Prayer: Prayers of Penitence: The Psalms of David

The seven Penitential Psalms (6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143) have been used in Christian worship since at least the 6th century as a framework for penitential prayer. Augustine wrote commentaries on all seven and considered them essential for the spiritual life. He said of Psalm 51: "Have mercy on me, O God -- this is the cry of every human heart that knows itself truly."

The tradition of praying these Psalms during Lent or times of repentance teaches that penitential prayer is not self-flagellation but honest self-presentation before a merciful God. Cassiodorus (d. 585) wrote: "The Penitential Psalms are the medicine of the soul. Through them, the sick soul confesses its illness and receives the healing of divine mercy."

Practical application: Pray one Penitential Psalm per day for a week. Read each slowly, pausing at any verse that resonates with your current spiritual state. Let the ancient words give voice to what you struggle to express. The Penitential Psalms teach that honest grief over sin, far from driving us from God, actually draws us closer to His mercy.