Creationtide - Day 26. Psalm 51(Metric)

 Throughout Creationtide, 1st September - 4th October, there will be a daily posting of material to help us reflect on the various themes associated with this period in the Church’s year.

The posts will incorporate the following themes:

• Glory of the Cosmos, 
• Bible 
• Earth’s Wonders 
• Care of the Planet 
• Meditation/ Prayer 
• Praise & Adoration
• Jesus, the heart of it all

I hope you will find these notes, prayers, hymns and meditations helpful and that you will feel you want to call in on the site each day. You will be very welcome and as many of the items reflect the biggest challenge of our times (notwithstanding Covid 19), I hope you might encourage other like-minded people to join us on this 34 day pilgrimage. 

One of the great penitential psalms in a newly written (2014), metric format (with September 2020 amendments)

Whilst this is not overtly linked to Creationtide themes, the plea in the (new) last verse for helping us build ‘a just and righteous place’ is especially topical as we think about a post-Covid society that is more aware of the needs of those downtrodden through the rampant capitalism that has prevailed in the past. Thus it is a prayer for the whole earth and all its peoples.

Have mercy God, on me, in your great goodness,

with that same mercy, heal my waywardnesses;**

show me my faults. Yes! all my untowardness.

Cleanse me from sin, Lord.

My guilt is clear, it cannot be defended.

against you only have I oft offended:

when just conceived, sin swift my heart attended,

spare me from wrath, Lord.

Now inward truth is what you most require,

cleanse me and purge me like refining fire.

Released from sin; with gladness, me inspire

to praise Your Name, Lord.

Turn from my sin, forgive my every wrong.

Come, mould my heart, and let my spirit long

for help and wisdom, that I may be strong

in all your ways, Lord.

Then to the wicked, I might teach those ways:

deliver me and strengthen all my praise.

No sacrifice to you I have to raise,

save my poor heart, Lord.

Within me build your justice and your grace,

show all your people your belov-ed face.

Now help us build a just and righteous place,

giving you honour.

**Please note, I have changed the wording here from that in the stave below to make it a little less awkward. I have also changed the last verse to reflect the situation the world faces in 2020.

Double click on the image to obtain as printable score (with thanks to Andrew Collier)

You can listen to the tune on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMcS44uE9qQ

played by Andrew Remillard

You might also like to reflect on the internationality of the potential contribution towards the stewardship of the earth from the Christian church globally by spending ten minutes listening to one of the many versions of ’The Blessing’ which have been published during Lockdown times. Today’s choice comes from Tacloban City