Read & explore together
Tobit's Prayer in Suffering
In this prayer from the Catholic additional book of Tobit, a suffering man speaks to God with grief, confession, and urgency. The passage is honest about deep pain while still calling the Lord righteous, merciful, and true.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
Tobit says he is grieved, weeps, and prays in sorrow. In his words to the Lord, he mentions God’s righteous judgment, sin, disobedience to commandments, reproach among the nations, and a plea to be released from distress. This explanation stays within Tobit 3:1–6.
Tobit 3:1–6Main takeaway
This prayer shows that a suffering person may speak openly to God about grief and guilt while still honouring God as righteous.
Explore the prayer
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A prayer from griefThe prayer begins with sorrow, not relief. Tobit says he was grieved, wept, and prayed. The verse does not hide pain.
Explanation
The prayer begins with sorrow, not relief. Tobit says he was grieved, wept, and prayed. The verse does not hide pain. It shows prayer rising from distress, with tears and sadness named plainly before any request is made.
02God is righteous and trueTobit first speaks about the Lord’s character. He says the Lord is righteous, that all God’s works and ways are mercy and truth, and that God judges true and righteous judgment forever.
Explanation
Tobit first speaks about the Lord’s character. He says the Lord is righteous, that all God’s works and ways are mercy and truth, and that God judges true and righteous judgment forever. These words frame the whole prayer with reverence.
03Confession and remembered sinTobit asks God to remember and look at him, and not to take vengeance for sins and ignorances.
Explanation
Tobit asks God to remember and look at him, and not to take vengeance for sins and ignorances. He also mentions the sins of his fathers. The prayer does not claim innocence. It joins personal need with confession before God.
04Disobedience, judgment, and a plea for releaseTobit says, “they disobeyed your commandments,” and speaks of plunder, captivity, death, and reproach.
Explanation
Tobit says, “they disobeyed your commandments,” and speaks of plunder, captivity, death, and reproach. He says God’s judgments are many and true because “we didn’t keep your commandments” or “walk in truth.” Then he asks to be released from distress and pleads, “Don’t turn your face away from me.”
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What words does Tobit use to describe the Lord before asking for help?
List the terms he uses for God’s character, works, ways, and judgment in the prayer.
02How does Tobit speak about sin in this prayer?
03What requests appear at the end of the prayer?
Look for both his plea to be released from distress and his final words about God’s face.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Tobit 3:1–6
1I was grieved and wept, and prayed in sorrow, saying,
2“O Lord, you are righteous, and all your works and all your ways are mercy and truth, and you judge true and righteous judgment forever.
3Remember me, and look at me. Don’t take vengeance on me for my sins and my ignorances, and the sins of my fathers who sinned before you.
4For they disobeyed your commandments. You gave us as plunder, for captivity, for death, and for a proverb of reproach to all the nations among whom we are dispersed.
5Now your judgments are many and true, that you should deal with me according to my sins and the sins of my fathers, because we didn’t keep your commandments, for we didn’t walk in truth before you.
6Now deal with me according to that which is pleasing in your sight. Command my spirit to be taken from me, that I may be released, and become earth. For it is more profitable for me to die rather than to live, because I have heard false reproaches, and there is much sorrow in me. Command that I be released from my distress, now, and go to the everlasting place. Don’t turn your face away from me.”