Both David and the writer of to-day's Psalm frankly admit that they and their people had sinned even though God had showered gifts on them in abundance. Thoroughly ashamed of themselves, they call on His compassion and on His willingness to forgive and they promise to do better in the future.

Jesus reminds us in the Gospel that when we pray for forgiveness we have to forgive those who have offended or wronged us.

Apart from the obvious absurdity of expecting to be forgiven without being willing to forgive, the following serious point is worth pondering. Unwillingness to forgive others would seem to suggest that there has been no real turning away from a deeply self-centred life.

There would have be no change deep down. If I am the unforgiving one, I might be superficially sorry for some wrongs but the real "I" would be untouched. There might even be grounds for wondering if my sorrow is not just superficial; it might be a self centred fear of being punished or of something bad happening to me.