Nehemiah 1:4–11 (ESV)

4 As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Nehemiah’s prayer of confession and repentance has a feel of great humility. Jesus’ form of conduct in the presence of his judges (Matthew 26:57–27:50) conveyed that same self-effacement (Isaiah 53:7–9; Psalm 5:5). Here is the same humility of which the Lord spoke when he said, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5).