Lord God Almighty, I have sinned in heaven and before You and am no longer worthy to be called Your son, below the name of Your glorious name with my sinful lips, because I made himself unworthy of heaven and earth, angering You, good Lord! I am not worthy to ask for forgiveness for myself, Lord, for many times I made a promise to repent - and I became a liar who did not fulfill my promise, many times you have already restored me, but I fell again willingly. I pronounce a sentence on myself and admit that I am worthy of all punishment and torment.
I beg You, Lord, do not turn me away from Your presence and do not depart from me, lest I perish. Now I fall to You, begging: help me, who have strayed from the path of righteousness. Pour out Your bounties on me, as on the prodigal son, because I have disgraced my life by squandering the riches of Your goodness. Have mercy on me and do not despise me because of my indecent life. Have mercy on me, like a publican, like a thief: he was rejected by everyone on earth, but You accepted him and made him a resident of the paradise of sweetness.
Graciously accept my prayer for reconciliation with You and, according to Your goodness, grant me life at Your coming; and let the evil one be put to shame when he sees that Your righteousness has had mercy on me. Granting forgiveness, Lord, send strength; Convert me so that I may live according to Your holy will.
How many times have You visited my darkened mind, but again I return to the worst! I am completely in awe, thinking about this, and again the sweetness of sin overcomes me. How can I list all the gifts of Your grace, Lord, which I, pathetic, have received, but have turned and are turning into nothing through my negligence! You have filled me with thousands of gifts, and I, poor one, repay You with what is contrary to You.
But You, Lord, since You have a sea of long-suffering and an abyss of kindness, do not allow me to be whipped like a barren fig tree. Do not delight me, unprepared, do not eat the lamp that has not yet been lit, do not take from here the one who does not have a wedding robe, but, as a good Lover of mankind, have mercy on me, give me time to repentance and before Your terrible, incorruptible throne, do not place my soul naked, like a pathetic disgrace of disgrace.
You, Lord, my Savior, Son of the true God, as You know and as You want, according to Your only goodness, turn me from the sin that abides in me and save me from destruction.
How many times, O Lord Jesus, have You renewed my nature, frivolously corrupted by my sins! There is no number or measure for this! How many times have You taken me out of the cave that was burning inside me, from the cave of many different passions, from the abyss of despondency and despair! How many times have You renewed the corruption of my heart by Your name alone, called upon by me with faith! How many times did he accomplish this through the life-giving Mysteries. Oh, Master! Your mercies towards me, a sinner, truly have no number or measure. What will I bring to You, or what will I repay You for Your immeasurable benefits to me, Jesus, my life and my lightness! May I be prudent in my ways according to Your grace, for You are pleased with all those who are prudent on the way, as You were by Your Spirit through the mouth of our father, David; I will try to be faithful to You, humble, meek, not irritable, kind, long-suffering, hardworking, merciful, generous, uncovetous, obedient.1
Lord, Almighty Power! Strengthen my weak soul in all virtue! Strengthen my weak heart for all good on the immovable rock of Your commandments! God! And I experience every day that without You I am nothing; that without You I cannot do any good; without You there is only evil in me in its various forms; Without You I am a lost son. Oh, indescribable Grace! Fill my heart with Your goodness! Most of all, I pray: grant me to love You with all my heart and my neighbor as I love myself. Let me not be angry, proud, contemptuous, restless, but let me be gentle, humble, respectful with tenderness and obedient.2
[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.] In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me. {my...: Heb. to me for a rock of strength}
For thou {art} my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me: for thou {art} my strength.
Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
I have hated them that regard lying vanities: but I trust in the LORD.
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemy: thou hast set my feet in a large room.
Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, {yea}, my soul and my belly.
For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.
I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.
I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind: I am like a broken vessel. {a broken...: Heb. a vessel that perisheth}
For I have heard the slander of many: fear {was} on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.
But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou {art} my God.
My times {are} in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant: save me for thy mercies' sake.
Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, {and} let them be silent in the grave. {silent...: or, cut off for}
Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. {grievous...: Heb. a hard thing}
{Oh} how great {is} thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; {which} thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Blessed {be} the LORD: for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong city. {strong: or, fenced}
For I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee.
O love the LORD, all ye his saints: {for} the LORD preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
[A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.] O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.
{There is} no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither {is there any} rest in my bones because of my sin. {rest: Heb. peace, or, health}
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
My wounds stink {and} are corrupt because of my foolishness.
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. {troubled: Heb. wried}
For my loins are filled with a loathsome {disease}: and {there is} no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.
Lord, all my desire {is} before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.
My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. {is gone...: Heb. is not with me}
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off. {sore: Heb. stroke} {my kinsmen: or, my neighbours}
They also that seek after my life lay snares {for me}: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long.
But I, as a deaf {man}, heard not; and {I was} as a dumb man {that} openeth not his mouth.
Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth {are} no reproofs.
For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. {in...: or, thee do I wait for} {hear: or, answer}
For I said, {Hear me}, lest {otherwise} they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify {themselves} against me.
For I {am} ready to halt, and my sorrow {is} continually before me. {to halt: Heb. for halting}
For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
But mine enemies {are} lively, {and} they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. {are lively...: Heb. being living, are strong}
They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow {the thing that} good {is}.
Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.
Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation. {to...: Heb. for my help}