Esther

Mordecai’s Prayer

Recalling all that the Lord had done, he prayed to him and said:

“Lord, King, and Master of all, everything is under your control; no one can oppose your will to save Israel.

You created heaven and earth, along with all the wonders under heaven.

You are the Lord of everything; no one can oppose you.

You know all things, O Lord; you know that I was not moved by insolence, pride, or arrogance to act this way, to refuse to bow to the proud Haman.

I would gladly have kissed his feet for Israel’s safety!

Still, what I did, I did to avoid placing human glory above God’s. I will bow only to you, O Lord. My refusal is not out of pride.

And now, Lord God, King, God of Abraham, deliver Your people! Our enemies plot our ruin; they are determined to destroy your inheritance from the beginning.

Do not abandon your inheritance, which you redeemed from Egypt for yourself.

Hear my prayer, have mercy on your people. Turn our mourning into joy so we may live to sing praise to your name, O Lord. Do not silence the voices of those who praise you.”

And Israel cried out with all their might, for they faced death.

Esther’s Prayer

Filled with anguish and fear of death, Queen Esther also turned to the Lord.

Taking off her fine robes, she wore mourning and distressed garments. Instead of costly perfumes, she covered her head with dirt and ashes. She humbled herself deeply, set aside all her festive decorations, and left her hair unkempt.

Then she prayed to the Lord God of Israel:

“My Lord, you who stand alone, come to my help; I am alone and have no help but you. Through my own choice, I am endangering my life.

As a child, I was wont to hear from the people of the land of my forebears that you, O Lord, chose Israel from among all people and our fathers from among their ancestors to be your lasting heritage; that you did for them all that you have promised.

But we have sinned, and for this, you have handed us over to our enemies;

we have worshiped their gods, but you, O Lord, are just.

Dissatisfied with our bitter servitude, they made a pact with their idols

to abolish what you have decreed, to blot out your heritage,

to shut the mouths that give you praise, to quench the glory of your temple and your altar and instead to let the pagans sing the praise of worthless idols and idolize a king of flesh forever.

Do not give up your scepter, O Lord, to non-existent beings. Never let them gloat over our ruin, but turn their designs against themselves and make an example of our chief enemy.

Remember us, Lord; reveal yourself in the time of our calamity. Give me courage, King of gods and master of all power.

Make my words persuasive when I face the lion; turn his heart against our enemy, that the latter and his like may be brought to their end.

Save us by your hand; help me who am alone and have none but you, O Lord.

You know everything; you know how I hate honor if from the impious; how I loathe the bed of the uncircumcised and any foreigner.

You know I am here under constraint, and I loathe the diadem about my brow when I appear in public; it is a filthy rag, and I hate it and do not wear it in private.

Your handmaid has never eaten at Haman’s table, enjoyed royal banquets, or drunk the wine offered to their gods.

Neither has your handmaid found pleasure from the day of her promotion till now except in you, Lord God of Abraham.

O God, more powerful than all, hear the voice of those in despair; save us from the evil man’s power, and deliver me from my fear.”