Tender Mercies

By Mary Patricia Trainor

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. Psalm 51:1

If a movie stars Robert Duvall it is already a winner in my eyes. I don’t believe I am alone in that estimation.

Mr. Duvall departed this world on Sunday, February 15, at age 95, headed to his best yet, and final role.

If I had a list of twenty-five favorites, you’d find Duvall’s 1983 movie Tender Mercies at or near the top. If you haven’t seen the movie, you might wonder at this assessment. But I am not alone in my praise. After all, he was awarded Best Actor Academy Award for this film.

In remembering Mr. Duvall, we remember more than an extraordinary actor; we remember a storyteller who understood that the most powerful performances are often the quietest. In Tender Mercies, he gave us a portrait of brokenness without despair and faith without spectacle. He reminded us that redemption rarely arrives with applause — it comes in small choices, steady steps, and undeserved grace. His performance endures because it tells the truth: the way home is seldom dramatic, but it is always possible.

The movie borrows its title from scripture, namely Psalm 51, which is featured in Ash Wednesday services in many Christian churches. David is said to be the author of this psalm, written following his greatest moral breaches: He slept with Bathsheba, another man’s wife, and she became pregnant. In desperation, David sunk lower and  arranged for the other man, Uriah, to be killed. David tried to cover up his sins, but was outed by the prophet Nathan.

There he stood. An adulterer, a murderer, and a liar. Finally, he was at the bottom. The psalm is his appeal to God, an appeal which most–if not all–of us can recognize. Our sins may not be on the same scale as David’s, but I know–at least for me–the need of his prayer: According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions…

Check out the streaming options here: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/tender-mercies