The Prayer of Judith
Judith 9, verse 1. Then Judith prostrated herself, put ashes upon her head, and uncovered the sackcloth which she had put on. And at the time of the evening incense being offered in the house of God in Jerusalem, Judith cried out to the Lord with a loud voice and prayed: Judith 9, verse 2. “O Lord God of my father Simeon, to whom You gave a sword for vengeance against the foreigners who loosened the girdle of the virgin to defile her, and disgracefully exposed her thighs, and violated her body to humiliate her, for You had said, ‘It shall not be done,’ and yet they did it. Judith 9, verse 3. So You gave their rulers over to be killed, and their bed, which was ashamed of their deceit, they themselves being deceived, to be stained with blood. You struck down the servants along with their princes, and princes on their thrones. Judith 9, verse 4. You gave their wives over to plunder and their daughters to captivity, and all their spoils You divided among Your beloved sons, those who were zealous with Your zeal and abhorred the defilement of their blood, and called upon You to help. O God, my God, hear me also, a widow! Judith 9, verse 5. “For You did those things and the things that occurred before and those that followed after; and You have planned the ones present, and the ones for the future. Judith 9, verse 6. And the things You have determined present themselves and say, ‘Behold, we are here’; for all Your ways are prepared beforehand, and Your judgment is by foreknowledge. Judith 9, verse 7. “For behold, the Assyrians are multiplied in their strength. They are exalted with horses and riders. They glory in the strength of their infantry; they hope in shield and spear, in bow and sling, but they do not know that You the Lord crush wars; Judith 9, verse 8. the Lord is Your name. Break their might by Your might, and tear down their power in Your anger; for they intend to defile Your sanctuary and desecrate the tent where Your glorious name rests, and to cut off the horns of Your altar with the sword. Judith 9, verse 9. Behold their arrogance. Send Your wrath upon their heads. Grant to the hand of the widow to do what I plan. Judith 9, verse 10. By the deceit of my lips, strike down the slave with the ruler and the ruler with his servant. Crush their pride by the hand of a woman. Judith 9, verse 11. “For Your might is not in numbers, nor Your power in men who are strong, but You are the God of the lowly; You are the helper of the oppressed, the defender of the weak, the protector of those who are forsaken, the savior of those without hope. Judith 9, verse 12. Yes, O God of my father and God of the inheritance of Israel, Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of the waters, King of all Your creation, attend to my prayer! Judith 9, verse 13. Cause my deceitful words to be their wound and a bruise to those who planned cruelty against Your covenant, and Your holy house, and Mount Zion, and against the house Your sons possess. Judith 9, verse 14. Make Your entire nation and every tribe to know and understand that You are God, the God of all power and might, that there is none other who protects the people of Israel but You only.”