PRAYER OF MANASES

1 Prayer of Manasses -- O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of their righteous seed; 2 who have made heaven and earth, with all the ornament thereof; 3 who have bound the sea by the word of your commandment; who have shut up the deep, and sealed it by your terrible and glorious name; 4 whom all men fear, and tremble before your power; 5 for the majesty of your glory cannot be borne, and your angry threatening toward sinners is importable: 6 but your merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable; 7 for you are the most high Lord, of great compassion, patient, very merciful, and repent of the evils of men. You, O Lord, according to your great goodness have promised repentance and forgiveness to them that have sinned against you: and of your infinite mercies have appointed repentance to sinners, that they may be saved. 8 You therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, have not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, which have not sinned against you; but you have appointed repentance to me that am a sinner: 9 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. 10 I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head, neither have any release: for I have provoked your anger, and done evil before you: I did not your will, neither kept I your commandments: I have set up abominations, and have multiplied offences. 11 Now therefore I bow the knee of mine heart, beseeching you of grace. 12 I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: 13 wherefore, I humbly beseech you, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with mine iniquities. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for me; neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For you are the God, even the God of them that repent; 14 and in me you will shew all your goodness: for you will save me, that am unworthy, according to your great mercy. 15 Therefore I will praise you for ever all the days of my life: for all the powers of the heavens do praise you, and your is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.