LORD God, you are the one just ruler. You are Jehovah Hashopet, the Lord Our Judge. You are not like human kings. There is no one like you who meets out retribution for sin, yet governs with grace and forgiveness when we confess before you. Thank you for your justice. Thank you for your kind-heartedness and mercy. Thank you for not turning away as we seek you in the name and authority of Jesus, according to your good and perfect will. Amen.
“These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots…He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.” (1 Samuel 8: 11,17-18 ESV)