The book of Nehemiah records two lengthy prayers: first, the private prayer in Chapter 1:4-11; second, Nehemiah Chapter 9 is substantially a long prayer of repentance where the people of God prayed a prayer of confession. Such a long prayer by the people in which they recount the hand of God at work in the life of Israel across the generations is remarkable. The prayer of Chapter 9 seems to allude to the imprecatory prayers of the Psalms, which call for God’s judgment upon the enemy (Ps 69; 83; 137; 139). One is admonished to offer a prayer like that of Nehemiah to plead for God to bring justice to the unjust world.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://spectrummagazine.org/sabbath-school/2019/our-forgiving-god