Nehemiah's Prayer for Jerusalem

Illustration of Nehemiah's Prayer for Jerusalem

Nehemiah, serving as a cupbearer in the Persian court, learns of the broken walls and burned gates of Jerusalem following the Babylonian exile. In response, he mourns, fasts, and offers a prayer that confesses the sins of Israel while appealing to God's covenant promises for mercy and restoration. This prayer seeks divine favor to approach King Artaxerxes for permission to return and rebuild the city walls. Its significance lies in modeling heartfelt intercession and repentance as essential steps toward national renewal, highlighting themes of faithfulness and divine providence in the post-exilic period.

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Category
Petition
Prayed by
Nehemiah

Key Passages

The Prayer

Nehemiah 1:5-11

A5nd said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:

6 Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my fatherโ€™s house have sinned. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses. 8 Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 9 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there. 10 Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 11 O LORD, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the kingโ€™s cupbearer.

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Did You Know?

1

Nehemiah prayed for four months before speaking to the king about rebuilding Jerusalem.

2

His famous 'arrow prayer' in chapter 2 was a quick prayer in the moment of decision.

3

He consistently combined fervent prayer with bold, practical action.