God used Nehemiah as he did, knowing that “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas 4:6). The structure of the prayer is straightforward: (1) Nehemiah begins by addressing God and acknowledging who God is, (2) he confesses the sins of Israel, (3) he asks God to restore his people, and (4) he asks God to give him success in serving the Lord toward this end. Nehemiah’s words convey both a confidence in God’s word and a commitment to God’s work. The prayer’s characteristics reveal
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