Advent readings, Day 2: Psalm 25: 1-10

Psalm 25

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, in you I trust;
    do not let me be put to shame;
    do not let my enemies exult over me.
3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
    let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
    teach me your paths.
5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
    for you are the God of my salvation;
    for you I wait all day long.

6 Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and of your steadfast love,
    for they have been from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
    according to your steadfast love remember me,
    for your goodness’ sake, O Lord!

8 Good and upright is the Lord;
    therefore he instructs sinners in the way.
9 He leads the humble in what is right,
    and teaches the humble his way.
10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
    for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

We used Eugene Peterson's translation of this Psalm (as found in The Messenger) as our Call to Worship yesterday.  In his translation, the "do not" phrase in vs. 3 is a question -- i.e. "You won’t embarrass me, will you? Or let my enemies get the best of me? " -- which gives a very different feel to the Psalm.  

The Psalmist wants God to remember from the past God's faithfulness, but the Psalmist also wants God not to remember the sins of the psalmists youth  That's an interesting play on God remembering/not remembering.  It certainly fits with the Advent theme of looking for when Christ will come again.  We want God to remember that God has come in Christ and come again, all the while hoping that God does not give up on us because of our history of turning away from God.

As we enter the holiday season, that sense of remembering might be helpful to us as we reflect on our relationships with others.  Can we remember our history of shared relationships and love while giving up the sins of the years past?