Kyrie, eleison (κύριε ελέησον)

[Bible verses]

Psalm 40:11

Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD;
may your love and your truth always protect me.

Psalm 41:4

I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you."

Psalm 51:1

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

Luke 18:13

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

[My reflections]

The phrase "Kyrie, eleison (κύριε ελέησον)" is often used in many liturgical songs. It is commonly translated as a plea or a prayer: "Lord, have mercy (on me)." However, the phrase may be more appropriately translated as a praise of thanks saying "Lord, you are being merciful (to me)." To say "Kyrie, eleison (κύριε ελέησον)" is not only to pray for the Lord's mercy, but also to demonstrate conviction that the Lord has already been merciful and is continuing to be merciful to me.

When can we pray and praise with "Kyrie, eleison (κύριε ελέησον)"? First, of course, we can pray and praise that way, when we realize that we are sinners and we are in need of forgiveness, just like the psalmist (Psalm 41:4, 51:1) and just like the tax collector in Jesus' parable (Luke 18:13). As we pray that way, we also show conviction that the Lord has already forgiven us and that is why we are able to approach Him with a prayer and praise. Second, we can pray and praise that way, when we are troubled, unjustly treated, contempted and/or mocked by the world (Psalm 57:1, 123:3). We can pray and praise that way at any time, under any circumstances. And in doing so, we do it with the conviction that the Lord is already merciful and hears us.

When God extends His mercy to us, He does so freely without a price (Isaiah 55:1). But there is something that He requests of us who have received His mercy. It is that we, who have received His mercy, should also be merciful to others (Micah 6:8, Matthew 5:7, 12:7, 18:33). He wants us to be merciful so much that He wants it even more than our worship (Matthew 12:7, Hosea 6:6).

"Lord, I am a sinner. I lift up my praise and thanks to you, for you have been merciful to me and extended your grace to me. Let me be merciful to others, just as you have been to me. In Jesus' name. Amen."