Washing SIn Out of Lent

It should come as no surprise to readers of this blog that the Revised Common Lectionary regularly chops up the Psalm selections for Sunday Eucharistic readings leaving out imprecatory verses or other lines that might make Sunday morning pewsitters uncomfortable. This Sunday is no exception. While repetition is one of the most important means of communication, the lectionary editors decided that for the first Sunday in Lent, the congregants would not hear the word "sin" referenced four times in the Psalm. Verses 1-9 were all that will be heard today in many churches.

Psalm 25 Ad te, Domine, levavi 

1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;my God, I put my trust in you; *let me not be humiliated,nor let my enemies triumph over me.
2 Let none who look to you be put to shame; *let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.
3 Show me your ways, O Lord, *and teach me your paths.
4 Lead me in your truth and teach me, *for you are the God of my salvation;in you have I trusted all the day long.
5 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *for they are from everlasting.
6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *remember me according to your loveand for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.
7 Gracious and upright is the Lord; *therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8 He guides the humble in doing right *and teaches his way to the lowly.
9 All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

At least "sin" was mentioned once, but remember that it pertains only to the sins of youth, and "sinners" was in there but left the door open for people to not consider their own sins and only the sins of others.

In the verses that will not be heard today, we get a dose of things that might make some people feel bad,

10 For your Name's sake, O Lord, *forgive my sin, for it is great.
11 Who are they who fear the Lord? *he will teach them the way that they should choose.
12 They shall dwell in prosperity, *and their offspring shall inherit the land.
13 The Lord is a friend to those who fear him *and will show them his covenant.
14 My eyes are ever looking to the Lord, *for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.  
15 Turn to me and have pity on me, *for I am left alone and in misery.
16 The sorrows of my heart have increased; *bring me out of my troubles.
17 Look upon my adversity and misery *and forgive me all my sin.
18 Look upon my enemies, for they are many, *and they bear a violent hatred against me.
19 Protect my life and deliver me; *let me not be put to shame, for I have trusted in you.
20 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, *for my hope has been in you.
21 Deliver Israel, O God, *out of all his troubles.

My sin is great, I am alone and in misery, sorrows, troubles, adversity, sin, I am hated, all which should be heard when reading this psalm that prays for deliverance from these things. 

I am troubled that they are not.