"To the Lordour God[belong] compassionand forgiveness,for we have rebelledagainst Him;
"Righteousnessbelongs to You, O Lord,but to us openshame,as it is thisday--to the menof Judah,the inhabitantsof Jerusalemand allIsrael,those who are nearbyand those who are faraway in allthe countriesto whichYou have driventhem, because of their unfaithfuldeedswhichthey have committedagainst You.
we have sinned,committediniquity,actedwickedlyand rebelled,even turningasidefrom Your commandmentsand ordinances.
But You, O Lord,are a Godmercifuland gracious,Slowto angerand abundantin lovingkindnessand truth.
O Israel,hopein the LORD;For with the LORDthere is lovingkindness,And with Him is abundantredemption.
"Althoughour iniquitiestestifyagainst us, O LORD,actfor Your name'ssake!Trulyour apostasieshave beenmany,We have sinnedagainst You.
But there is forgivenesswith You, That You may be feared.
And lovingkindnessis Yours, O Lord,For You recompensea manaccording to his work.
He prayedto the LORDand said,"PleaseLORD,was not thiswhatI saidwhileI was stillin my [own] country?Thereforein order to forestallthis I fledto Tarshish,for I knewthat You are a graciousand compassionateGod,slowto angerand abundantin lovingkindness,and one who relentsconcerningcalamity.
I shall makementionof the lovingkindnessesof the LORD,the praisesof the LORD,Accordingto allthat the LORDhas grantedus, And the greatgoodnesstoward the houseof Israel,WhichHe has grantedthem according to His compassionAnd according to the abundanceof His lovingkindnesses.
Let the wickedforsakehis wayAnd the unrighteousmanhis thoughts;And let him returnto the LORD,And He will havecompassionon him, And to our God,For He will abundantlypardon.
"But the houseof Israelrebelledagainst Me in the wilderness.They did not walkin My statutesand they rejectedMy ordinances,by which,if a manobservesthem, he will live;and My sabbathsthey greatlyprofaned.Then I resolvedto pourout My wrathon them in the wilderness,to annihilatethem.
For You, Lord,are good,and readyto forgive,And abundantin lovingkindnessto allwho callupon You.
"Nevertheless, in Your greatcompassionYou did not makean endof them or forsakethem, For You are a graciousand compassionateGod.
"Listento the supplicationof Your servantand of Your peopleIsrael,whenthey praytowardthisplace;hearin heavenYour dwellingplace;hearand forgive.
"Moreover, we have not listenedto Your servantsthe prophets,whospokein Your nameto our kings,our princes,our fathersand allthe peopleof the land.
"Openshamebelongs to us, O Lord,to our kings,our princesand our fathers,becausewe have sinnedagainst You.
Then Davidsaidto Gad,"I am in greatdistress.Let us nowfallinto the handof the LORDfor His merciesare great,but do not let me fallinto the handof man."
