NEHEMIAH'S PRAYER

Passage: Nehemiah 1:1-11

Key verse: 11

NIV

Nehemiah’s Prayer

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:

In the month of Kislev(A) in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa,(B) 2 Hanani,(C) one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant(D) that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.(E)”

4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.(F) For some days I mourned and fasted(G) and prayed before the God of heaven. 5 Then I said:

“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God,(H) who keeps his covenant of love(I) with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear(J) the prayer(K) your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess(L) the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. 7 We have acted very wickedly(M) toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

8 “Remember(N) the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter(O) you among the nations, 9 but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather(P) them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’(Q)

10 “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand.(R) 11 Lord, let your ear be attentive(S) to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor(T) in the presence of this man.”

I was cupbearer(U) to the king.

Read full chapter
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Report from Jerusalem

1 The words of (A)Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.

Now it happened in the month of (B)Chislev, (C)in the twentieth year, as I was in (D)Susa the citadel, 2 that (E)Hanani, one of my brothers, came with certain men from Judah. And I asked them concerning the Jews who escaped, who had survived the exile, and concerning Jerusalem. 3 And they said to me, “The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and (F)shame. (G)The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, (H)and its gates are destroyed by fire.”

Nehemiah's Prayer

4 As soon as I heard these words I (I)sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the (J)God of heaven. 5 And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, (K)the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, 6 (L)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, (M)confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Even (N)I and my father's house have sinned. 7 (O)We have acted very corruptly against you and have not kept the commandments, the statutes, and the rules (P)that you commanded your servant Moses. 8 Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, (Q)I will scatter you among the peoples, 9 (R)but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, (S)though your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there I will gather them and bring them (T)to the place that I have chosen, to make my name dwell there.’ 10 (U)They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your great power and by your strong hand. 11 O Lord, (V)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 (W)cupbearer to the king.

Read full chapter
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH

The kingdoms of Israel and Judah had been overrun and the people taken into captivity or scattered by the Assyrians (721 B.C.) and the Babylonians (586 B.C.), respectively. The people of Judah had God's promise that they would return to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon after 7

years (2Ch 36:21-22; Jer 25:8-11), and this time had come. The return of the exiles began under Cyrus, king of Persia, who conquered Babylon. The first group were led back by Zerubbabel (536 B.C.). The temple was restored in 516 B.C. under his leadership. The second group of returnees were led by Ezra (457 B.C.). He was a Bible teacher. Nehemiah led the third group back in 444 B.C. The book of Ezra is also about the returned exiles.

Nehemiah's name means 'The Lord comforts.' He lived as an exile during the Babylonian captivity and rose to a privileged position in the government as the king's cupbearer. He was broken-hearted when he heard that the broken wall in Jerusalem had never been repaired. So he prayed about it until God showed him what to do.

He returned and built the walls, overcoming great opposition (chapters 1-6). In chapters 7-13, he records how he organized the residents and promoted Bible study and practical reforms according to the teachings of the Bible.

1. I sat down and wept (1-4)

Nehemiah was a Jewish exile living in Susa in Babylon. He had a high position in the court of King Artaxerxes; he was the king's cupbearer. Some of the Jewish exiles had returned to Jerusalem and had rebuilt the temple. One day some men--including Nehemiah's brother--came from Judah bringing news of Jerusalem and the people living there. When Nehemiah heard that the city wall of Jerusalem was broken down, leaving her helpless and disgraced, he sat down and wept. He fasted and prayed.

2. Nehemiah's decision (5-11)

Nehemiah decided to risk his job, and even his life, and speak to the king. But first, he prayed. He confessed the sins of his people, and he included himself. The people were living in exile because they had not lived according to God's word. God had kept his promise to scatter his disobedient people; he was keeping his promise to restore repentant people.

Prayer: Lord, help me to see my nation's problems as my own, pray with a repentant heart, and act by faith.

One Word: Give your servant success today