“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, wouldn’t even lift his eyes toward heaven, but beat his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’
His prayer also, and how God was moved by his entreaty, all his sin and his unfaithfulness, and the sites on which he built high places and erected the Asherah poles and the carved images before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of Hozai.
I prayed, “O my God, I am ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God! For our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens.
When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the Tent, they all rose up and worshipped, every man at the entrance of his own tent.
“Come now, let us reason together,” says Adonai. “Though your sins be like scarlet, they will be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they will become like wool.
Then I said: “Oy to me! For I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I am dwelling among a people of unclean lips. For my eyes have seen the King, Adonai-Tzva’ot!”
For My hand has made all these things, so all these things came to be,” declares Adonai. “But on this one will I look, one humble and of a contrite spirit, who trembles at My word.”
So you will remember, be ashamed and never open your mouth again because of your disgrace, when I have forgiven you of all that you have done.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
“When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Amen, I tell you, they have their reward in full!
For see what this very thing—this grieving that God wills—has brought you! What diligence, what defense, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what rendering of justice! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.