A Prayer for Mercy
O LORD, remember what has come upon us;Look, and see our areproach !Ps 44:13-162 Our inheritance has been turned over to astrangers,Our bhouses to foreigners.Is 1:7; Hos 8:7, 8Zeph 1:133 We have become orphans without a afather;Our mothers are like widows.Ex 22:24; Jer 15:8; 18:214 We have to pay for our drinking awater;Our wood comes to us at a price.Is 3:15 Our pursuers are at our necks;We are worn out, there is ano rest for us.Neh 9:36, 376 We have given the hand as a pledge of fidelity and submission to aEgypt and Assyria to get enough bread.Hos 9:3; 12:17 Our afathers sinned, and are no more;It is 1we who have carried their sin. Is 65:7; Jer 16:11, 12; 31:29; Ezek 18:2-4Both forefathers and sons were responsible for the disaster that had come on Jerusalem. This generation was equally deserving of punishment.Jer 14:20; 16:128 aServants rule over us;There is bno one to rescue us out of their hand. Neh 5:15Neh 5:15Ps 7:2; Zech 11:69 We get our bread at the arisk of our livesBecause of the sword of the Arabs in the wilderness who may attack if we go out to harvest the crop.Jer 40:9-1210 Our skin is aas hot as the heat of an ovenBecause of the burning heat of the fever of famine.Job 30:30; Lam 4:811 They ravished the awomen in Zion,The virgins in the cities of Judah.Is 13:16; Zech 14:212 Princes were hung by their hands;aElders were not respected.Is 47:6; Lam 4:1613 Young men aworked at the grinding mill,And boys bfell staggering under loads of wood.Judg 16:21Jer 7:1814 Elders are gone from the gate;Young men from their amusic.Is 24:8; Jer 7:3415 aThe joy of our hearts has ended;Our dancing has been turned into mourning.Jer 25:10; Amos 8:1016 The acrown has fallen from our head our honor is covered with dust!bWoe to us, for we have sinned!Job 19:9; Ps 89:39; Jer 13:18Is 3:9-1117 Because of this our aheart is faint,Because of these things our beyes are dim.Is 1:5Job 17:7; Lam 2:1118 As for aMount Zion, which lies desolate,bFoxes and the jackals prowl over it.Mic 3:12Neh 4:3
19 But aYou, O LORD, reign forever;Your bthrone endures from generation to all generations.Ps 102:12, 25-27Ps 45:620 Why do You aforget us forever?Why do You forsake us so long?Ps 13:1; 44:2421 aReturn us to You, O LORD, so that we may be restored;Renew bour days as of old,Ps 80:3; Jer 31:18Is 60:20-2222 Unless aYou have utterly rejected usAnd are exceedingly bangry with us.Ps 60:1, 2; Jer 7:29Is 64:9