Page images
PDF
EPUB

the vines: the labour of the olive shall fail, and the field shall yield no meat: the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the-Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.

The Prayer of Manasses king of Judah, when he was captive in Babylon. Apocrypha.

O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed; who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; who hast bound the sea by the word of thy commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible and glorious name; whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable: but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; for thou art the Most High Lord, of great compassion, longsuffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men Thou, O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised re

pentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Issac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities. I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head, neither have any release: for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before thee: I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments: I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences. Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: wherefore, I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me into the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God

of them that repent; and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Selected from Jeremiah, ch. 10. 12. 17.

O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction; thou that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart; be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Thou, O Lord, knowest me; thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

From the same, ch. 14.

We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned

against thee. Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things. O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou it for thy name's sake for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee. O the Hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in time of trouble. Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name: leave us not..

From the same, ch. 11. 15. 17. 18. 20.

O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart; thou knowest that which came out of my lips was right before thee. Give heed to me, O Lord, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me. Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul, remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away

of them that repent; and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Selected from Jeremiah, ch. 10. 12. 17.

of

O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction; thou that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart; be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. O Lord, I know that the way man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. Thou, O Lord, knowest me; thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

From the same, ch. 14.

We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned.

« PreviousContinue »