Prayer for Humility

O great, holy, and merciful God! who art the High and Exalted One, before whose throne cherubim and seraphim and all the elect cover their faces in humility! I confess unto Thee and lament that I am by nature inclined to pride and self-exaltation. Through the Pall into sin Satan has so poisoned my heart with pride, the source of all sin, that I often forget that I am but dust and ashes.

O my God! grant me a humble heart, that I may thoroughly realize that I owe my life, prosperity, and all that I possess to Thee. Let me humble myself under Thy mighty hand, and not impiously offend Thee by thoughts, words, or deeds. Teach me to see my wretched state and Thy great majesty. Let me realize that I derive nothing from myself but sin, death, and condemnation; and that whatever good I possess, I have received from Thy gracious hand: so that I may boast of nothing, but may regard all things as Thy gift and grace: and may remember that Thou canst take them all from me again, if in the multitude of Thy mercies I should forget Thee. Plant true humility in my heart. Let me obey, fear, honor, serve, and adore Thee. Let me praise and exalt Thee alone.

Plant in my heart also true humility toward my neighbor, that I may never look down upon him, nor exalt myself above him. Help me to remember that the proud have never been pleasing to Thee, but that Thou hast let Thy light and comfort and grace and goodness flow in streams of mercy upon the humble souls. Preserve me from proud thoughts, enable me to avoid proud words, and preserve me from conceit and boastfulness; for from these things nothing but contempt for my neighbor could spring. Impress upon my heart the image of my lowly Saviour, who humbled himself below angels and men, and who says to me: Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart. Grant that these words of my Saviour may resound in my heart whenever I am tempted to exalt myself. If my neighbor is of low estate, grant that I may not look down upon him. If he is great and rich and honored, let me remember that Thou hast bestowed these advantages upon him; so that I may not find fault with Thy dispensation, nor envy him, but may rejoice over his prosperity.

O my God, grant that I may be converted and become as a little child, thinking nothing of self, and being nothing in my own eyes. Bestow Thy Holy Spirit upon me, that I may daily die to the sin of pride, regard myself as unworthy of any honor, desire honor from no one, and ascribe all glory to Thee. Grant me grace to realize with all humility of heart, that all that I have and am is due to Thy grace alone, and that of myself I may glory in nothing but in mine infirmities.

Teach me through such humility to live in peace and concord with all men. Let my heart always be the dwelling-place of the humble Jesus; then shall I never exalt myself. Pride and self-exaltation were the sin of Satan; from this sin preserve me by Thy grace. And should it ever please Thee, O God, to let me become an object of ridicule and contempt; should my enemy scorn me, and the haughty trample me under foot: give me grace to bear it all with humility, meekness, and patience, and to employ such treatment for my firmer establishment in humility and my greater carefulness in conduct. O Lord, Lord, grant me grace and strength to do all these things by Thy help. Amen.