1. Lord Almighty, God of our ancestors,God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,and their righteous children,
2. you made heaven and earthwith all their beauty.
3. You set limits for the seaby speaking your command.You closed the bottomless pit,and sealed it by your powerfuland glorious name.
4. All things fear you and tremblein your presence,
5. because no one can endurethe brightness of your glory.No one can resist the furyof your threat against sinners.
6. But your promised merciesare beyond measure and imagination,
7. abecause you are the highest, Lord,kind, patient, and merciful,and you feel sorry over human troubles.SyriacbYou, Lord, according toyour gentle grace,promised forgiveness to thosewho are sorry for their sins.In your great mercy,you allowed sinners to turnfrom their sins and find salvation.
8. Therefore, Lord,God of those who do what is right,you didn’t offerAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who didn’t sin against you,a chance to change their hearts and lives.But you offer me, the sinner,the chance to change my heart and life,
9. abecause my sins outnumberedthe grains of sand by the sea.My sins are many, Lord; they are many.I am not worthy to look up,to gaze into heavenbecause of my many sins.Syriac
9. bNow, Lord, I suffer justly.I deserve the troubles I encounter.Already I’m caught in a trap.
10. I’m held down by iron chainsso that I can’t lift up my headbecause of my sins.There’s no relief for me,because I made you angry,doing wrong in front of your face,setting up false godsand committing offenses.
11. Now I bow down before youfrom deep within my heart,begging for your kindness.
12. I have sinned, Lord, I have sinned,and I know the laws I’ve broken.
13. I’m praying, begging you:Forgive me, Lord, forgive me.Don’t destroy me along with my sins.Don’t keep my bad deedsin your memory forever.Don’t sentence me to the earth’s depths,for you, Lord, are the Godof those who turn from their sins.
14. In me you’ll show how kind you are.Although I’m not worthy,you’ll save me accordingto your great mercy.
15. I will praise you continuouslyall the days of my life,because all of heaven’s forces praise you,and the glory is yoursforever and always. Amen.