Prayer Request

PRAYER FOR YOURSELF

¹  Have mercy on me, O God, 

according to your steadfast love;  according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 

²  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 

³ For I know my transgressions, 

and my sin is ever before me. 

⁴  Against you, you only, have I sinned 

and done what is evil in your sight, 

so that you may be justified in your words 

and blameless in your judgment. 

⁵ Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, 

and in sin did my mother conceive me. 

⁶ Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, 

and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; 

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 

 ⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness; 

let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 

 ⁹  Hide your face from my sins, 

and blot out all my iniquities. 

 ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, 

and renew a right spirit within me. 

 ¹¹ Cast me not away from your presence, 

and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 

 ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, 

and uphold me with a willing spirit. 

  ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, 

and sinners will return to you. 

  ¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, 

O God of my salvation, 

and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 

 ¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips, 

and my mouth will declare your praise. 

 ¹⁶ For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; 

you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 

 ¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; 

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 

 ¹⁸ Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; 

build up the walls of Jerusalem; 

 ¹⁹ then will you delight in right sacrifices, 

in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; 

then bulls will be offered on your altar. PSALMS 51