I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:
“Oh Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all
who love him and obey his commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We
have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands
and laws. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in
your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people
of the land.
“Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men
of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far,
in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness
to you. O Lord, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with
shame because we have sinned against you.
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; we have not obeyed
the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.
All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you.
“Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant
of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. You have
fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great
disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done
to Jerusalem. Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has
come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our
sins and giving attention to your truth. The Lord did not hesitate to bring the
disaster upon us, for the Lord our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have
not obeyed him.
“Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and
who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done
wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your
wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our
fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
“Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord,
look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your
eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests
of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. O Lord, listen! O Lord,
forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and
your people bear your Name.”
Daniel 9: 4-19