Psalm 51 runs through Lent like a refrain. On Ash Wednesday we heard it all, with its words of penitence and its plea to God for mercy and forgiveness. And verses from it are woven into prayers, like the Lenten collect which calls on God to 'create and make in us new and contrite hearts' for, as the Psalmist assures us, 'a contrite heart God will not despise'. The Psalm reminds us all of our need for contrition, especially in the original meaning of sorrow for sin that arises from love of God - rather than fear of punishment.

Yet all this emphasis on sin can feel a little overwhelming and even in Psalm 51 we are reminded that God invites us not only to repent but into the ‘joy of salvation’. For what God desires is 'truth deep within me', the truth that does not hide who I am but allows God's light to shine into the deepest places of our hearts and souls, so that we might not simply be sorry, but truly be healed and restored. Then, says the psalmist, we will sing to God, and live by God's gracious spirit. The Psalm's balance of emotions, of praise and repentance, joy and sorrow, reflects our human experience and our relationships with God and each other. And that balance is part, too, of our Lenten calendar, for this 'Refreshment' Sunday we remember God's comfort and sustaining grace, even as we continue to pray for God's mercy.