* The

Prayer of Manasseh

King of Juda,

When he was Holden Captive in Babylon.

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* O Lord, aAlmighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their grighteous seed; 2 bwho hast made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; 3 bwho 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; 4 whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; 5 for the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening towards sinners is importable; 6 but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and cunsearchable; 7 for thou art the most high Lord, of degreat compassion, longsuffering, very merciful, eand 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 frepentance unto sinners, fthat they may be saved.

8 Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the gjust, hast not appointed repentance to the gjust, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, hwhich have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed repentance unto ime that am a sinner: 9 for kI have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, lare multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied, and kI am not worthy to behold and see the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities. 10 I am bowed down mwith 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: nI have set up abominations, and lhave multiplied offences.

11 Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. 12 I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: 13 wherefore, I humbly beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. oBe not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me pinto the lower parts of the earth. For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent; 14 and qin me thou wilt shew all thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy great mercy. 15 Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my life: for rall the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and sthine is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.