Daniel 9:4-19

New Catholic Bible

⁴ I prayed to the Lord, my God, and made this confession, saying:

Lord, Have Mercy.^[a] “O Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your covenant and show your steadfast love to those who love you and observe your commandments: ⁵ we have sinned and done what is wrong, we have acted wickedly and rebelled, we have rejected your commandments and your laws. ⁶ We have not listened to your servants the Prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.

⁷ “Righteousness is on your side, O Lord. As for us, we are filled with shame even to this day—we, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the countries to which you have dispersed us because of the treachery that we have committed against you.

⁸ “O Lord, we are filled with shame—our kings, our princes, and our fathers—for having sinned against you. ⁹ But you, O Lord, our God, are always prepared to show compassion and forgiveness. Yet we rebelled against you ¹⁰ and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord, our God, by following your laws that you have given to us through your servants the Prophets.

¹¹ “All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away from you, refusing to obey your commands. Therefore, the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down upon us because we have sinned against you. ¹² You confirmed your threats, which you made against us and our rulers by bringing upon us in Jerusalem the greatest calamity that the world has ever experienced.

¹³ “Just as it is written^[b] in the law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us. We failed to entreat the favor of the Lord, our God, by renouncing our wickedness and reflecting upon his fidelity. ¹⁴ Therefore, the Lord has watched us carefully, and now he has brought this disaster upon us. The Lord is just in all of his dealings with us, but we have not listened to his voice.

¹⁵ “And now, O Lord, our God, who led your people out of the land of Egypt with your mighty hand and caused your name to be renowned, even to this very day: we have sinned, we have acted wickedly. ¹⁶ Lord, in keeping with your saving deeds, we beg you to allow your anger and wrath to turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. As a result of our sins and the crimes of our fathers, Jerusalem and your people have become an object of scorn to all those who surround us.

¹⁷ “Now therefore, our God, listen to the prayers and supplications of your servant, and for your own sake, O Lord, let your face shine upon your desolate sanctuary. ¹⁸ Incline your ear, O my God, and listen. Open your eyes and look upon our desolation and upon the city that bears your name. We present our petition to you, relying not upon our upright deeds but rather upon your great mercy.

¹⁹ “Listen to us, O Lord! Forgive us, O Lord! Do not delay, O my God, for your own sake, because your city and your people bear your name.”