Invitatory Prayers here

Have mercy on me, oh God, according to your steadfast love;

According to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

And cleanse me from my sin.

For I know my transgressions,

And my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinned,

And done what is evil in your sight,

So that you are justified in your sentence

And blameless when you pass judgment.

Indeed, I was born guilty,

A sinner when my mother conceived me.

You desire truth in the inward being;

Therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;

Let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins,

And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, oh God,

And put a new and right spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

And do not take your holy spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

And sustain in me a willing spirit.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

And sinners will return to you.

Deliver me from bloodshed, oh God,

Oh God of my salvation,

And my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

Oh Lord, open my lips,

And my mouth will declare your praise.

For you have no delight in sacrifice;

If I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased.

The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit;

A broken and contrite heart, oh God, you will not despise.

Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;

Rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,

Then you will delight in right sacrifices,

In burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings;

Then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Let my eyes run down with tears

Night and day, and let them not cease,

For the virgin, daughter of my people,

Has been struck down with a crushing blow,

With a very grievous wound.

If I go out into the field,

I see those killed by the sword!

If I enter the city,

I see those sick with famine!

For both prophet and priest

Go about the land and discern nothing.

Have you completely rejected Judah?

Does your heart loathe Zion?

Why have you struck us down

So that there is no healing for us?

We look for peace, but find no good;

For a time of healing, but there is terror instead.

We acknowledge our wickedness, oh Lord,

The iniquity of our ancestors,

For we have sinned against you.

Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake;

Do not dishonour your glorious throne;

Remember and do not break your covenant with us.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord,

People who inhabit all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

Come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he that made us, and we are his;

We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

His temple courts with praise;

Give thanks to him, bless his name.

For the Lord is good,

His steadfast love endures forever;

His faithfulness is to all generations.

2 Cor 12, 9-10

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

End Prayers here

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