Prayers of Confession on Mercy
Adapted from Psalm 25:6-7, 11, 16-18
All: Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD! For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.
Submitted by Dustin Ray
Adapted from Psalm 57:1-2; 61:1-3
Pastor: Heavenly Father, this morning as we worship in your presence, my mind settles on the fact that I have blown it. I’ve disobeyed your commandments, I’ve sinned so many times, and I have not loved you as you have loved me.
All: “Be merciful to me, O God; be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.”
Pastor: God you are so good to me! You promised that you would never punish me or abandon me for my sins since you punished and abandoned Jesus in my place. Will you please send your Holy Spirit to walk with me, to show me your love, and to guide me this week?
All: “Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.”
Submitted by Dustin Ray
Your mercies are new every morning, oh Lord. You renew us on a regular basis. Every day we fall short. You have made us righteous through the power of Jesus, but take Jesus’ sacrifice for granted. Please help us to continually seek your will as we silently confess our sins to you now…
Austin D. Hill
Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men: We acknowledge and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, which we, from time to time, most grievously have committed, by thought, word and deed, against Thy Divine Majesty, provoking most justly Thy wrath and indignation against us. We do earnestly repent, and are heartily sorry for these our misdoings. The remembrance of them is grievous unto us; the burden of them is intolerable. Have mercy upon us, most merciful Father; for Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake. Forgive us all that is past; and grant that we may ever hereafter serve and please Thee In newness of life, to the honor and glory of Thy name. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The General Confession from the Book of Common Prayer, 1662.
I confess to God almighty, before the whole company of heaven, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and pray God almighty to have mercy on me.
May almighty God have mercy on your, pardon and deliver you from all your sins and give you time to amend your life. Amen.
I confess to God almighty, before the whole company of heaven, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and pray God almighty to have mercy on me.
May almighty God have mercy on your, pardon and deliver you from all your sins and give you time to amend your life. Amen.
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
I confess to God almighty, before the whole company of heaven, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and pray God almighty to have mercy on me.
May almighty God have mercy on your, pardon and deliver you from all your sins and give you time to amend your life. Amen.
I confess to God almighty, before the whole company of heaven, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed, and pray God almighty to have mercy on me.
May almighty God have mercy on your, pardon and deliver you from all your sins and give you time to amend your life. Amen.
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Almighty and most merciful Father, we are thankful that your mercy is
higher than the heavens,
wider than our wanderings,
deeper than all our sin.
Forgive our careless attitudes toward your purposes,
our refusal to relieve the suffering of others,
our envy of those who have more than we have,
our obsession with creating a life of constant pleasure,
our indifference to the treasures of heaven,
our neglect of your wise and gracious law.
Help us to change our way of life
so that we may desire what is good,
love what you love,
and do what you command,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source Unknown
Gracious God, you have given us great mercy through Jesus, yet we have withheld mercy from others. Our hearts have been hardened by the world and our sin. Would you soften our hearts? And give us a deeper understanding and gratitude of your mercy that we might extend mercy.
Submitted by Laura Murray
Almighty and merciful God, we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against your holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; and we have done those things which we ought not to have done. O Lord, have mercy upon us. Spare those who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent, according to your promises declared to the world in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O merciful God, for his sake, that we may live a holy, just, and humble life for the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Loving God, you show us grace and mercy, again and again and again. You shower gifts on us that we could never earn, and you are slow to punish us when we most deserve it. All too often, we forget to give you thanks. We take your grace for granted, and we assume your mercy will always be there. Even worse, we are so slow to share your grace and mercy with others, out of gratitude for what you have done for us in Jesus Christ. Forgive us for these and all our sins, as we continue to pray in silence…
Silent Prayer
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Submitted by Chip Hardwick
Almighty and most merciful Father, we are thankful that your mercy is
higher than the heavens, wider than our wanderings,
deeper than all our sin. Forgive our careless attitudes toward your purposes, our refusal to relieve the suffering of others,
our envy of those who have more than we have,
our obsession with creating a life of constant pleasure,
our indifference to the treasures of heaven,
Help us to change our way of life
so that we may desire what is good,
love what you love,
and do what you command,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
What can we say, O Lord, to justify ourselves? You shower us with grace upon grace. Your mercies are new every morning. And we find it hard to forgive others. Sometimes we are petty and hold grudges for years. Other times we are proud, waiting for the other person to admit guilt first. While other times we have experienced trauma and have no healed from it. Lord, free us today from the unforgiveness that shackles us as we confess our sins to you now.…
Time of silent reflection.
Submitted by Austin D. Hill
Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done, and we have done those things which we ought not to have done; and there is no health in us. But thou, 0 Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou those who confess their faults. Restore those who are penitent; according to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, 0 most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous and sober life, to the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.
Thomas Cranmer, The Book of Common Prayer, Great Confession for Morning and Evening Prayer.
Repent and Return, a prayer of confession
Based on Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
ONE VOICE: Joel 2:13
Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful
ALL:
We drift away from our true home
We forget we are Your beloved
We forget we are not God
Rend our hearts, O God, as we repent and return
ONE VOICE: Joel 2:13
Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful
ALL:
We succumb to the temptations of money, sex, and power
We ignore the cries of our sisters and brothers
We focus only on ourselves
Rend our hearts, O God, as we repent and return
Time of silent confession
ONE VOICE:
Remember who you truly are
Let God be God in your life
Begin again with God
ALL:
No despair, for there is mercy
No fear, for there is grace
We return with all our heart
Lead us home, Lord
Lead us home
Repent and Return © 2016 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
Save us, Glorious Christ, from every false understanding and motivation
Save us from the temptation to just stay on the mountain
Save us from the temptation to never engage
Save us from the temptation of trying to capture and control your power and glory
You are Mystery, You are Holy, You are God
Hear our confession as we bow in wonder and worship
Time of silent confession
Prayer of Confession for Transfiguration Sunday © 2021 by Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Contempt, a Prayer of Confession
Contempt is so painful
To be dismissed, disregarded
Questioning instead of dignity
Accusation instead of personhood
I have felt its sting and hollowness
As have you, my Jesus
Help me hear the needed messages
Help me let go of what isn’t true or helpful
Heal my wound
Time of silent confession
I have wielded the weapon of contempt fully conscious of its destructive power
I have launched it from conditioning, in ignorance and reaction
You never have, my Jesus
Forgive me and heal all I have hurt
Make my ways like yours, my Jesus
Deliver me from a spirit of judgment, criticism, and contempt
Help me see all as you see them- beloved and needed
Especially those who are hard to love
Time of silent prayer
I am most ashamed of aiming contempt at you, my Jesus
For rejecting you, judging you
Making demands of you
I am so very sorry
Forgive me, renew me, abide in me so there is
More of my true me
More of you and your ways
More of your grace extended through me
For the healing of the world
Time of silent prayer
Contempt, a prayer of confession © 2016 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia, www.revlisad.com
Lord, we confess that we do not love you with our whole hearts
And we do not love our neighbour as ourselves.
We seek the blessing of others
Rather than the blessing of your grace
We seek comfort in wealth
Rather than a generosity which reflects Christ
We live as rulers of our own kingdoms
Rather than sons and daughters in yours
Have mercy on us
Humble us
And make us hungry again for life with you
Amen
Jacob Traeger
God our Father
We confess to you and to one another
That we have been quick to anger
And slow to mercy
We have paid back abuse with abuse
Hatred with hatred
And violence with violence
The world does not always see you in us
Make us people of mercy and love
Pour out your Spirit of grace upon us
So that we would overflow with love
Not just for one another, but for those we call enemies
In Jesus’ name we pray
Amen
Jacob Traeger
Inspired by Psalm 51:1-4
Have mercy on us, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out our transgressions. Wash us thoroughly from our iniquity and cleans us from our sin. For we know our transgressions and our sin is ever before us. Against you, you only, have we sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Scott Bullock
Holy and merciful God, we confess to you and to one another, and in the company of the communion of saints, that we have sinned by our own fault, in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have not done. We have not loved you with our whole heart, and mind, and strength; nor have we loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not forgiven others as we have been forgiven. Have mercy on us, O God, and restore us to a life of obedience. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Adapted from the Book of Common Prayer by Bud Thoreen
O God, who is rich in mercy,
We come before you humbled and in need of your grace. Many of us have been in the church for so long that we have forgotten how each day your mercies are new, your grace sustains us from minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, and year to year. We become forgetful, and take your love for granted. We act as though we are your firstborn, deserving of every gift, without doing the hard work of repentance and obedience that characterize life in You. Restore in us a sense of wonder at the depth of your mercies, awe in the grace that you show us each day. And help us to live out of those truths, so that when people look at our lives-they might see love, humility, kindness and gratitude for everything you have given to us.
Amen.
Stuart Strachan Jr.
Looking for More Liturgical Elements?
Check out our Calls to Worship on Mercy.