Ezra 9:6 (GNV)

Passage

And said, O my God, I am confounded and ashamed, to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God: for our iniquities are increased ouer our head, and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauen.

Nearby Context

Ezra 9:4 And there assembled vnto me all that feared the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of them of the captiuitie. And I sate downe astonied vntil the euening sacrifice.

Ezra 9:5 And at the euening sacrifice I arose vp from mine heauinesse, and when I had rent my clothes and my garment, I fell vpon my knees, and spred out mine hands vnto the Lord my God,

Ezra 9:6 And said, O my God, I am confounded and ashamed, to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee my God: for our iniquities are increased ouer our head, and our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauen.

Ezra 9:7 From the dayes of our fathers haue we bin in a great trespasse vnto this day, and for our iniquities haue we, our Kings, and our Priestes bene deliuered into the hand of the kings of the lands, vnto the sword, into captiuitie, into a spoyle, and into confusion of face, as appeareth this day.

Ezra 9:8 And now for a litle space grace hath bene shewed from the Lord our God, in causing a remnant to escape, and in giuing vs a nayle in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, and giue vs a litle reuiuing in our seruitude.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "iniquities", "said", "confounded", "ashamed", "lift", "mine", "eyes", and "vnto". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "iniquities" and "said", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 5's "And at the euening sacrifice I arose..." into verse 7's "From the dayes of our fathers haue...", so "iniquities" and "said" belong inside that flow. In Ezra context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "iniquities" and "said" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.