Lord, Have Mercy – The Presidential Prayer Team

I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. – Psalm 32:5

Few of today’s evangelical churches have a liturgy. The closest they may come is an occasional responsive reading out of a Psalm or one of the Gospels. Penitence as a congregation has generally been set aside in favor of confession and repentance as a private matter between you and God.

In the Anglican communion, one liturgical confession goes: “Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. In your mercy, forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.”

Whether privately or with a group, the key is to keep short accounts with the Lord. He has promised forgiveness. The blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross covers all your sins when you place your faith in Him. God is long-suffering toward you and quick to extend you His mercy. As you confess your mistakes and shortcomings today, you remove obstacles from your relationship with the Lord and draw nearer to His heart.

Pray that many in the U.S. government and across the nation realize they have sinned against the Lord and seek His forgiveness through Jesus Christ.

Today’s Verse: Psalm 32:5

I acknowledged my sin to you,
    and I did not cover my iniquity;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
    and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. 

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Psalm 51:1-17

Have mercy on me, O God,
    according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
    blot out my transgressions.
²Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
    and cleanse me from my sin!

³For I know my transgressions,
    and my sin is ever before me.
⁴Against you, you only, have I sinned
    and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
    and blameless in your judgment.
⁵Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
    and in sin did my mother conceive me.
⁶Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
    and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

⁷Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
    wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
⁸Let me hear joy and gladness;
    let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
⁹Hide your face from my sins,
    and blot out all my iniquities.
¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,
    and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹Cast me not away from your presence,
    and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and uphold me with a willing spirit.

¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
    and sinners will return to you.
¹⁴Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
    O God of my salvation,
    and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
¹⁵O Lord, open my lips,
    and my mouth will declare your praise.
¹⁶For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
    you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.
¹⁷The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
    a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.