Matthew Henry’s “Method For Prayer”

Introduction and Acknowledgement of the Need for Lowliness before God

Confession 2.0 | NASB

Of the Second Part of Prayer, which is Confession of Sin, Complaints Regarding Myself, and Humble Professions of Repentance

Having ascribed glory to God which is His due, Psalm 29:2(NASB) I must next take shame to myself, which is my due, and humble myself before Him in the sense of my own sinfulness and vileness; and herein also I must give glory to Him, Joshua 7:19(NASB) as my Judge, by whom I deserve to be condemned, and yet hope, through Christ, to be acquitted and absolved.

In this part of my work, I must acknowledge the great reason I have to lie very low before God and to be ashamed of myself when I come into His presence and to be afraid of His wrath, having made myself both odious to His holiness and obnoxious to His justice.

O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for my iniquities have risen above my head and my guilt has grown even to the heavens. Ezra 9:6(NASB)

Open shame belongs to me, because I have sinned against You. Daniel 9:8(NASB)

Behold I am insignificant; what can I reply to You? I will lay my hand on my mouth, Job 40:4(NASB) and put my mouth in the dust, perhaps there is hope, Lamentations 3:29(NASB) crying with the convicted leper under the law, “Unclean! Unclean!” Leviticus 13:45(NASB)

You put no trust in Your holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in Your sight; how much less one who is detestable and corrupt: man, who drinks iniquity like water! Job 15:15-16(NASB)

When my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts, I have reason to cry out, “Woe is me, for I am ruined!” Isaiah 6:5(NASB)

Dominion and awe belong to You who establishes peace in Your heights: There is not any number of Your troops, and upon whom does Your light not rise? How then can a man be just with God? Or how can he be clean who is born of woman? Job 25:2-4(NASB)

You, even You, are to be feared; and who may stand in Your presence when once You are angry? Psalm 76:7(NASB) Even You, my God, are a consuming fire; Hebrews 12:29(NASB) and who understands the power of Your anger? Psalm 90:11(NASB)

Though I was righteous, my own mouth would condemn me; if I said, “I am guiltless,” You would declare me guilty; Job 9:20(NASB) for if You dispute with me, I could not answer You once in a thousand times. Job 9:3(NASB)

If I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted, for the one who examines me is the Lord, 1 Corinthians 4:4(NASB) who is greater than my heart and knows all things. 1 John 3:20(NASB) But I myself know that I have sinned, Father, against heaven and in Your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called Your child. Luke 15:21(NASB)

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