God, Be Merciful to Me

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1 God, be merciful to me;
on your grace I rest my plea.
My transgressions I confess;
grief and guilt my soul oppress.
Wash me, make me pure within;
cleanse, O cleanse me from my sin.

2 Gracious God, my heart renew;
make my spirit right and true.
In your presence let me stay;
by your Spirit show the way.
Your salvation's joy impart,
steadfast make my willing heart.

3 So shall sinners be restored
and return to you, their Lord;
Savior, all my guilt remove,
and my tongue shall sing your love;
touch my silent lips, O Lord,
and my mouth shall praise accord.

4 Not the formal sacrifice
has acceptance in your eyes;
broken hearts are in your sight
more than sacrificial rite;
contrite spirit, pleading cries,
you, O God, will not despise.

5 Prosper Zion in your grace
and her broken walls replace;
then our righteous sacrifice
shall delight your holy eyes;
free-will offerings, gladly made,
on your altar shall be laid.

Source: Lift Up Your Hearts: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs #623

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Related Texts

Kyrie

First Line:	God, be merciful to me, On Thy grace I rest my plea
Title:	God, Be Merciful to Me
Meter:	7.7.7.7.7.7
Source:	Psalter, 1912
Language:	English
Refrain First Line:	Gracious God, my heart renew
Liturgical Use:	Confession Songs

Year A, Lent, Ash Wednesday
Psalm 51 (Metrical)
Year B, Lent, Ash Wednesday
Psalm 51 (Metrical)
Year C, Lent, First Sunday
Psalm 51 (Metrical)

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Notes

Scripture References:
st.1 = Ps. 51:1-3
st.2 = Ps. 51:4,8
st.3 = Ps. 51:10-12
st.4 = Ps. 51:13-14,17,19

Based on Psalm 51, the best-known of the penitential psalms, “God, Be Merciful” is a collation from the complete versification of the psalm in the 1912 Psalter. Making various alterations, especially in stanza 3, Bert Polman (PHH 37) prepared the collation to provide a shortened version of this well-known psalm and tune for the Psalter Hymnal. Other settings of Psalm 51 are at 51 and 167.

Liturgical Use:
Service of confession and forgiveness; a sung prayer for renewal (st. 3); offering of gifts (st. 4). See also PHH 51.

--Psalter Hymnal Handbook

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Tune

REDHEAD NO. 76

REDHEAD 76 is named for its composer, who published it as number 76 in his influential Church Hymn Tunes, Ancient and Modern (1853) as a setting for the hymn text "Rock of Ages." It has been associated with Psalm 51 since the 1912 Psalter, where the tune was named AJALON. The tune is also known as P…

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[God, be merciful to me]

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Confession is one of the most important practices of the Christian faith, and is emphasized in this hymn based off King David’s Psalm 51. In Psalm 51, David cries out to the Lord for mercy, begging for cleansing and renewal. We see the pleas of a fallen man, desperate to make things right with God. It does not hold back any sin, but confesses all. This hymn is powerful both in and out of scriptural context. It takes the confession of an ancient king, and applies it to all sinners in every age.

Text:

The text of this hymn was inspired by Psalm 51—David’s confession after Nathan the prophet visits him about his adultery with Bathsheba. It is considered one of the best-known penitential (or confessional) Psalms. The hymn covers the content of the Psalm through four separate stanzas. The first stanza covers Ps. 51:1-3, the second stanza covers Ps. 51:4, 8, the third stanza covers Ps. 51:10-12, and the fourth stanza covers Ps. 51:13-14, 17, 19. Although the hymn alters the biblical text to form rhyming lines, the depth of David’s sadness and regret in Psalm 51 remains.

Tune:

The tune most commonly used for this hymn is Richard Redhead’s READHEAD 76, which was written in 1853. Redhead had a career as an organist that lasted fifty-five years, from age 19 to 74. During that time he wrote dozens of tunes, including REDHEAD 76. This somber tune (commonly used with the hymn “Go to Dark Gethsemane”) is well suited for such a grief-riddled text. They have been paired in many hymnals.

When/Why/How:

This hymn would best be used in a service of confession and forgiveness. It can also be used as a song for renewal. The song is well suited to parts, with or without accompaniment.

Suggested music for this hymn:

For organ: “Reflections on Holy Week”
2. For handbells/handchimes: “Lenten Nocturne” contains an arrangement or REDHEAD 76 scored for handbells.
Luke Getz
Hymnary.org

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The Cyber Hymnal #1707

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Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #255

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Lift Up Your Hearts: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (2013), p.699

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Instances

Instances (1 - 11 of 11)	Title	First Line	Tune	Author	Meter	Scripture	Date	Subject	Source
Contemporary Songs for Worship #9	God, Be Merciful to Me	God, be merciful to me	[God, be merciful to me]			Psalm 51	2008	Confession and Assurance \|	vers. Psalter 1912, alt
Lift Up Your Hearts: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs #622	God, Be Merciful to Me	God, be merciful to me	GOD, BE MERCIFUL		7.7.7.7.7.7	Psalm 51; 2 Samuel 12:13-14; Proverbs 28:13; Luke 15:17-21; 1 John 1:9	2013	Church Year \| Ash Wednesday; God's \| Mercy; Humility \| ; Elements of Worship \| Confession	<cite>Psalter</cite>, 1912, alt.
Lift Up Your Hearts: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs #623	God, Be Merciful to Me	God, be merciful to me	REDHEAD 76		7.7.7.7.7.7	Psalm 51; Psalm 51:1-3; Psalm 51:4-8; Psalm 51:10-12; Psalm 51:13; Psalm 51:17; Psalm 51:19	2013	Church Year \| Ash Wednesday; God's \| Mercy; Humility \| ; Renewal \| ; Elements of Worship \| Confession	<cite>Psalter</cite>, 1912, alt.
Psalms for All Seasons: a complete Psalter for worship #51N	God, Be Merciful to Me	God, be merciful to me	[God, be merciful to me]		7.7.7.7.7.7	Psalm 51	2012	Biblical Names and Places \| Jerusalem; Biblical Names and Places \| Zion; Broken-hearted \| ; Church Year \| Ash Wednesday; Church Year \| Good Friday; Church Year \| Lent; Church Year \| Pentecost; Church Year \| Transfiguration; Cry to God \| ; Daily Prayer \| Morning Prayer; Elements of Worship \| Assurance of Pardon; Elements of Worship \| Baptism; Elements of Worship \| Confession (Individual); Elements of Worship \| Lord's Supper; Elements of Worship \| Offering; Endurance \| ; Forgiveness \| ; God \| Trust in; God as \| Refuge; God as \| Spirit; God's \| Wisdom; God's \| Face; God's \| Forgiveness; God's \| Goodness; God's \| Justice; God's \| Love; God's \| Protection; Grace \| ; Guilt \| ; Humility \| ; Joy \| ; Judgment \| ; Lord's Prayer \| 5th petition (forgive us our sins as we forgive…); Mercy \| ; Offering of Sacrifice \| ; Renewal \| ; Servants of God \| ; Sorrow \| ; Suffering \| ; Ten Commandments \| 7th Commandmnet (do not commit adultery); The Fall \| ; Year A, B, C, Lent, Ash Wednesday \| ; Year B, Lent, 5th Sunday \| ; Year B,	<cite>Psalter</cite>, 1912, alt.
Psalter Hymnal (Gray) #255	God, Be Merciful to Me	God, be merciful to me	REDHEAD 76		77 77 77	Psalm 51; Luke 18:13	1987	Confession and Forgiveness \| ; Confession of Sin \| ; Forgiveness \| ; Grace \| ; Judgment \| ; Mercy \| ; Salvation \| ; Sanctification \|	<i>Psalter</i>, 1912, alt.
Rejoice in the Lord #104	God Be Merciful to Me	God be merciful to me	ABERYSTWYTH		77.77 D	Psalm 51	1985	God \| Compassion	<i>The Psalter </i>(1912) (adapted from)
Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal #297	God, be merciful to me, On Thy grace I rest my plea	God, be merciful to me, On Thy grace I rest my plea	REFUGE				1985
Sing Glory: Hymns, Psalms and Songs for a New Century #153	God, be merciful to me	God, be merciful to me			77 77 D		1999
Small Church Music #2497	Ajalon/Redhead/Petra	God, be merciful to me	AJALON (REDHEAD) (PETRA)		7.7.7.7.7.7
The Cyber Hymnal #1707	God, Be Merciful to Me	God, be merciful to me	REDHEAD	Anonymous	77.77.77				<cite>The Psalter</cite> (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The United Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1912), number 140
Trinity Hymnal (Rev. ed.) #486	God, Be Merciful to Me	God, be merciful to me	REDHEAD 76		7.7.7.7.7.7.	Psalm 51:1-15	1990	The Way of Salvation \| Repentance; Forgiveness of Sins \| ; God \| Mercy of; Grace \| Refreshing; Heart \| Contrite; Man \| Depravity of; Self-Examination \|	<i>The Psalter</i>, 1912

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God, Be Merciful to Me

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