So I am ashamed of all I have said and repent in dust and ashes.

Abraham spoke again: "Please forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord. I am only a man and have no right to say anything.

I am not worth all the kindness and faithfulness that you have shown me, your servant. I crossed the Jordan with nothing but a walking stick, and now I have come back with these two groups.

But after David had taken the census, his conscience began to hurt, and he said to the LORD, "I have committed a terrible sin in doing this! Please forgive me. I have acted foolishly."

Elijah walked a whole day into the wilderness. He stopped and sat down in the shade of a tree and wished he would die. "It's too much, LORD," he prayed. "Take away my life; I might as well be dead!"

I said, "O God, I am too ashamed to raise my head in your presence. Our sins pile up higher than our heads; they reach as high as the heavens.

LORD God of Israel, you are just, but you have let us survive. We confess our guilt to you; we have no right to come into your presence."

You have done right to punish us; you have been faithful, even though we have sinned.

I have sinned against you---only against you--- and done what you consider evil. So you are right in judging me; you are justified in condemning me.

I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful.

I said, "There is no hope for me! I am doomed because every word that passes my lips is sinful, and I live among a people whose every word is sinful. And yet, with my own eyes I have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

All of us were like sheep that were lost, each of us going his own way. But the LORD made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us deserved.

All of us have been sinful; even our best actions are filthy through and through. Because of our sins we are like leaves that wither and are blown away by the wind.

"We have sinned, we have been evil, we have done wrong. We have rejected what you commanded us to do and have turned away from what you showed us was right.

You, Lord, always do what is right, but we have always brought disgrace on ourselves. This is true of all of us who live in Judea and in Jerusalem and of all the Israelites whom you scattered in countries near and far because they were unfaithful to you.

When Simon Peter saw what had happened, he fell on his knees before Jesus and said, "Go away from me, Lord! I am a sinful man!"

I will get up and go to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against God and against you.

I am no longer fit to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired workers." '

But the tax collector stood at a distance and would not even raise his face to heaven, but beat on his breast and said, 'God, have pity on me, a sinner!'

This is a true saying, to be completely accepted and believed: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. I am the worst of them,

God throws me into a pit with filth, and even my clothes are ashamed of me.

But there is no one to step between us--- no one to judge both God and me.

I am not afraid. I am going to talk because I know my own heart.

I want someone to plead with God for me, as one pleads for a friend.

I would state my case before him and present all the arguments in my favor.

Would God use all his strength against me? No, he would listen as I spoke.

I would tell God everything I have done, and hold my head high in his presence.

Look at me. Isn't that enough to make you stare in shocked silence?

The leaders of the people would stop talking;

They told him, "Keep quiet. Don't say a word. Come with us and be our priest and adviser. Wouldn't you rather be a priest for a whole Israelite tribe than for the family of one man?"

I will keep quiet, I will not say a word, for you are the one who made me suffer like this.

If you have been foolish enough to be arrogant and plan evil, stop and think!

The nations will see this and be frustrated in spite of all their strength. In dismay they will close their mouths and cover their ears.

The LORD is in his holy Temple; let everyone on earth be silent in his presence.

Be silent, everyone, in the presence of the LORD, for he is coming from his holy dwelling place.