A Prayer of Simeon Metaphrastes

Like as I were now standing before thy dread and upright Judgment Seat, O Christ-God, receiving sentence and rendering an accounting of the sins I have committed, so also now, ere that day of my condemnation be come, standing before thee at thy holy Altar and before thy terrible and holy angels, convicted by mine own conscience, I offer as a sacrifice unto thee my evil and iniquitous deeds, declaring and condemning them. Look upon my humility, O Lord, and pardon all my sins. Behold, mine iniquities have exceeded the number of the hairs upon my head. For what evil is there that I have not done? What sin is there that I have not committed? What evil thing is there that I have not meditated in my soul? I am guilty of fornication and of adultery, of pride, arrogance, condemnation of others, censure, idle conversation, unworthy laughter, drunkenness, gluttony, hatred, envy, cupidity, avarice, usury, self-love, ambition, rapacity; of untruthfulness, unjust acquisition, jealousy, calumny, and of impiety. I have polluted, corrupted and rendered lewd all my senses and members, in all things fulfilling the will of the Devil. I know, O Lord, that mine iniquities are gone over my head; but thy bounties are immeasurable, thy benignant goodness is unutterable, and there is no sin which can overcome thy love of mankind. Wherefore, O King most marvellous, O Lord benign, reveal thy mercies also upon me, a sinner; show forth the power of thy clemency; manifest the might of thine ineffable tenderness of heart, and accept me, a sinner, who now have recourse unto thee. Accept me as thou didst accept the prodigal son, as thou didst accept the thief and the woman who was a sinner. Accept me, who have beyond measure sinned against thee in word, in deed, in unlawful desires and in foolish thoughts. As thou didst receive those who came unto thee at the eleventh hour, and had done nothing worthy, so also receive thou me, a sinner; for I have sinned greatly, I have defiled myself, I have offended thy Holy Spirit, and have grieved thy love both in deed, and in word, and in thought, both by day and by night, both secretly and openly, both voluntarily and involuntarily. I know, O Lord, that thou wilt set my sins before me as they were committed by me, and wilt demand of me an accounting of that wherein I have unpardonably transgressed. But O Lord, Lord! Convict me not at thy just Judgment, neither condemn me in thine anger, and chastise me not with thy wrath; Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am not only helpless, but I am also the work of thy hands. Thou, O Lord, hast confirmed thy fear upon me, yet I have done evil in thy sight. Against thee only have I sinned; but I entreat thee: Enter thou not into judgment with thy servant: for if thou, Lord, wilt regard iniquity, Lord, who shall stand? I am an abyss of sin, and unworthy to look up and behold the heights of heaven because of my many sins, which are without number. For in me there is no lack of every sort of misdoing, neither of guile, nor of satanic wiliness, of presumption, of sinful thoughts, and of many other passions. With what sins have not I defiled myself! Unto what evil habits have not I been in bondage! I have committed every sin, I have filled my soul with every sort of uncleanness, and have become worthless for thee, my God, and for men. Who shall reëstablish me, who have fallen into such evil and countless transgressions? O Lord, my God, on thee do I set my trust! If it be possible for me to hope for salvation, if the multitude of my iniquities are vanquished by thy love for mankind, — then be thou unto me a Saviour: according to thy bounties and thy mercies, loose, remit unto me, forgive all things wherein I have sinned against thee, seeing that my soul is filled with many sins and there is no hope of salvation in me. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; requite me not according to my deeds; judge me not according to my acts; but turn thou me again; be thou my defender; deliver thou my soul from mine increasing iniquities and from my frightful imaginations. Save me for thy mercy's sake, that where sin was multiplied there also may thy grace abound. And I will laud and glorify thee forever, all the days of my life; for thou art the God of the penitent and the Saviour of those who have sinned; and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father who hath no beginning, and thine all-holy, and good, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.