Nehemiah 1:4-11--Nehemiah's Prayer

Nehemiah 1:4-11
English Standard Version
​
Nehemiah's Prayer
4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open, to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for the people of Israel your servants, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O LORD, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
​
Now I was cupbearer to the king.

---

Nehemiah, hearing the report of the condition of Jerusalem and the exiles who had been living there, sat down, wept, and mourned for days.  He also responded by fasting and praying.  His prayer, which is a good model prayer for all of us to use when approaching the LORD about personal sin and corporate sin, shows us the heart of Nehimiah and how much he knew the LORD, the Word, and the people of the LORD.

Nehemiah knew that he would have to go in front of the king, and the king would clearly see that Nehemiah was troubled, for it is obvious when someone has been mourning and fasting for several days.  Nehemiah asks for success as he goes in front of the king and pleads on behalf of himself and his people--the people of the LORD.  We'll see next time how Artaxerxes responded to Nehemiah's appearance and request.