Our Prayer

Have mercy upon us, O God, according to your loving kindness: according unto the multitude of your tender mercies blot out our transgressions.

Wash us thoroughly from our iniquities, and cleanse us from our sins. For we acknowledge our transgressions: and our sins are ever before us. Against you have we sinned, and done evil in your sight: and you would be justified if you spoke angrily and judged against us.

Behold, we were shaped in a world of iniquity; and in a world of sin did our mothers conceive us. But you desire truth in the inward parts: and in our hidden parts you will make us to know wisdom, if we but hearken to your voice.

Purge us with the holy herb, and we shall be clean: wash us, and we shall be whiter than snow. Make us to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which you have broken, and the bodies you have marred may rejoice.

Hide your face from our sins, and blot out all our iniquities. Create in us a clean heart from the broken one, O God; and renew a righteous spirit within us.

Cast us not away from your presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from us. Restore unto us the joy of your salvation; and uphold us with your free spirit. Be our Captain and our Rearward, as we put our trust in you only, and work not according to the ways of man or our own appointment.

Then will we teach transgressors your ways; and sinners shall be converted unto you. Then will we seek your people, O God, who have been cast aside and who have mingled in unbelief.

You desire not sacrifice, other than a broken spirit: you delight not in an offering other than a contrite heart.

Deliver us from our stumbling blocks, O Lord; from the pride of our hearts, and from all manner of lyings, and of deceits, and of mischiefs, and all manner of hypocrisies, and murders, and priestcrafts, and whoredoms, and of secret abominations. O God of our salvation, then our tongues shall sing aloud of your righteousness with the angels, as we declare your ways. O Lord, open our lips; and our mouths will sing forth your praise.

Bless our enemies and adversaries, O Lord. Bless those who have shamed us, who have lied to us and deceived us. Bless the mischievous, the hypocrites; even the murderers, and those who practice priestcraft and work in the dark with their secret combinations. Bless the whoremongers and the abusers of children. Send not your arm of judgment upon them, for we know not but that they will repent and be immersed in the name of Christ.

Show us how we can do good to our enemies. Let us invite all to our congregations and give a hand of fellowship to the unworthy, since we know that all fall short of the glory of God.  We come unto Christ and pray in His name, that we might be perfected in Him, and deny ourselves of all ungodliness. And we know if we will love you with all our might, mind and strength, that your grace is sufficient for us, and by your grace we may be perfect in Christ; therefore, we cannot deny the power of God.

Do good in your good pleasure unto Zion: build the walls of the New Jerusalem. Then will you be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, the whole offering of our hearts!

This is our prayer and we will cease not to pray in our hearts until we are washed clean, like the deluge of a spring day in the desert, and become pure vessels before you.

Amen.