Our God and God of our fathers,

let our prayer come before you

and do not ignore our supplication.

For we are not so brazen-faced

and stiff-necked

to say to you,

Adonoy, our God, and God of our fathers,

We are righteous and have not sined.

But, indeed, we and our fathers have sinned.

We have trespassed [against God and man, and we are devastated by our guilt];

We have betrayed [God and man, we have been ungrateful for the good done to us];

We have stolen; We have slandered.

We have caused others to sin;

We have caused others to commit sins for which they are called רְשָׁעִים, wicked;

We have sinned with malicious intent;

We have forcibly taken other's possessions even though we paid for them;

We have added falsehood upon falsehood; we have joined with evil individuals or groups.

We have given harmful advice;

We have deceived; We have mocked;

We have rebelled against God and His Torah;

We have caused God to be angry with us;

We have turned away from God's Torah;

We have sinned deliberately;

We have been negligent in our performance of the commandments;

We have caused our friends grief;

We have been stiff-necked, refusing to admit that the cause of our suffering is our own sins.

We have committed sins for which we are called רָשָׁע [raising a hand to hit someone].

We have committed sins which are the result of moral corruption;

We have committed sins which the Torah refers to as abominations;

We have gone astray;

We have led others astray.

We have turned away

from Your commandments

and from Your good laws,

and we have gained nothing from it.

And You are the Righteous One

in all [punishment] that has come upon us;

for You have acted truthfully

and we have acted wickedly.

You are Almighty, Slow to anger,

Lord of Mercy, You are called,

and the way of repentance,

You have taught us.

The greatness of Your mercy and kindness,

remember this day and every day

for the descendants of Your loved ones.

Turn to us with compassion

for You are the Lord of Mercy.

With supplication and prayer

we approach Your Presence,

as You made know

to [Moses,] the modest one of old.

From Your fierce anger turn,

as it is written in Your Torah:

In the shadow of Your wings,

may we be sheltered and lodged,

as on the day [of which it is said:]

When Adonoy descended in the cloud.

Remove [our] transgression,

and blot out [our] iniquity,

as on the day [of which it is said:]

And He stood with him there.

Give ear to our cry

and listen to our speech,

as on the day [of which it is said:]

And He proclaimed in the Name, Adonoy

And there it is said:

And Adonoy passed before him [Moses]

and proclaimed:

Adonoy, Adonoy,

Almighty, Merciful, Gracious,

Slow to Anger,

and Abundant in Kindness and Truth.

Keeper of kindness

for thousands of generations,

Endurer of iniquity and transgression,

and sin,

and Acquitter of those who repent.¹

footnotes: ¹ Exodus 34:5-7.

And pardon our iniquity and our sin,

and take us for Your inheritance.²

footnotes: ² Exodus 34:9.

Pardon us,our Father, for we have sinned,

forgive us, our King, for we have transgressed.

For You, my Master,

are good and forgiving,

and abounding in kindness

to all who call upon You.³

footnotes: ³ Psalms 86:5.

And David said to Gad (II Samuel 24:14),

I am greatly distressed;

let us fall into the hand of Adonoy⁴

footnotes: ⁴ David had sinned by counting the Jews. And his heart was crushed with remorse when the prophet Gad, at God's command, offered him a choice of three punishments: seven years of famine, or three months of defeat in war, or three days of pestilence. David chose the last of these three, explaining that he preferred to trust in God's compassion rather than be at man's mercy. Indeed, the pestilence lasted only half a day instead of three.

for His mercies are great,

but into the hand of man let me not fall."

Merciful and gracious One,

I have sinned before You;

Adonoy, full of mercy,

have compassion upon me

and accept my supplications.

Adonoy, do not rebuke me with Your anger,⁵

footnotes: ⁵ In this psalm (6:2-11) David willingly accepts Divine punishment. He asks only that it not be inflicted on him at once in a sudden, unbearable burst of fury. Rather, he pleads, that it be meted out gradually so that he can withstand the suffering.—Radak

nor chastise me with Your rage.⁶

footnotes: ⁶ Rebuke is offered with kind words, while chastisement, is often accompanied by harsh punishment.—Malbim

Be gracious unto me, Adonoy,

for I am desolate,

heal me Adonoy, for my bones are terrified.

My soul, [too,] is utterly terrified,

and You Adonoy, how long?

Return Adonoy, free my soul,⁷ 41a) states that a person does not recover from his illness until all of his sins are forgiven, as it says, “Who forgives all your sins. Who heals all your ailments” (Psalms 103:3). David first requests that God free his soul by forgiving his sins; only then can his shattered body be healed.—Imros Tehoros

footnotes: ⁷ Since all physical illness stems from blemishes and sins of the soul, the Talmud (Maseches Nedarim

deliver me

for the sake of Your lovingkindness.

For in death there is no mention of You;

in the lower world who will thank You.

I am worn out with my sighing,

every night I cause my bed to float;

with my tears, I melt my couch.⁸ (Samuel165)

footnotes: ⁸ During the twenty-two years the Holy Spirit departed from him, David shed a cupful of tears and drank it every single day.—Yalkut

My eye is dimmed from anger,⁹

footnotes: ⁹ David was angry because his enemies rejoiced over his illness.—Radak

it has aged because of my tormentors.

Depart from me, all you evildoers,

for Adonoy has heard

the voice of my weeping.¹⁰

footnotes: ¹⁰ Weeping is the eloquence of sorrow, and our tears are liquid prayers.

Adonoy has heard my supplication,

Adonoy will (also) accept my prayer.¹¹

footnotes: ¹¹ Prayer seeks spiritual purification and proper understanding.—S.R. Hirsch

Ashamed and utterly terrified¹²

footnotes: ¹² My enemies, who hoped for my death, will be ashamed and terrified when they see that my health has been restored.—Radak

will all my foes be,

they will return

and be instantaneously ashamed.¹³

footnotes: ¹³ When they witness my recovery, they will regret their animosity and seek peace with me. At that moment they will be ashamed to face me.—Radak