Songs of confession...

While driving to church this morning, I heard this poignant song of confession by Staind that brought tears to my eyes - again. "It's Been A While" is SO much better than most of the "prayers of confession" I've heard in worship over the years.  You know, the same old, same old mouthing liturgical words that we've long ago forgotten. 

Don't get me wrong: I actually LOVE the Anglican liturgy - and use the traditional prayer of confession from the Book of Common Worship often in my private prayers - and it helps focus my thoughts on "those things I've done and the things I've left undone..."  Like not loving God with my whole heart - or my neighbors as much as I love myself - or even being honestly sorry that I've sinned.

But for some reason the combination of kick ass/industrial guitars screaming behind Staind's baritone growl just cut to the chase this morning...

This cat lives just up the road from us - well, just up the mountain - and actually bought the 10 acre farm my dear old retired minister friend, Luther, sold when he and Frances realized they needed to move closer to family.  Luther used to be a surrogate grandpa to Staind's kids, but I digress...

Are there other songs that evoke a sense of confession for you when you hear them in the car - or on your IPOD - or even on TV? 

+ Many of you know that I resonate with the lament of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Isn't It a Pity" in ways that I will never fully understand. (I LOVE this version by the Cowboy Junkies - and every time I hear them I realize how much they have shaped my goal in playing music with our church band - so soulful AND laid back.) 

+ Jeff Buckley's take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" feels confessional to me as does Cat Power's remake of "Satisfaction."  Both expose the singer's alienation, hurt, sin and longing for healing in unique ways that are sooooo vulnerable, beautiful and pure.

+ Then there's a sense of confessing our public sins in Steve Earle's "Ashes to Ashes" and Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On?"  I think that U2's "One" works as a song of confession for me, too as does Leonard Cohen's "Song of Isaac."

For if the heart of our prayers and songs of confession is to acknowledge a yearning to return to God's embrace much like the prodigal son, I think there's a LOT of confession going on out there even if it doesn't sound much like church. Perhaps no one did this better than when Johnny Cash transformed Nine Inch Nail's "Hurt."

I also keep going back - over and over - to the setting of Psalm 51 that I learned as a child:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.     Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment...

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice.  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. 

Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit... O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.  For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.  

credits:
+ http://www.tessie.beecoolsplace.net/religious.shtml
+ http://re-worship.blogspot.com/2011/06/pentecost-prayer-of-confession.html
+ http://www.michaelchemel.com/primitivegallery.html