“But the tax collector standing at a distance would not even raise his eyes to the heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘Elohim, show favour unto me, a sinner!’
and said, “O my Elohim, I am too ashamed and wounded to lift up my face to You, my Elohim, for our crookednesses have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.
For evils without number have surrounded me; My crookednesses have overtaken me, And I have been unable to see; They became more than the hairs of my head; And my heart has failed me.
“Come now, and let us reason together,” says יהוה. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
And I said, “Woe to me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips – for my eyes have seen the Sovereign, יהוה of hosts.”
“And all these My hand have made, and all these that exist,” declares יהוה. “Yet to such a one I look: on him who is poor and bruised of spirit, and who trembles at My Word.
so that you remember. And you shall be ashamed, and never open your mouth any more because of your shame, when I pardon you for all you have done,” declares the Master יהוה.’ ”
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the congregations and on the corners of the streets, to be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.
“And whenever you stand praying, if you hold whatever against anyone, forgive, so that your Father in the heavens shall also forgive you your trespasses.
For see how you have been saddened according to Elohim – how much it worked out in you eagerness; indeed, clearing of yourselves; indeed, displeasure; indeed, fear; indeed, longing; indeed, ardour; indeed, righting of wrong! In every way you proved yourselves to be clear in the matter.