The Prayer of Manasseh is a short penitential prayer attributed to King Manasseh of Judah, who ruled a long and troubled reign and, according to the Bible’s account in 2 Chronicles 33, eventually turned back to God after years of idolatry and cruelty. The prayer is a confession and request for forgiveness, and it is found in the Septuagint and in Orthodox, Catholic and some Anglican collections of apocryphal or deuterocanonical writings, but not in the Protestant canon. This page summarizes what the prayer says, how its themes connect to the wider Bible, where traditions differ on its status, and how its honest repentance can shape your own prayer life.
A Prayer Rooted in Manasseh’s Story
The prayer presents itself as the words Manasseh spoke while held in captivity, humbled and far from the Jerusalem he once filled with altars to foreign gods. Its opening draws on God’s covenant identity: he is the Lord Almighty, the one who made heaven and earth and who keeps his promises of mercy. The writer confesses that the king’s sins were more numerous than the grains of sand by the sea, and yet asks for a mercy that reaches beyond what he deserves.
What stands out is the way the prayer moves from confession to trust. It does not minimize wrongdoing or bargain with God on the basis of merit. Instead it leans on the character of God as patient and merciful, and it pleads for restoration rather than simply escape from punishment. For readers, this structure is a helpful model: name the sin plainly, then turn toward the one who forgives.
1 Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. Cleanse me from my sin.
Psalm 51:1-2 (WEB)
Mercy That Reaches Beyond Deserving
A central theme of the prayer is that God’s mercy is not earned. The writer admits that he has no righteousness of his own to offer, and he asks God to act according to his goodness. This echoes the larger biblical pattern in which God forgives out of his own compassion, not because people have paid a debt. The prayer’s language of a sinner bending the knee and asking for release shows how repentance and grace belong together.
The prayer also expresses a hope that the penitent will praise God continually, not just be spared. Repentance in this view is oriented toward worship. A forgiven life is meant to overflow in gratitude and in a renewed relationship with the God who saves.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, for his great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…
Ephesians 2:4-5 (WEB)
Repentance as a Turning Back
The prayer treats repentance as a real change of direction. Manasseh’s story in Chronicles describes him removing the foreign altars and restoring worship of the Lord, and the prayer gives voice to the heart behind those actions. Confession without a turning back would be empty, and the prayer keeps the two together by asking God to receive a humbled heart and to renew the one who prays.
This connects to the New Testament’s call to change one’s mind and direction before God. The prayer’s sincerity lies in its willingness to name specific failures and to stop defending them. It shows that the way back to God is open to anyone who admits they need him, even after a long and damaging path.
“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord…
Acts 3:19 (WEB)
Where Christians Read This Differently
The Prayer of Manasseh is included in the canon of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches and in the Roman Catholic Bible only as an appendix or as part of the wider Old Testament tradition in some editions; Anglican and some other churches print it among the apocrypha, often with a note that it is useful for devotion but not doctrinally binding. Most Protestant traditions do not include the prayer in their canon and treat it as a valuable historical writing outside Scripture. Christians across these lines agree on the core teaching the prayer reflects, namely that God forgives the penitent and that confession and trust belong together, even if they disagree about the book’s formal authority.
Living It Out
You can use the prayer’s pattern in your own devotion. Begin by naming a specific failure instead of speaking in vague generalities. Then acknowledge that God’s mercy is not something you have earned, and ask him to restore what has been damaged in your relationship with him and with others. Ending with thanksgiving keeps the focus on the God who forgives rather than on your guilt.
Many people find it helpful to read the prayer slowly, one line at a time, and to pause after each phrase to see whether it expresses their own heart. Writing your own version in plain words can also be a meaningful way to take ownership of repentance. Whether you use the text itself or simply borrow its shape, the goal is an honest return to God.
Finally, remember that repentance is rarely a single moment. Like Manasseh, you may need to keep returning, confessing and receiving mercy again. That ongoing rhythm is part of the life of faith.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Prayer of Manasseh in the Bible?
It is not part of the Protestant Bible. It appears in the Orthodox tradition and in some Catholic and Anglican collections of apocryphal or deuterocanonical writings. Its story is referenced in 2 Chronicles 33, which is in the Bible.
Who wrote the Prayer of Manasseh?
Its authorship is traditionally attributed to King Manasseh, but most scholars consider it a later composition written in his name. Its date and origin are debated, though it is generally thought to come from the Second Temple period.
How long is the Prayer of Manasseh?
The prayer is quite brief, usually presented as a single short poem of around fifteen verses in most editions. Its brevity makes it easy to read in one sitting and to return to during personal devotion.
