David Clarkson: Piercing Heaven – Puritan’s Prayers

Lord, I have nothing to move you to show me mercy—nothing that would convince you to be gracious to me. All I have would only engage you against me, or shut me out from mercy.

If sin and unworthiness exclude a sinner from faith and mercy, I could lie down in sorrow and despair forever.

But it is the glory of mercy to run freely, to flow out upon those that are most unworthy.

Such am I, Lord, the unworthiest of any who ever sought faith in you, or that ever found mercy with you.

But the more unworthy, the more will it be for the glory of your mercy that I not perish. The riches of your grace appear even greater by your giving me faith.

Glorify your mercy on someone like me. Have mercy on me, Lord, that I not perish.

Show yourself to be God. Show forth your glory by doing for me what people and angels, what heaven and earth cannot do for me.

They all say, while they see me perishing, “If the Lord does not help you, how will we help?”

I have destroyed myself, but in you alone is my help.

The more helpless my condition, the more will it be for your glory to help me. We hope in vain for salvation from the mountains. And in vain we expect faith from prayers, from ordinances, or from anything else.

Only you can help me to faith.

Help, Lord. All other help is in vain.

Amen.