Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned.

"Have mercy, O Lord, for we have sinned" is the quintessential cry of Ash Wednesday. Setting the words of Psalm 51, this responsorial psalm captures the deep sorrow and repentance that marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Itua Inetiabor’s arrangement gives the choir and congregation a solemn, grounded melody to carry these heavy but hopeful words.

The refrain is simple and direct, making it easy for the congregation to join in the response. The verses are laid out with a specific repetition in the first stanza to emphasize the plea for God's merciful love, before moving into the stacked verses that ask for a pure heart and a renewed spirit. We sing this right after the first reading, setting a reflective tone for the imposition of ashes and the forty days of fasting ahead.