Luther on the Contrite and Humbled Heart, Psalm 51:17

[GHansen]

“A contrite and humbled heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” He says, “a contrite and humbled heart,” one that has become smaller not fictitiously but truly, one that almost dies of despair. “Such a heart,” he says, “Thou dost not hate, as we imagine, but Thou dost accept with joy.” Thus we see that our theology is a Word of life and righteousness, because it battles and strengthens against sin and death and cannot be exercised except in sin and weakness. It is also a Word of joy, whose power cannot be seen except in sadness and afflictions. But this is the way we are. We want to have the Word of life and joy, but we want the temptations of death and sadness to go away. Fine and pleasing theologians! We have to learn that a Christian should walk in the midst of death, in the remorse and trembling of his conscience, in the midst of the devil’s teeth and of hell, and yet should keep the Word of grace, so that in such trembling we say, “Thou, O Lord, dost look on me with favor.” It is written that God finds no sacrifice more pleasing than a contrite heart, no priesthood more acceptable than that by which humbled hearts are offered to Him. When the pope sacrifices in a pomp worthy of kings, he is filthy in the eyes of God and an abomination in comparison with one sinner who says, “God, be merciful to me,” like that publican in Luke 18:13. He is a real pope and a real priest, pleasing to God, because he offers to God a most acceptable sacrifice, a heart that is contrite and yet trusts in His mercy.

Luther, M. (1999). Luther’s works, vol. 12: Selected Psalms I. (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald, & H. T. Lehmann, Eds.) (Vol. 12, pp. 405–406). Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House.