Bathsheba and she conceives. David sends for her husband Uriah who serves in the army. Following army custom, Uriah does not sleep with his wife while he is home, saving his strength for battle. David even tries to get Uriah drunk so he'll go to his wife. When David's plan fails, he sends Uriah back to the front with a message to the commander of the army, instructing him to place Uriah on the front lines. Uriah is killed, and David marries Bathsheba. Nathan the prophet confronts David with this story. “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his morsel, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.” Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” Nathan said to David, “YOU ARE THE MAN.” 2 Samuel 12:1-7a |
The Seven Penitential Psalms were believed to have been David's lamentations of repentance for his sins against Bathsheba and Uriah, and for his other sins. |
Psalm 51 is probably the most well-known of the Penitential psalms. The psalm is recited by the congretation on Ash Wednesday in The Book of Common Prayer liturgy, and chanted at Lauds in the Daily Office. Traditionally the Seven Penitential Psalms were used devotionally on Fridays in Lent, and of course, at any time for personal devotion. |