Famous Prayers
Prayers Christians have prayed for centuries — from the Bible and from the history of the church.
From the Lord's Prayer to the Prayer of St. Francis, these prayers have shaped how believers talk with God for generations. Read each one with the story behind it, pray it slowly, and make its words your own.
Prayers from the Bible
The Lord's Prayer
The prayer Jesus taught his disciples (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4). Christians around the world have prayed it together for two thousand years.
The Prayer of Jabez
A short prayer from the genealogies of 1 Chronicles, in which Jabez asks God for blessing, protection and His presence — and God granted his request.
The Priestly Blessing (Aaronic Blessing)
The blessing God gave Aaron and his sons to speak over Israel. Many churches still close worship with these words: "The Lord bless you and keep you."
Hannah's Prayer
Hannah's song of thanksgiving after God answered her prayer for a son, Samuel. It celebrates a God who lifts up the humble and turns sorrow into joy.
The Magnificat (Mary's Song)
Mary's song of praise when she visited Elizabeth, rejoicing that God had chosen her to bear the Messiah. It has been sung in evening prayer for centuries.
Psalm 23 — The Lord Is My Shepherd
The best-loved psalm of trust: the Lord as the shepherd who provides, guides, restores, and stays with us through the darkest valley.
A Prayer of Repentance (Psalm 51)
David's prayer for mercy after his sin with Bathsheba. "Create in me a clean heart, O God" has given words to countless people seeking forgiveness.
Jesus' Prayer for All Believers (John 17)
On the night before the cross, Jesus prayed not only for his disciples but also "for those who will believe in me through their message" — that they would be one and...
Paul's Prayer for Inner Strength (Ephesians 3)
Paul kneels before the Father and prays that believers would be strengthened by the Spirit, rooted in love, and filled with all the fullness of God.
Classic Christian Prayers
The Prayer of St. Francis (Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace)
Known worldwide as the Peace Prayer, this prayer first appeared in France in 1912 and is traditionally linked to St. Francis of Assisi (1182–1226), whose life it reflects.
The Serenity Prayer
Written by the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in the 1930s, this short prayer for serenity, courage and wisdom became one of the most widely prayed prayers of...
St. Patrick's Breastplate (Christ Be with Me)
An ancient Irish prayer of protection attributed to St. Patrick (5th century). This best-known section asks that Christ surround every part of our lives.
The Prayer of St. Richard (Day by Day)
The prayer of Richard, Bishop of Chichester, said to have been spoken on his deathbed. Its closing lines inspired the song "Day by Day".
St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit
A short prayer traditionally attributed to St. Augustine, asking the Holy Spirit to make every thought, work and love holy.
The Suscipe — Prayer of Self-Offering (St. Ignatius)
From St. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises, this prayer gives everything we have back to God and asks only for his love and grace. English translation by Elder...
A Prayer for Wisdom (Thomas à Kempis)
From The Imitation of Christ, one of the most widely read Christian books after the Bible. Thomas asks God for the wisdom to know, love and value what pleases him.
The Jesus Prayer
One of the oldest and simplest Christian prayers, prayed since the early centuries of the church, especially in the Eastern tradition. It echoes the cries of the...
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