Prayer for Deliverance

1 “Lord Almighty, you God of Israel, the soul in anguish and the troubled spirit cry to you. 2 Hear, Lord, and have mercy, because you are a merciful God. Yes, have mercy on us, because we have sinned before you. 3 For you are enthroned forever, and we keep perishing.

4 “Lord Almighty, you God of Israel, hear now the prayer of the dead Israelites, and of the children of those who were sinners before you, who didn’t listen to the voice of you, their God. Because of this, these plagues cling to us. 5 Don’t remember the sins of our ancestors, but remember your power and your name at this time. 6 For you are the Lord our God, and we will praise you, Lord. 7 For this reason, you have put your fear in our hearts, so that we would call on your name. We will praise you in our captivity, for we have remembered all the sins of our ancestors who sinned before you. 8 Look, we are still in captivity today where you have scattered us, as a disgrace and a curse, and subject to punishment according to all the sins of our ancestors⁠a who turned away from the Lord our God.”

Israel’s Search for Wisdom

9 Listen, Israel, the commandments of life! Listen to understand wisdom!⁠b 10 How is it, Israel, that you are in your enemies’ land, that you have become old in a foreign country, that you are defiled with the dead, 11 that you are counted with those who are in Hades? 12 You have abandoned the fountain of wisdom.⁠c 13 If you had walked in the way of God, you would have dwelled in peace forever.⁠d 14 Learn where there is wisdom, where there is strength, and where there is understanding, so that you may also know where there are long days and life, where there is the light of the eyes and peace.

15 Who has found her place? Who has come into her treasuries? 16 Where are the princes of the nations, and those who ruled the animals that are on the earth,⁠e 17 those who played with the birds of the air, and those who hoarded silver and gold, in which people trust, and never stopped acquiring it? 18 For those who diligently sought silver, and were so anxious, and whose works are beyond understanding, 19 they have vanished and gone down to Hades, and others have come up in their place.

20 Younger men have seen the light and lived on the earth, but they haven’t known the way of knowledge, 21 nor understood its paths. Their children haven’t embraced it. They are far from their way. 22 It has not been heard of in Canaan, nor has it been seen in Teman. 23 The descendants of Hagar who seek understanding, who live in the land, the merchants of Merran and Teman, and the authors of fables, and the seekers of understanding, none of these have known the way of wisdom or remembered her paths.⁠f

24 Israel, how great is the house of God! How large is the place he possesses! 25 It is great and has no end. It is high and immeasurable. 26 Giants were born that were famous long ago, tall and skilled in war.⁠g 27 God didn’t choose these, nor did he give the way of knowledge to them,⁠h 28 so they perished, because they had no wisdom. They perished through their own foolishness.

29 Who has gone up into heaven, taken her, and brought her down from the clouds?⁠i 30 Who has gone over the sea, found her, and will bring her in exchange for fine gold? 31 There is no one who knows her way, nor any who comprehend her path. 32 But he who knows all things knows her. He found her with his understanding. He who prepared the earth for all time has filled it with four-legged animals. 33 It is he who sends out the light, and it goes. He called it, and it obeyed him with fear. 34 The stars shone at their stations, and were glad. When he called them, they said,⁠j “Here we are.” They shone with gladness for him who made them.⁠k

35 This is our God. No other can be compared to him.⁠l 36 He has discovered all the way of knowledge, and has given it to Jacob his servant and to Israel who is loved by him. 37 Afterward she appeared on earth, and lived among people.⁠m