3 ^aThen I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.  ‡

4 And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O ^aLord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments,  ‡

7 O Lord, ^arighteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.  ‡

8 “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You.