A Prayer about Turning to God in Shame

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Psalm 25:1-2

Merciful Lord,

When we feel shame, 

whether over our own sins 

or over terrible mistakes we’ve made, 

some of us want to run and hide; 

others want to blame and accuse. 

Whatever our instinct, 

may we, with David, 

lift up our souls to you. 

May we do it even now, 

lifting our hands, 

placing in them our hearts, souls, minds, and bodies, 

raising them toward you, 

surrendering them to you. 

For we have every reason to trust in you 

to care well for our souls. 

Sometimes we trust in others 

for that forgiveness or approval or security or significance, 

but you alone are safe for such trust. 

When enemies shout and jeer at us, 

whether enemies with faces we can see and voices we can hear 

or the enemy, 

the one who loves to tell us we’re “bad,” 

“not enough,” 

“unforgiven,” 

“shameful,” 

make us deaf to their cries. 

Turn our ears instead toward you, 

that we might hear you 

singing your love for us: 

“You shall no more be termed Forsaken…

but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her” (Isaiah 62:4). 

As we hear your delight, rest us in your embrace.

In Jesus’ shame-enduring name we ask. Amen. 

Read Psalm 25; Isaiah 62:2-5.

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