Ezra 9:6
And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
The prayer was offered at the time of the evening sacrifice after learning that Israel, including the priests, the Levites, and the princes and rulers, had intermarried with the surrounding heathen peoples in disobedience to God's command to remain separate. He prayed having arisen from heaviness with garment and mantle rent, fallen on his knees with hands spread to God. Ashamed and blushing, he could not lift his face to God because iniquities had increased over the head and trespass had grown up to the heavens.
His shame expressed righteous indignation and grief at ingratitude after God's goodness in again giving His people a foothold in their native land. That ingratitude stood out despite the lesson of the Babylonian captivity that apostasy came largely from mingling with heathen nations in violation of laws given as a safeguard against apostasy. He made the people's sin his own, admitting his own sins and the sins of his people and entreating pardon as if he himself were the offender.
The prayer teaches kneeling as always the proper position when offering prayer to the Sovereign of the universe. Bowing on the knees in public and private worship shows dependence on God, and the chapter containing the prayer is a precious lesson on this for the receptive heart. His humbling of himself in confession belonged to patient toil and prayer and suffering for reform.
The shame and blushing over iniquity increased over the head and trespass grown to the heavens means telling children that God's law has been disregarded, with sorrow like his own and like Josiah's when the lost law was found. It means weeping and mourning with tears when the light of the law brings intelligent conviction of transgression, bringing offerings and gifts with praise to God in that mourning and rejoicing that the law is now possessed. It means resolving to lay hold of God's commandments and keep them and live, so as not to come up to the judgment as transgressors putting Christ to open shame.