BIBLICAL PRAYER: Nehemiah’s Prayer for Mercy and Favor

For a full list of prayers available through this podcast and our website, please follow this link: 

https://psalm71.podbean.com/e/full-list-of-available-prayers-1513057365/

 

NOTE:  This prayer has been recorded TWICE, first for listening and agreeing, then again for repeating.  

 

In this episode, we present the profoundly heartfelt prayer of Nehemiah, who longed to depart from Babylon to assist with the reconstruction of Jerusalem. This prayer offers us a model of asking God to turn the hearts of men in favor of His people, the Church. 

The original scripture text is given here, and the expanded prayer text is provided thereunder (with alterations in upper-case letters). 

Nehemiah 1:4-11 (KJV)

[4] And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, [5] And said, I beseech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: [6] Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. [7] We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. [8] Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: [9] But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. [10] Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. [11] O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.  BELOW

 

Nehemiah Prayer: Expanded for General Use

[5] WE beseech YOU, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that KEEPS covenant and mercy for THOSE that love YOU and observe YOUR commandments: 

6] Let YOUR ear now be attentive, and YOUR eyes open, that YOU MAY hear the prayer of YOUR SERVANTS, which I pray before YOU now, day and night, for US, YOUR SERVANTS the children of Israel, and confess the sins of US, YOUR children, which we have sinned against YOU: both WE and ALL OUR HOUSES have sinned. FORGIVE US AND WASH US OF OUR SINS IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB OF GOD. 

[7] WE THE CHURCH, THE BODY OF JESUS CHRIST, HAVE dealt very corruptly against YOU. WE HAVE BEEN SLACK AND HALF-HEARTED, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which YOU HAVE COMMANDED US. 

[8] Remember, WE beseech YOU, the word that YOU COMMANDED US, saying, If YOU transgress, I will PUNISH YOU AS A FATHER CHASTISES HIS SONS: 

[9] But if WE turn unto YOU, and keep YOUR commandments, and do them; though there were of US cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet YOU will gather US from THERE, and will bring US INTO UNITY OF MIND AND SPIRIT, AND set YOUR name IN OUR MIDST. 

[10] Now WE are YOUR servants and YOUR people, whom YOU HAVE redeemed by YOUR great power, and by YOUR strong hand. 

[11] O Lord, WE beseech YOU, let now YOUR ear be attentive to MY prayer, and to the prayer of YOUR servants, who desire to fear YOUR name: and prosper, WE pray YOU, YOUR servants this day, and grant US mercy AND FAVOR in the sight of THE GOVERNORS AND JUDGES THAT YOU HAVE SET UP OVER US. GRANT US mercy AND FAVOR in the sight OF PERSONS KNOWN AND UNKNOWN, BELIEVERS AND NON-BELIEVERS ALIKE. JUDGE OUR CAUSE AGAINST OUR PERSECUTORS AND AGAINST THE FALSE PROPHETS. CAUSE MEN TO GIVE INTO OUR HOMES AND MINISTRIES, AND PROSPER THE WORK OF OUR HANDS, THAT YOUR TRUE CHURCH MAY THRIVE AND HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION WITH ALL WHO SEE US, BELIEVERS AND NON-BELIEVERS ALIKE. 

WE PRAY ALL THIS TO YOU, ALMIGHTY FATHER, IN THE GLORIOUS NAME OF JESUS CHRIST YOUR SON. AMEN.