Listen closely to my prayer, O God! Hear my urgent cry. I will call to You whenever trouble strikes, and You will help me. Where among the heathen gods is there a god like You? Where are their miracles? All the nations - and You made each one - will come and bow before You, Lord, and praise Your great and holy name. For You are great, and do great miracles. You alone are God. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.

   Tell me where You want me to go and I will go there. May every fiber of my being unite in reverence to Your name. With all my heart I will praise You. I will give glory to Your name forever, for You love me so much! You are constantly so kind! You have rescued me from deepest hell.

   O God, proud and insolent men defy me; violent, godless men are trying to kill me. But You are merciful and gentle, Lord, slow in getting angry, full of constant lovingkindness and of truth; so look down in pity and grant strength to Your servant and save me. Send me a sign of Your favor. When those who hate me see it, they will lose face because You help and comfort me.

   What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record. There was a time when I wouldn't admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration. All day and all night Your hand was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, "I will confess them to the Lord." And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Now I say that each believer should confess his sins to God when he is aware of them, while there is time to be forgiven. Judgment will not touch him if he does.

   Lord, if You keep in mind our sins then who can ever get an answer to his prayers? But You forgive! What an awesome thing this is! That is why I wait expectantly, trusting God to help, for He has promised.

Taken from Psalm 51, 86, 32, 130, The New International Version and The Living Bible.
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