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Excerpt from Deuterocanonical Books of the Bible, by Anonymous

1:42 And he drew him out, and cast those that were the cause of his
destruction into the den: and they were devoured in a moment before his
face.

The Prayer of Manasses
King of Judah

O Lord, Almighty God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and of
their righteous seed; who hast made heaven and earth, with all the
ornament thereof; who hast bound the sea by the word of thy
commandment; who hast shut up the deep, and sealed it by thy terrible
and glorious name; whom all men fear, and tremble before thy power; for
the majesty of thy glory cannot be borne, and thine angry threatening
toward sinners is importable: but thy merciful promise is unmeasurable
and unsearchable; for thou art the most high Lord, of great compassion,
longsuffering, very merciful, and repentest of the evils of men. Thou,
O Lord, according to thy great goodness hast promised repentance and
forgiveness to them that have sinned against thee: and of thine
infinite mercies hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may
be saved. Thou therefore, O Lord, that art the God of the just, hast
not appointed repentance to the just, as to Abraham, and Isaac, and
Jacob, which have not sinned against thee; but thou hast appointed
repentance unto me that am a sinner: for I have sinned above the number
of the sands of the sea. My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied: my
transgressions are multiplied, and I am not worthy to behold and see
the height of heaven for the multitude of mine iniquities. I am bowed
down with many iron bands, that I cannot life up mine head, neither
have any release: for I have provoked thy wrath, and done evil before
thee: I did not thy will, neither kept I thy commandments: I have set
up abominations, and have multiplied offences. Now therefore I bow the
knee of mine heart, beseeching thee of grace. I have sinned, O Lord, I
have sinned, and I acknowledge mine iniquities: wherefore, I humbly
beseech thee, forgive me, O Lord, forgive me, and destroy me not with
mine iniquites. Be not angry with me for ever, by reserving evil for
me; neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth. For thou art
the God, even the God of them that repent; and in me thou wilt shew all
thy goodness: for thou wilt save me, that am unworthy, according to thy
great mercy. Therefore I will praise thee for ever all the days of my
life: for all the powers of the heavens do praise thee, and thine is
the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Explanation ​

Analysis of the Excerpt from the Deuterocanonical Books: The Prayer of Manasseh ​

This excerpt consists of two distinct but thematically connected passages:

  1. A brief narrative fragment (1:42) describing divine justice.
  2. The Prayer of Manasseh, a penitential psalm attributed to King Manasseh of Judah, one of the most wicked kings in the Hebrew Bible (2 Kings 21:1-18; 2 Chronicles 33:1-20), who later repented.

The Prayer of Manasseh is part of the Deuterocanonical books—texts accepted as scripture by some Christian traditions (e.g., Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic) but not by Protestant or Jewish canons. It is often included in the Apocrypha and reflects themes of repentance, divine mercy, and the contrast between human sin and God’s compassion.

Context & Background ​

  • Historical Context: Manasseh (7th century BCE) was a king of Judah who, according to the Bible, committed grave sins, including idolatry, child sacrifice, and persecution of prophets. After being captured by the Assyrians, he repented, and the prayer is traditionally seen as his plea for forgiveness (2 Chronicles 33:12-13).
  • Theological Context: The prayer emphasizes God’s mercy as greater than human sin, a theme central to Jewish and Christian traditions. It also reflects post-exilic Jewish thought, where repentance (teshuvah) became a key theological concept.

Themes in the Excerpt ​

1. Divine Justice vs. Divine Mercy ​

  • 1:42 – "And he drew him out, and cast those that were the cause of his destruction into the den: and they were devoured in a moment before his face."
    • This verse likely refers to Daniel in the lions’ den (Daniel 6), where God delivers the righteous (Daniel) while destroying the wicked (his accusers).
    • Contrast with the Prayer: While 1:42 shows immediate divine justice, the Prayer of Manasseh focuses on mercy for the repentant sinner.
    • Theological Tension: The Bible often balances God’s wrath against sin with His willingness to forgive (e.g., Exodus 34:6-7).

2. The Depth of Human Sin & the Greatness of Divine Mercy ​

  • The prayer is a confession of extreme guilt paired with an appeal to God’s boundless compassion.

    • "I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea" – Hyperbolic language emphasizing overwhelming sin (cf. Genesis 32:12, where sand represents innumerability).
    • "My transgressions are multiplied… I am bowed down with many iron bands" – Imagery of bondage to sin, evoking slavery (Exodus) and spiritual oppression.
    • "I am not worthy to behold… the height of heaven" – A humility trope (cf. Luke 18:13, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner").

  • God’s Attributes Highlighted:

    • "Most high Lord, of great compassion, longsuffering, very merciful" – Echoes Exodus 34:6 ("slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love").
    • "Thy merciful promise is unmeasurable and unsearchable" – God’s mercy is infinite, beyond human comprehension (cf. Psalm 103:11, "as high as the heavens are above the earth").
    • "Thou hast appointed repentance unto sinners, that they may be saved" – A theology of grace: God actively provides a path to repentance.

3. Repentance as a Gift, Not a Right ​

  • "Thou hast not appointed repentance to the just… but thou hast appointed repentance unto me that am a sinner"
    • Paradox: The righteous (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) do not need repentance, but sinners are given the opportunity—a grace, not a merit.
    • Christian Parallel: Paul’s argument in Romans 5:8 ("God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us").

4. Physical & Spiritual Imagery of Suffering ​

  • "I am bowed down with many iron bands, that I cannot lift up mine head"
    • Iron bands = shackles of sin (cf. Psalm 107:10, "some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and iron").
    • "Cannot lift up mine head" – A posture of shame and despair (cf. Genesis 4:5-6, Cain’s downcast face).
  • "Neither condemn me to the lower parts of the earth" – Possible reference to Sheol (the underworld), expressing fear of eternal punishment.

5. Hope in God’s Salvation ​

  • "For thou art the God, even the God of them that repent; and in me thou wilt shew all thy goodness"
    • Personalization of grace: Manasseh claims God’s mercy not because he deserves it, but because God is merciful by nature.
  • "Therefore I will praise thee for ever" – The prayer ends with worship, showing that repentance leads to restored relationship.

Literary Devices & Style ​

  1. Parallelism (common in Hebrew poetry):

    • "For thou art the most high Lord, of great compassion, longsuffering, very merciful" – Synonymous parallelism (repeating ideas in different words).
    • "My transgressions, O Lord, are multiplied: my transgressions are multiplied" – Repetition for emphasis.

  2. Hyperbole:

    • "I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea" – Exaggeration to convey immeasurable guilt.

  3. Metaphor & Simile:

    • "Bowed down with many iron bands" – Sin as physical bondage.
    • "Cannot behold the height of heaven" – Sin as blindness to divine glory.

  4. Antithesis (Contrast):

    • God’s wrath ("thine angry threatening toward sinners is importable") vs. God’s mercy ("thy merciful promise is unmeasurable").
    • Human unworthiness ("I am unworthy") vs. Divine salvation ("thou wilt save me").

  5. Liturgical Structure:

    • Confession → Supplication → Praise – A common penitential psalm format (cf. Psalm 51).

  6. Allusion to Scripture:

    • References to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (the patriarchs) and God’s creation (Genesis 1) ground the prayer in covenantal history.
    • "Shut up the deep" – Alludes to Genesis 1:9-10 (God separating waters) and Job 38:8-11 (God’s control over chaos).

Significance & Legacy ​

  1. Jewish Tradition:

    • The prayer reflects post-exilic Jewish penitential practices, where individual and communal confession became central (e.g., Ezra 9, Nehemiah 9).
    • It reinforces the idea that no sin is beyond God’s mercy if repentance is genuine.

  2. Christian Theology:

    • Early Church: Used in Lenten penitential rites and as a model for confession.
    • Reformation: Luther and other reformers cited it to argue that salvation is by grace alone (sola gratia).
    • Liturgical Use: Included in the Book of Common Prayer (Anglican tradition) and Orthodox prayer books.

  3. Literary Influence:

    • The prayer’s raw, emotional confession influenced later penitential literature, such as Dante’s Purgatorio (where repentance leads to purification) and John Donne’s Holy Sonnets (e.g., "Batter my heart, three-personed God").

  4. Universal Themes:

    • Human brokenness and the search for redemption resonate across cultures.
    • The tension between justice and mercy remains a philosophical and theological question.

Conclusion: The Prayer as a Microcosm of Redemption ​

The Prayer of Manasseh is a dramatic monologue of a sinner confronting God, marked by:

  • Honest self-condemnation ("I have sinned above the number of the sands of the sea").
  • Desperate plea for mercy ("Forgive me, O Lord, forgive me").
  • Unshakable trust in God’s character ("Thou art the God of them that repent").

Unlike the immediate justice of 1:42 (where the wicked are devoured), this prayer reveals a God who delays judgment to offer grace. It stands as a testament to the power of repentance and the boundless nature of divine compassion, making it one of the most theologically rich and emotionally powerful texts in the Deuterocanon.

Would you like a deeper dive into any specific aspect (e.g., comparisons with Psalm 51, its reception in early Christianity, or its literary structure)?