Prayer for Mercy

15 (A)Look down from heaven and see,
    (B)from your holy and beautiful[a] habitation.
Where are (C)your zeal and your might?
    The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion
    are held back from me.
16 For (D)you are our Father,
    though Abraham does not know us,
    and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our Father,
    (E)our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17 O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways
    and (F)harden our heart, so that we fear you not?
(G)Return for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes of your heritage.
18 (H)Your holy people held possession for a little while;[b]
    (I)our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.
19 (J)We have become like those over whom you have never ruled,
    like those who are not called by your name.

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Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 63:15 Or holy and glorious
  2. Isaiah 63:18 Or They have dispossessed your holy people for a little while

A Prayer of Penitence

15 Look down from heaven and see,
    from your holy and glorious habitation.
Where are your zeal and your might?
    Your great pity and your compassion are withheld from me.(A)
16 For you are our father,
    though Abraham does not know us
    and Israel does not acknowledge us;
you, O Lord, are our father;
    our Redeemer from of old is your name.(B)
17 Why, O Lord, do you let us stray from your ways
    and let our heart harden, so that we do not fear you?
Turn back for the sake of your servants,
    the tribes that are your heritage.(C)
18 Your holy people took possession for a little while,
    but now our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.(D)
19 We have long been like those whom you do not rule,
    like those not called by your name.(E)

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