Prayers
Prayers from the Bible
Prayers first spoken in the Bible and prayed by the Church ever since.
Picture: Carl Bloch, Christ in Gethsemane, 1880
1 more prayer, spoken to a saint, also matches.
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For any time
3-
The Lord’s Prayer The prayer Jesus taught, shared by Christians of every tradition. About 30 seconds Jesus Christ -
O God, come to my assistance The psalm verse St John Cassian taught for every temptation. A few seconds St John Cassian -
The Magnificat Mary’s song of praise when she visited her cousin Elizabeth. About a minute The Virgin Mary
Worry, fear and sadness
18-
For a broken heart Near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34) The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. About a minute David - For a broken heart He heals the brokenhearted Praise to God, Who heals the brokenhearted and feeds the animals. About a minute Haggai and Zechariah
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For anxiety and fear When I am afraid (Psalm 56) “When I am afraid, I put my trust in You”: David’s psalm of fear. About a minute David - For anxiety and fear Lord, save me Peter’s three-word cry as he began to sink in the waves. To Christ A few seconds St Peter
- For anxiety and fear The Lord is my light (Psalm 27) A psalm for courage when you are afraid: “Whom shall I fear?” About two minutes David
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For burnout Have mercy on me, for I am weak (Psalm 6) For days when you are worn out in body and soul and need mercy. Under half a minute David - For burnout Moses’s prayer when the burden is too heavy For when you look after others and the load has grown too heavy. Under half a minute
- For burnout Psalm 102 The Bible’s prayer for someone worn out and overwhelmed. About three minutes
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For fear of death The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 23) The shepherd’s psalm: “I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” About a minute David -
For loneliness You are my refuge (Psalm 142) From a cave, David cries to God that no one cares for his soul. About a minute David -
For loneliness Prayer of Esther Queen Esther, before she risked her life: “Help me, who am alone.” About a minute Queen Esther -
For peace of mind Like a weaned child (Psalm 131) Three verses for a soul that stops reaching too high and rests in God. About 20 seconds David - For sadness and depression Why are you cast down, O my soul? A low soul, told three times in Psalms 42 and 43 to hope in God. About two minutes The sons of Korah
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For stress Lead me to The Rock (Psalm 61) When your heart is overwhelmed: a cry from the end of the earth. About half a minute David -
For worry about the future When anxious thoughts are many (Psalm 94) Psalm 94’s verses for a mind crowded with anxious thoughts. Under a minute David - For worry about the future Prayer of Jehoshaphat A king’s prayer: “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” Under a minute
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In despair Out of the depths (Psalm 130) From the lowest point, a cry to God that ends in hope. About a minute - In despair His mercies are new every morning A man whose hope has died remembers God’s mercy and hopes again. About a minute Jeremiah
Health and healing
9-
For a sick child Prayer of the royal official A father begs Jesus to come and heal his dying son. To Christ A few seconds -
For a sick child Prayer of the Canaanite woman A mother’s cry to Jesus for her suffering daughter: “Lord, help me.” To Christ A few seconds -
For addiction Turn me, and I shall be turned Asks God to turn you back to Him when you cannot turn yourself. About half a minute Ephraim, in the Book of Jeremiah -
For someone with cancer Prayer of Hezekiah A dying king’s prayer, and the song he wrote once he was healed. About two minutes -
For the eyes Lord, let me see A blind man begs Jesus for his sight, and receives it. To Christ A few seconds A blind man at Jericho, in Luke’s Gospel - For the eyes The Lord opens the eyes of the blind Praise to God, Who opens the eyes of the blind and lifts the bowed. About half a minute Haggai and Zechariah
- For the eyes Tobit’s thanks for his sight A blind father’s first words when he sees his son again. A few seconds
- For healing Heal me, O Lord Jeremiah’s one-line prayer to be healed and saved. A few seconds Jeremiah
- For healing Lord, the one You love is sick The message Martha and Mary sent Jesus when their brother fell ill. To Christ A few seconds Martha and Mary of Bethany
Through the day
8-
Before a flight Where can I go from Your Spirit? Wherever you go, even on the wings of the dawn, God’s hand leads you. About half a minute David -
Before a journey Psalm 121 God’s promise to guard you as you set out and as you come home. Under a minute -
Before reading Scripture Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening The boy Samuel’s answer when God called him in the night. A few seconds Samuel -
Before study and exams Solomon’s prayer, Wisdom 9 Solomon asks God to send wisdom to work beside him. About two minutes -
For focus Give me an undivided heart (Psalm 86) Asks God for an undivided heart, to walk in His truth. About 30 seconds David -
For when you can’t sleep In peace I will lie down (Psalm 4) The psalm that ends “In peace I will lie down and sleep.” About a minute David - For when you can’t sleep You held my eyes open (Psalm 77) A psalm for a night awake, from hard questions to God’s wonders. About two minutes Asaph
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In thanksgiving Bless the LORD, O my soul (Psalm 103) Tells your soul to bless the LORD and forget none of His benefits. About a minute David
When someone dies
4-
For the dying Lord, remember me A dying man’s prayer, answered with Paradise that same day. To Christ A few seconds The thief crucified beside Jesus -
For widows and widowers A defender of widows God is a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows. About 20 seconds David - In grief The God of all comfort Paul blesses the God Who comforts us in every trouble. About 15 seconds St Paul
- In grief Lord, if You had been here Martha tells Jesus her brother would have lived, and still believes. To Christ About 20 seconds Martha of Bethany
For someone you love
9-
For animals and pets You love all things (Wisdom 11) God loves everything He made and spares all things, for they are His. About 20 seconds - For animals and pets You preserve man and beast (Psalm 36) Praise to God, Who preserves people and animals alike. About 30 seconds David
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For family and friends Psalm 20 A blessing from the Psalms to pray over a friend in trouble. About 30 seconds David -
For good friends I thank my God every time I remember you St Paul’s thanks and prayer for the friends he loved at Philippi. Under a minute St Paul - For good friends May the Lord make your love increase St Paul’s prayer to see his friends again, and for their love to grow. Under a minute St Paul
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For siblings Psalm 133 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together as one. Under a minute David - For siblings Prayer of Jacob Jacob’s prayer before he faced the brother he had wronged. Under a minute
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To bless your children Priestly blessing The blessing God gave Aaron and his sons to speak over Israel. A few seconds - To bless your children Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh Old Jacob’s blessing on Joseph’s two sons, his grandsons. Under a minute
When it is hard
14-
After betrayal My close friend (Psalm 55) For when the one who hurt you was a close friend, not an enemy. About a minute and a half David - After betrayal My times are in Your hands (Psalm 31) For when the people around you turn away and you feel forgotten. About a minute and a half David
- After betrayal The Lord stood by me (St Paul) Deserted at his trial, St Paul asks that it not be held against them. About 30 seconds
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After losing a job Prayer of Habakkuk Rejoices in God even when every crop and flock fails. Under a minute The prophet Habakkuk - After losing a job The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away Blesses God on the day everything is lost, in Job’s words. A few seconds Job
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For a difficult boss Psalm 123 For when you have had more than enough of contempt. Under a minute - For a difficult boss Remember, O Lord, David The prayer book’s psalm for when those over you are angry. About two minutes
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For finding a job Nehemiah’s prayer for success Asks God for success today and for mercy from the person you face. A few seconds - For finding a job Peter’s prayer at the nets Peter’s answer when Jesus told him to fish again after an empty night. To Christ A few seconds
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For protection Psalm 91 The psalm of God’s shelter, for anyone in danger. About two minutes David - For money and work Psalm 127 Long hours and anxious toil are in vain unless God builds the house. Under a minute Solomon
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Against gossip and slander Psalm 120 Asks God to save you from lying lips and a deceitful tongue. Under a minute - Against gossip and slander Prayer of Susanna For when you are accused of something you did not do. Under a minute
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When it is hard Sirach’s thanksgiving Thanks to God for rescue from a slandering tongue. About two minutes Jesus son of Sirach
Struggles and temptations
9-
After sinning Prayer of the tax collector The plea Jesus praised: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” A few seconds Jesus Christ - After sinning Have mercy on me, O God (Psalm 51) David’s prayer for a clean heart and the joy of salvation. About two minutes David
- After sinning Prayer of Manasseh A captive king’s prayer: God has appointed repentance for sinners. About three minutes
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For anger Psalm 141 The Church’s evening psalm, asking for a guard over your mouth. About a minute David -
For jealousy and envy Whom have I in heaven (Psalm 73) For envy: Asaph envied the proud, until God was all he wanted. About half a minute Asaph -
For self-control The prayer of Sirach for self-control A guard on the tongue and a rein on the appetite, from the Bible. About a minute Jesus son of Sirach - For self-control O wretched man that I am Paul’s cry over the good he cannot do, and his thanks to God. About a minute St Paul
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For shame and regret Prayer of the prodigal son The words a son rehearsed on his way home, in Jesus’s parable. A few seconds Jesus Christ -
To forgive someone Father, forgive them Jesus’s prayer from the cross for those who crucified Him. A few seconds Jesus Christ
Life’s big moments
9-
For a new baby Song of Zechariah A father’s song of thanks on the day his newborn son was named. About a minute -
For a new home Psalm 30 Thanks God for joy after sorrow, sung at the dedication of a house. About a minute David -
For baptism and godparents As many as have been baptized The baptism hymn from St Paul: the baptized have put on Christ. To Christ A few seconds St Paul -
For an engagement and a wedding Prayer of Tobias and Sarah A newlyweds’ prayer from the Book of Tobit: to grow old together. About 30 seconds -
For old age Do not cast me off (Psalm 71) The Bible’s own prayer for growing old and grey. About two minutes David - For old age Fruit in old age (Psalm 92) The righteous still bear fruit when they are old. About 20 seconds
- For pregnancy and birth Fearfully and wonderfully made David thanks God for knitting him together in his mother’s womb. About 20 seconds David
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When hoping for a child Hannah’s prayer for a child The vow Hannah made in tears when she longed for a child. About 20 seconds -
Life’s big moments Prayer of Hannah A mother’s thanks to God for the son she prayed for, from 1 Samuel. About two minutes
To grow closer to God
13- For contentment Prayer of Agur For contentment: neither riches nor poverty, only what is enough. About twenty seconds
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For joy Satisfy us in the morning (Psalm 90) For joy: a prayer of Moses, to be made glad after the hard years. About half a minute Moses - For joy May the God of hope fill you St Paul’s blessing for joy, peace and overflowing hope. A few seconds St Paul
- For joy Fullness of joy (Psalm 16) David’s song of trust that finds fullness of joy in God. About a minute David
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For strength and courage Nehemiah’s prayer for strength A short prayer for when people try to scare you into giving up. A few seconds -
For trust and surrender Prayer in Gethsemane Accepts the Father’s will in Christ’s own words. A few seconds Jesus Christ -
For wisdom and guidance Solomon’s prayer for wisdom Asks God for a heart that listens, to tell good from evil. Under a minute - For wisdom and guidance Psalm 143 Asks God to show you the way to go and teach you to do His will. Under a minute David
- In times of doubt Lord, I believe; help my unbelief A father’s cry to Jesus for his sick son: “Help my unbelief.” To Christ A few seconds The father of a sick boy in Mark’s Gospel
- In times of doubt Increase our faith The apostles’ prayer to Jesus: “Increase our faith!” To Christ A few seconds The apostles, in Luke’s Gospel
- In times of doubt Lord, to whom shall we go? Peter’s answer when many disciples walked away from Jesus. To Christ A few seconds St Peter
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When God feels far How long, O Lord (Psalm 13) When God feels far: “How long will You hide Your face from me?” Under a minute David - When God feels far My soul thirsts for You (Psalm 63) David’s psalm of a soul thirsting for God in a dry land. About a minute David
Communion, feasts and fasts
7-
After Communion Song of Simeon Old Simeon’s words with the infant Jesus in his arms. About 20 seconds -
At Christmas Glory to God in the highest The angels’ song on the night Christ was born. A few seconds The angels at Bethlehem - At Christmas God is with us Isaiah’s words with their refrain, sung at Great Compline. About two minutes
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Before confession Whose sin is forgiven (Psalm 32) David kept quiet about his sin, then confessed it and was forgiven. About a minute David -
In Holy Week Arise, O God, judge the earth Psalm 82, sung on Holy Saturday as dark robes give way to bright ones. About two minutes Asaph - For Lent and fasting Turn not away Your face The psalm verses sung as Lent begins, on Forgiveness Sunday evening. About a minute David
- For Lent and fasting Let my prayer arise Psalm 141, sung kneeling at the Presanctified Liturgy in Lent. About a minute to say David
For the wider world
6-
For our country Daniel’s prayer for his people Confesses a nation’s sins and asks God to hear and forgive. About a minute The prophet Daniel -
For the Church and priests The High Priestly Prayer (John 17) Christ’s prayer that all who believe in Him may be one. About 30 seconds Jesus Christ - For the persecuted Prayer for boldness The first Church asks God for courage to speak His word under threat. About a minute
- For the persecuted Prayer of St Stephen The first martyr’s dying prayer, even for the men who stoned him. To Christ A few seconds
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For the poor and hungry Who considers the poor (Psalm 41) A blessing on all who care for the poor, and a plea for mercy. About 30 seconds David -
In epidemic and disaster Psalm 46 Holds on to God when the earth shakes and the waters roar. About a minute the sons of Korah