The Prayer of Manasses; Psalm 151

The Prayer of Manasses

¹O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed; ²who hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; ³who 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; ⁴whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; ⁵for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable: ⁶but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; ⁷for 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 repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved. ⁸Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner: ⁹for 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. ¹⁰I 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. ¹¹Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. ¹²I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: ¹³wherefore, 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; ¹⁴and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. ¹⁵Therefore 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.

Psalm 151 (World English Bible)

This Psalm is a genuine one of David, though extra, composed when he fought in single combat with Goliath.

¹I was small among my brothers, and youngest in my father’s house. I tended my father’s sheep.

²My hands formed a musical instrument, and my fingers tuned a lyre.

³Who shall tell my Lord? The Lord himself, he himself hears.

⁴He sent forth his angel and took me from my father’s sheep, and he anointed me with his anointing oil.

⁵My brothers were handsome and tall; but the Lord didn’t take pleasure in them.

⁶I went out to meet the Philistine, and he cursed me by his idols.

⁷But I drew his own sword and beheaded him, and removed reproach from the children of Israel.