Prayer of Manasseh: Meaning & Summary

The Prayer of Manasseh is a short, beautiful prayer of deep repentance. It is written as if it were spoken by King Manasseh of Judah, who is remembered in the Bible as one of the most wicked kings who ever ruled God's people. He built altars to false gods, practiced witchcraft, and even sacrificed his own children. Yet the Bible also tells us that when Manasseh was taken captive, he humbled himself and prayed to God, and God heard him and brought him home.

This prayer gives voice to that moment of repentance. Manasseh confesses that he has sinned more than can be counted. He admits that he does not deserve to be forgiven. But he calls out to God, who the prayer describes as full of mercy and slow to anger. The prayer trusts that God's forgiveness is great enough to cover even the worst sins a person can commit.

Although the prayer is short — just fifteen verses — it captures one of the most important truths of scripture: that no one is too far gone for God's mercy. It has been used as a model prayer of repentance in both Jewish and Christian worship for centuries, and it stands as a reminder that genuine humility before God is never turned away.