Prayers in the Bible, alongside biblical stories, are written to teach, empower and inspire us in our Christian life. (1 Cor 10:11-13, 2 Tim 3:16-17)
The book of Psalm is replete with Prayers. There is no way we would put together an article like this and not include prayers from Psalm.
Infact, the Good News Translation (GNT) introduces the book of Psalm as “the hymnbook and prayer book of the Bible”. I know for a fact, it is the prayerbook for my Mom. She prays and meditates on several Psalms each day. I know another lady who deeply connects and relates with the Psalmists to the point their writings are the articulation of her heart’s need in prayer.
In these examples, we see the power of God’s word to inform and inspire prayer as well as the benefits of meditating on the Bible.
In this blog post, we explore notable prayers from the Bible that leave a lasting impression.
Salient Prayers of the Bible.
The Lord’s Prayer.
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
2 Corinthians 13:14 – The Grace.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The Priestly Prayer – Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
Psalm 9 – Thanksgiving to God for His Justice
I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High. My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you. For you have upheld my right and my cause, sitting enthroned as the righteous judge.
Psalm 21 – Praise for Victory
The king rejoices in your strength, Lord. How great is his joy in the victories you give! You granted him the desire of his heart and have not withheld the request of his lips. You came to greet him with rich blessings and placed a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—length of days, for ever and ever.
Psalm 33 – A Song of Praise.
Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.
Psalm 23 – The Lord Our Shepherd
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 24 – The Great King
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god.
Psalm 27 – A Song of Praise
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.
Psalm 86 – A Prayer for Help
Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.
Psalm 130 – A Prayer for Help
Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.
Psalm 4 – Evening Prayer for Help
Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. How long will you people turn my glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods? Know that the Lord has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him.
Psalm 32 – Confession and Forgiveness
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
Psalm 38 – The Prayer of a Sufferer
Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. For your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me. Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin. All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.
Psalm 51 – A Prayer for Forgiveness
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.
The Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time, Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace,
Taking, as He did, this sinful world As it is, not as I would have it,
Trusting that He will make all things right If I surrender to His Will,
That I may be reasonably happy in this life And supremely happy with Him Forever in the next.
Amen.
Where is the serenity prayer in the bible?
Reinhold Niebuhr, an American theologist, coined the Serenity Prayer in New York City in 1932. It does not appear in the bible. However, it does indeed capture core spiritual values that are biblical.
The prayer is a reminder that we cannot control everything in life, but that we can turn to God for help and guidance (Proverbs 3:5-6). The prayer encourages us to accept the things we cannot change (1 Peter 5:6-7), to have courage to change the things we can (Galatians 6:9, Philippians 4:6-7), and to seek wisdom to know the difference(James 1:5, Proverbs 9:10).
Conclusion on Prayers in the Bible.
Bible verses about prayer remind us that prayer is a personal and intimate communication with God. It is a time for us to express our soul’s deepest needs, confess our sins, give thanks, and seek guidance. The prayers in the Bible serve as a guide, but it is important to personalize and internalize them.
As we journey through the various prayers in the Bible, understudy them, meditate on them, and pray them as we work on transforming our devotional life.
