The Prayer of
Manasseh, best known of the collection, is a penitential prayer written
as an extension of 2 Chronicles 33:11–13, wherein Manasseh, a successor to
Hezekiah as king of Judah in the 7th-century bc, repents his idolatrous worship
of gods other than Yahuwah.
Prayer of Manasseh (Apocrypha KJV)
“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 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. Thou
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: 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 iniquites. Be not angry with me for ever, by
reserving evil for me; neither condemn me to 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.”
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