Prayer of Manasseh
[1: O Lord, Almighty
God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their
righteous seed;]
2: thou who hast made heaven and earth with all their order;
3: who hast shackled the sea by thy word of command, who
hast confined the deep and sealed it with thy terrible and
glorious name;
4: at whom all things shudder, and tremble before thy
power,
5: for thy glorious splendor cannot be borne, and the
wrath of thy threat to sinners is irresistible;
6: yet immeasurable and unsearchable is thy promised
mercy,
7: for thou art the Lord Most High, of great compassion,
long-suffering, and very merciful, and repentest over the evils
of men. Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast
promised repentance and forgiveness to those who have sinned
against thee; and in the multitude of thy mercies thou hast
appointed repentance for sinners, that they may be saved.
8: Therefore thou, O Lord, God of the righteous, hast not
appointed repentance for the righteous, for Abraham and Isaac
and Jacob, who did not sin against thee, but thou hast appointed
repentance for me, who am a sinner.
9: For the sins I have committed are more in number than
the sand of the sea; my transgressions are multiplied, O Lord,
they are multiplied! I am unworthy to look up and see the height
of heaven because of the multitude of my iniquities.
10: I am weighted down with many an iron fetter, so that
I am rejected because of my sins, and I have no relief; for I
have provoked thy wrath and have done what is evil in thy sight,
setting up abominations and multiplying offenses.
11: And now I bend the knee of my heart, beseeching thee
for thy kindness.
12: I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I know my
transgressions.
13: I earnestly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive
me! Do not destroy me with my transgressions! Do not be angry
with me for ever or lay up evil for me; do not condemn me to the
depths of the earth. For thou, O Lord, art the God of those who
repent,
14: and in me thou wilt manifest thy goodness; for,
unworthy as I am, thou wilt save me in thy great mercy,
15: and I will praise thee continually all the days of my
life. For all the host of heaven sings thy praise, and thine is
the glory for ever. Amen. |