Prayer and Forgiveness

Islamic prayer

O God you are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship besides You. You created me and I am your servant, and I am on your path as best I can. I seek refuge in You from any evil I have committed. I confess to Your blessings upon me, and I confess to You my sins, so forgive me. Verily none forgives sins except You.

Serenity Prayer

Original version as written by Reinhold Niebuhr

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

I Wait for HaShem

Psalms 130: 1-8
Source: Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)

Out of the depths have I called Thee, O HaShem.
Lord, hearken unto my voice; let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
If Thou, HaShem, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?
For with Thee there is forgiveness, that Thou mayest be feared.

I wait for HaShem, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope.
My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning; yea, more than watchmen for the morning.
O Israel, hope in HaShem; for with HaShem there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption.
And He will redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Christian prayer composed and recited daily by President Harry S. Truman

Oh! Almighty and Everlasting God, Creator of Heaven, Earth,
and the Universe: Help me to be, to think. To act what is right, because
it is right; make me truthful, honest, and honorable in all things; make me intellectually honest for the sake of right and honor without thought of reward to me. Give me the ability to be charitable, forgiving, and patient
with my fellowmen - help me to understand their motives and their short-comings - even as Thou understandest mine!

Psalm 51

Holy Bible, King James Version

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.

For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.

Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

From Productions of Mrs. Maria Stewart, Presented to the First African Baptist Church and Society, of the City of Boston (1835)

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. Enable me to say from my heart, Thy will be done, O God. The heaven is thy throne, and earth is thy footstool; neither may any say unto thee, what doest thou? But thou art the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, yet will thou condescend to look upon him that is of a humble, a broken, and a contrite heart. As such, enable me, O God, to bow before thee at this time, under a deep sense of my guilt and unworthiness. It was my sins that caused thee to arise in thy wrath against me. Be pleased, O God, to blot them from thy book, and remember them no more for ever. Bless the church to which I belong. Thine arm is not shortened that it cannot save, neither is thine ear heavy that it cannot hear; but it is our sins that have separated thee from us. Purge us from all our dross; hide thy face from our iniquities, and speak peace to our troubled souls. Bless thy servant, our pastor; let not this soul be discouraged, but may an angel appear unto him, strengthening him. Bless all the benighted sons and daughters of Africa, especially my unconverted friends. Send them not away fro thy presence into that large that burneth with fire and bring stone, but magnify the riches of thy grace in plucking their souls as brands from the burning; and thought I may long sleep in death before thou wilt perform this work, yet grant that in the resurrection morn we may all awake in thy likeness, and our souls be bound in the sure bundle of eternal life.

Give Me A Clean Heart

Fred Hammond, Gospel Music Artist (2000)

[Verse 1]
Give me a clean heart
To see You like I should, hey
To walk the path that’s right
To do the thing You would
Give me a clean heart and I will serve nobody, but You

[Verse 2]
Give me a clean heart
To lose the double mind
To believe You when You tell me
Everything will be just fine
Just lay Your hands on me Lord
And I will be brand new

[Chorus A]
And I am calling out to You for a strength exchange
I will gladly take Your joy for my weakness
Give me a clean heart and I will serve nobody, but You
(Give me a clean heart and I will serve nobody but You)
{Hey, yeah let the band play for two now, come on now}

[Verse 3]
Give me a clean heart
A better one I pray
To stay on the path You’ve chosen
And stick with it all the way
Give me a clean heart and I will serve nobody, but You

[Verse 4]
Give me a clean heart
I’m coming now to You
To keep my heart from fainting
This is all I know to do
Just lay Your hands on me Lord
And I will be brand new

[Chorus B]
And I am worshiping Your great and holy name
I’m determined to have life with no chains
Give me a clean heart and I will serve nobody but You
(Give me a clean heart and I will serve nobody but You)
{Noel won’t you play now, won’t you play now, now, now}

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

John Greenleaf Whittier
(from “The Brewing of Soma,” a poem published in The Atlantic Monthly, April 1872)

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard
Beside the Syrian sea
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word
Rise up and follow Thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee
The silence of eternity
Interpreted by love!

With that deep hush subduing all
Our words and works that drown
The tender whisper of Thy call,
As noiseless let Thy blessing fall
As fell Thy manna down.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be numb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm!

Found on a scrap of paper at the liberation of Ravensbruck Concentration Camp in Germany

Lord, remember not only the men of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all the suffering they have inflicted upon us. Remember rather the fruits we have brought, thanks to this suffering: our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, the courage, the generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown out of this. And when they come to judgment, let all the fruits we have bourne be their forgiveness.

Hindu Prayer Translated by Swami Chidananda Source: Stotra Mâlâ: Selected Hymns, published by Chinmaya Mission

In the beginning, as a result of my own deeds in past lives, I arrive in the womb of my mother, and stay there in all helplessness and discomfort. Forgive me, O Lord. Forgive my sinful past deeds.

Jain Prayer

Prayer to Be Forgiving

If shot by a gun or pistol, or beaten by a stick,
if bound and thrown into a prison,
May I lose my body,
but not my noble forgiveness.

Bahá’u'lláh

Baha’i
Prayer for Grace

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Chosen Ones, and by the Bearers of Thy Trust, and by Him Whom Thou hast ordained to be the Seal of Thy Prophets and of Thy Messengers, to let Thy remembrance be my companion, and Thy love my aim, and Thy face my goal, and Thy name my lamp, and Thy wish my desire, and Thy pleasure my delight.

I am a sinner, O my Lord, and Thou art the Ever-Forgiving. As soon as I recognized Thee, I hastened to attain the exalted court of Thy loving-kindness. Forgive me, O my Lord, my sins which have hindered me from walking in the ways of Thy good pleasure, and from attaining the shores of the ocean of Thy oneness.

There is no one, O my Lord, who can deal bountifully with me to whom I can turn my face, and none who can have compassion on me that I may crave his mercy. Cast me not out, I implore Thee, of the presence of Thy grace, neither do Thou withhold from me the outpourings of Thy generosity and bounty. Ordain for me, O my Lord, what Thou hast ordained for them that love Thee, and write down for me what Thou hast written down for Thy chosen ones. My gaze hath, at all times, been fixed on the horizon of Thy gracious providence, and mine eyes bent upon the court of Thy tender mercies. Do with me as beseemeth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the God of power, the God of glory, Whose help is implored by all men.

Hazrat Inayat Khan

Sufi, appropriate for many faiths
Source: SoultoSpirit.com

Send Thy peace O Lord, which is
perfect and everlasting,
that our souls may radiate peace.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may think, act, and speak harmoniously.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may be contented and thankful for
Thy bountiful gifts.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that amidst
our worldly strife, we may enjoy Thy bliss.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may endure all, tolerate all, in the thought of
Thy grace and mercy.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that our lives
may become a Divine vision and in Thy light,
all darkness may vanish.

Send Thy peace O Lord, our Father and Mother,
that we Thy children on Earth may all unite in one family.

Nehemiah 1

Holy Bible, King James Version
The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace,

That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

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,

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:

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.

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.

Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:

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.

Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.

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.

Methodist confessional prayer before taking the bread and cup

Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
maker of all things, judge of all people:
We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness,
which we from time to time most grievously have committed,
by thought, word, and deed, against thy divine majesty.
We do earnestly repent,
and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings;
the remembrance of them is grievous unto us.
Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, most merciful Father.
For thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
forgive us all that is past;
and grant that we may ever hereafter
serve and please thee in newness of life,
to honor and glory of thy name;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.[1]

Lutheran Prayer

For Finding Peace of Mind through Forgiveness

To Thy Father-heart I come today, Lord God, seeking peace of mind. I am distressed and perturbed, irritated and worried, full of dissatisfaction with myself and the world around me. My sinful heart is rebellious, my day is filled with envy, and my feelings are so easily hurt. I know, O Lord, that I myself am at fault. I have not opened my heart to Thee, nor have I given service and consideration to those with whom I live in this home and to those with whom I must work throughout the day. Everything annoys me, I must confess. Those with whom I work get on my nerves. O God, I admit that it is I, my sins, my lovelessness, which create these situations. Therefore, I come to Thee, asking Thee for grace to conquer myself. Restore to me the desire to walk in Thy presence, and let me live in the sunshine of Thy love.

Forgive me all my sins, and fill my soul with peace. Go with me, Lord, through the day, put my mind at ease, and speak peace to my soul through that reconciliation which is found in the Cross of Jesus, my Savior. Amen.[2]

Catholic version of “The Lord’s Prayer”

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.[3]

Catholic prayer

Act of Contrition

O my God, I am heartily sorry
for having offended you,
and I detest all my sins
because I dread the loss of heaven
and the pains of hell,
but most of all
because they have offended you,
my God,
who are all good
and worthy of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
With the help of your grace,
to confess my sins,
to do penance,
and to amend my life. Amen.[4]

Buddhist Prayer

Repentance Gatha

All wrongdoing arises from the mind.
When the mind is purified, what trace of wrong is left?
After repentance, my heart is light like the white clouds
that have always floated over the ancient forest in freedom.[5]

Buddhist Prayer

Seven-limb Prayer

Reverently I prostrate with my body, speech and mind,
And present clouds of every type of offering, actual and mentally transformed.
I confess all my negative actions accumulated since beginning-less time,
And rejoice in the virtues of all holy and ordinary beings.
Please remain until cyclic existence ends,
And turn the wheel of Dharma for sentient beings.
I dedicate all the virtues of myself and others to the great enlightenment.[6]

“Lord, I Repent,” by Reverend Chestina Mitchell Archibald:

Blessed Lord,

From the bottom of my heart, I pray in deep repentance. My guilt overwhelms me. I have not lived my life according to Your precepts. Your expectations are great and I feel unworthy of Your unconditional love. Your guidance I have not heeded. Help me overcome temptations. Strengthen me where I am weak and build me up where I am torn down. I humbly ask You for Your forgiveness and pray for the strength to make a new beginning. Though I am not worthy, please grant me Your infinite mercy and help me to mature and become more like You. I pray in Christ’s name.

Amen.[7]

Unitarian-Universalist meditation

Palm Sunday

This is what we get in life: We want and want and want-undying love, a world that is fair, eternal life for ourselves and those we care about-and we can’t ever have them. We are faced always with a savior dead and gone and an empty tomb to prove it.

We have, I believe, been extended not salvation but mercy. Jesus’ “reign of God” is with us-has been with us-radically, mercifully, all along in such forms as kindness, fairness, and wonder. We don’t have to wait for Judgment Day, we don’t have to be perfect, we don’t have to be afraid; we need only look around and awaken to what has existed from the beginning of time.

We go on wanting and hoping and sometimes we are blessed. We don’t get what we want-the tomb is still empty. Against that background every act of mercy is cause for rejoicing. One stalk of asparagus, a kiss, stirring music, a healthy morning, a good laugh, a kind touch we have all that and all of it, all of it, is holy.[8]

Opening supplication of the Islamic Salaat

O Allah! Distance me from my sin as
You distanced The East from the West.
O Allah! Purify me from my sins as a
white garment is purified from filth.
O Allah! Cleanse me of my sins with snow,
water and ice.[9]

Islamic prayer for ablution before prayer

O Allah make me of those who seek forgiveness and make me of those who are cleansed.[10]

From the Jewish Shemoneh Esrei

The Sixth Blessing: Forgiveness

Forgive us, our Father, for we have sinned,
Pardon us, our King, for we have transgressed,
For Thou art a pardoner and forgiver.
Blessed art Thou, Lord, Gracious One who forgives abundantly.[11]

Prayer from the service on Hoshana Rabbah

Lord of the universe, fulfill the prayers of my heart for good. Respond to my desires, and answer my prayerful petition. In Thy loving mercy forgive all my wrongdoing and that of all the members of my household, and pardon and cleanse me from all my wrongdoing and transgressions. May the thought of me come before Thee for good as with saving mercy Thou wilt think of me that mine may be a long life of happiness and peace with all my essential needs of maintenance, food, raiment, and adequate means honorably attained.[12]

Jain Prayer

Prayer to be Forgiving

If shot by a gun or pistol, or beaten by a stick,
if bound and thrown into a prison,
May I lose my body,
but not my noble forgiveness.

Sufi Prayer

Hazrat Inayat Khan
Source: SoultoSpirit.com
Prayer for Peace on Earth

Send Thy peace O Lord, which is
perfect and everlasting,
that our souls may radiate peace.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may think, act, and speak harmoniously.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may be contented and thankful for
Thy bountiful gifts.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that amidst
our worldly strife, we may enjoy Thy bliss.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may endure all, tolerate all, in the thought of
Thy grace and mercy.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that our lives
may become a Divine vision and in Thy light,
all darkness may vanish.

Send Thy peace O Lord, our Father and Mother,
that we Thy children on Earth may all
unite in one family.

[1] The United Methodist Hymnal: Book of United Methodist Worship (Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1989), 26.
[2] My Prayer Book (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1960), 66-67.
[3] Catechism of the Catholic Church (St. Paul: The Wanderer Press, 1994), 681.
[4] Catholic Prayer Book, compiled by Ruth M. Hannon (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1991), 9-10.
[5] Plum Village Chanting and Recitation Book, compiled by Thich Nhat Hanh and the Monks and Nuns of Plum Village (Berkeley: Parallax Press, 2000), 36.
[6] Pearl of Wisdom: Buddhist Prayers and Practices, Book II, compiled by Ven. Thubten Chodron (Seattle: Dharma Friendship Foundation, 2002), 3.
[7] Say Amen! The African American Family’s Book of Prayers, edited by Reverend Chestina Mitchell Archibald (New York: Dutton, 1997), 14.
[8] Days of Promise: Collected Meditations, Volume One: Selections from Unitarian Universalist Meditation Manuals, collected by Kathleen Montgomery (Boston: Skinner House Books, 2001), 127-128.
[9] Dr. Mamdouh N. Mohamed, Salaat: The Islamic Prayer from A to Z (published by author, 2003), 100.
[10] Salaat: The Muslim Prayer Book (Tilford, Surrey: Islam International Publications Ltd., 1997), 14.
[11] Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin, To Pray as a Jew: A Guide to the Prayer Book and the Synagogue Service (New York: Basic Books, 1980), 94.
[12] David de Sola Pool (ed.), The Tradition Prayer Book for Sabbath and Festivals (New York: Behrman House, 1960), 564.