Prayers About Before Meals

Find 50 prayers about Before Meals to guide, comfort, and strengthen your faith.

Featured Prayer

Grace Before Meals

Bless us, O Lord, and these Your gifts, which we are about to receive from Your bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Traditional Christian prayer

Traditional

Grace After Meals

We give You thanks, Almighty God, for all Your benefits, who lives and reigns forever and ever. Amen.

Traditional Christian prayer

Traditional

Traditional Table Blessing

Be present at our table, Lord; be here and everywhere adored. These mercies bless, and grant that we may feast in paradise with Thee. Amen.

Traditional table grace (attributed to John Wesley)

Traditional

Scottish Table Grace

Some have meat and cannot eat, some cannot eat that want it. But we have meat, and we can eat, so let the Lord be thanked. Amen.

Traditional Scottish grace (Robert Burns, Selkirk Grace, public domain)

Traditional

Luther's Table Prayer

The eyes of all look to You, O Lord, and You give them their food at the proper time. You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. Lord God, heavenly Father, bless us and these Your gifts which we receive from Your bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Martin Luther's Small Catechism (1529, public domain)

Traditional

Moravian Table Grace

Come, Lord Jesus, our guest to be, and bless these gifts bestowed by Thee. Bless our loved ones everywhere, and keep them in Your care. Amen.

Traditional Moravian blessing

Traditional

Protestant Table Grace

Lord, bless this food we are about to receive. Give bread to those who hunger, and hunger for justice to those who have bread. May we who have plenty learn to be grateful, and may those who have little know Your provision. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Traditional Protestant table grace

Traditional

Children's Grace Before Meals

God is great, God is good, and we thank Him for our food. By His hand we all are fed. Give us, Lord, our daily bread. Amen.

Traditional children's mealtime prayer

Traditional

Prayer for Daily Provision

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

Matthew 6:31-33 (BSB)

Biblical

Praise Awaits You, O God, in Zion

Praise awaits You, O God, in Zion; to You our vows will be fulfilled. O You who hear prayer, to You all men come. When we were overwhelmed by our transgressions, You forgave them. Blessed is the man You choose and bring near to dwell in Your courts. We are filled with the goodness of Your house, Your holy temple. You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas.

Psalm 65:1-5 (BSB)

Biblical

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art 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 the evil one.

Matthew 6:9-13 (BSB)

Biblical

Glory Be to the Father

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Traditional Christian doxology

Traditional

The Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise Him, all creatures here below; praise Him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Thomas Ken (1674, public domain)

Traditional

May God Be Gracious to Us

May God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us, that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. Let the nations rejoice and sing for joy, for You judge the peoples justly and lead the nations of the earth. Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You. The earth has yielded its harvest; God, our God, blesses us. God blesses us, that all the ends of the earth may fear Him.

Psalm 67 (BSB)

Biblical

His Loving Devotion Endures Forever

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His loving devotion endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His loving devotion endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His loving devotion endures forever. To Him who alone does great wonders, His loving devotion endures forever. To Him who made the heavens by His understanding, His loving devotion endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His loving devotion endures forever.

Psalm 136:1-5, 26 (BSB)

Biblical

A General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we thine unworthy servants do give thee most humble and hearty thanks for all thy goodness and loving-kindness to us, and to all men. We bless thee for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all, for thine inestimable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And we beseech thee, give us that due sense of all thy mercies, that our hearts may be unfeignedly thankful; and that we show forth thy praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves to thy service. Amen.

Book of Common Prayer (1662, public domain)

Traditional

The Lord Is My Shepherd

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23 (BSB)

Biblical

Have Mercy on Me, O God

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash me clean of 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 that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence; take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.

Psalm 51:1-4, 10-12 (BSB)

Biblical

He Who Dwells in the Shelter of the Most High

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, 'You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' Surely He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly plague. He will cover you with His feathers; under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the calamity that destroys at noon. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling, no harm will befall you, no plague will approach your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.

Psalm 91:1-6, 9-11 (BSB)

Biblical

Praise the Lord, O My Soul

Praise the Lord, O my soul; all that is within me, praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds. He forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with loving devotion and compassion. He satisfies you with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 103:1-5 (BSB)

Biblical

I Lift Up My Eyes to the Hills

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is the shade on your right hand. The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul. The Lord will watch over your coming and going, both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121 (BSB)

Biblical

Search Me, O God

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24 (BSB)

Biblical

The Magnificat

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful.

Luke 1:46-55 (BSB)

Biblical

The Priestly Blessing

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26 (BSB)

Biblical

Do Not Be Anxious

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (BSB)

Biblical

Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Traditional prayer attributed to St. Francis of Assisi

Traditional

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.

Reinhold Niebuhr (public domain)

Traditional

St. Patrick's Breastplate

Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me. Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Traditional Irish prayer attributed to St. Patrick

Saint

Prayer for Rest in God

You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You. Grant us, Lord, to know what we ought to know, to love what we ought to love, to praise what delights You most, to value what is precious in Your sight, to hate what is offensive to You. Do not allow us to judge according to the sight of our eyes, nor to pass sentence according to the hearing of the ears of ignorant men; but to discern with a true judgment between things visible and spiritual, and above all things, always to inquire what is the good pleasure of Your will.

St. Augustine of Hippo, Confessions and other writings

Saint

Act of Contrition

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins, because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend You, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.

Traditional Catholic prayer

Traditional

Suscipe of St. Ignatius

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all I have and call my own. You have given all to me. To You, Lord, I return it. Everything is Yours; do with it what You will. Give me only Your love and Your grace, that is enough for me.

St. Ignatius of Loyola, Spiritual Exercises

Saint

Song of Simeon

Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.

Luke 2:29-32 (BSB)

Biblical

Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas Before Study

Creator of all things, true source of light and wisdom, origin of all being, graciously let a ray of Your light penetrate the darkness of my understanding. Take from me the double darkness in which I have been born, an obscurity of sin and ignorance. Give me a keen understanding, a retentive memory, and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally. Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm. Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and help in the completion. I ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Saint

Prayer of Jabez

Oh, that You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.

1 Chronicles 4:10 (BSB)

Biblical

God Is Our Refuge and Strength

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, though their waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge. Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth. The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11 (BSB)

Biblical

The Lord Is My Light

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? Though an army encamps around me, my heart will not fear; though a war breaks out against me, I will keep my trust. One thing I have asked of the Lord; this is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and seek Him in His temple. Wait for the Lord; be strong and courageous. Wait for the Lord!

Psalm 27:1, 3-4, 14 (BSB)

Biblical

My Soul Finds Rest in God Alone

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will never be shaken. Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress; I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honor rest on God; He is my strong rock, my refuge. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge.

Psalm 62:1-2, 5-8 (BSB)

Biblical

Taste and See That the Lord Is Good

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. My soul will boast in the Lord; the humble will hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears. Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit.

Psalm 34:1-4, 8, 15, 17-18 (BSB)

Biblical

As the Deer Pants for Water

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear in God's presence? Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42:1-2, 5 (BSB)

Biblical

Out of the Depths I Cry to You

Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord. O Lord, hear my voice; let Your ears be attentive to my plea for mercy. If You, O Lord, kept track of iniquities, then who, O Lord, could stand? But with You there is forgiveness, so that You may be feared. I wait for the Lord; my soul does wait, and in His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning.

Psalm 130:1-6 (BSB)

Biblical

Teach Me Your Way, O Lord

Incline Your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul, for I am godly. Save Your servant who trusts in You. You are my God; be merciful to me, O Lord, for I call to You all day long. Bring joy to Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. For You, O Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich in loving devotion to all who call on You. Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth. Give me an undivided heart to fear Your name.

Psalm 86:1-5, 11 (BSB)

Biblical

Great Is the Lord

I will exalt You, my God and King; I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; His greatness is unsearchable. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in loving devotion. The Lord is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made. The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.

Psalm 145:1-3, 8-9, 14, 18 (BSB)

Biblical

Give Thanks to the Lord

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever. In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me and set me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me as my helper; I will look in triumph on those who hate me. This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:1, 5-7, 24 (BSB)

Biblical

O God, You Are My God

O God, You are my God; earnestly I seek You. My soul thirsts for You; my body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water. So I have seen You in the sanctuary and beheld Your power and glory. Because Your loving devotion is better than life, my lips will glorify You. I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift my hands. My soul is satisfied as with rich food; with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.

Psalm 63:1-5 (BSB)

Biblical

Shout Joyfully to the Lord

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name. For the Lord is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations.

Psalm 100 (BSB)

Biblical

Let Everything That Has Breath Praise the Lord

Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the harp and lyre. Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; praise Him with strings and flute. Praise Him with clashing cymbals; praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150 (BSB)

Biblical

May the Words of My Mouth Be Pleasing

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 (BSB)

Biblical

Teach Us to Number Our Days

Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God. Teach us to number our days, that we may present a heart of wisdom. Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish for us the work of our hands; yes, establish the work of our hands!

Psalm 90:1-2, 12, 14, 17 (BSB)

Biblical

Blessed Is the One Whose Sin Is Forgiven

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all the godly pray to You while You may be found.

Psalm 32:1-6 (BSB)

Biblical

Show Me Your Ways, O Lord

To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust; do not let me be ashamed; do not let my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for You will be put to shame. Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; all day long I wait for You. Remember, O Lord, Your compassion and loving devotion, for they are from age to age. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; remember me according to Your loving devotion, because of Your goodness, O Lord.

Psalm 25:1-7 (BSB)

Biblical