Prayers About Grief
Find 50 prayers about Grief to guide, comfort, and strengthen your faith.
He Will Wipe Away Every Tear
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4 (BSB)
BiblicalThe 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)
BiblicalKontakion for the Departed
Give rest, O Christ, to Your servant with Your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting. You only are immortal, the Creator and Maker of all, and we are mortal, formed of the earth, and to the earth we shall return. For so did You ordain when You created me, saying, 'Dust you are and to dust you shall return.' All we go down to the dust, weeping over the grave, we make our song: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Give rest, O Christ, to Your servant with Your saints, where sorrow and pain are no more, neither sighing, but life everlasting.
Orthodox funeral service (ancient)
TraditionalGod of All Comfort
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (BSB)
BiblicalHe Heals the Brokenhearted
Praise the Lord! How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him! The Lord builds up Jerusalem; He gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.
Psalm 147:1-6 (BSB)
BiblicalMy God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?
My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but You do not answer, and by night, but I have no rest. Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. In You our fathers trusted; they trusted and You delivered them. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. Yet You brought me forth from the womb; You made me secure at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon You; from my mother's womb You have been my God.
Psalm 22:1-4, 6, 9-10 (BSB)
BiblicalSave Me, O God, for the Waters Have Risen
Save me, O God, for the waters have risen to my neck. I have sunk into the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into deep waters, where the floods engulf me. I am weary from crying for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. But as for me, my prayer to You, O Lord, is for a time of favor. In the abundance of Your loving devotion, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation. Answer me, O Lord, out of Your abundant goodness; in Your great compassion, turn to me.
Psalm 69:1-3, 13, 16 (BSB)
BiblicalHear My Prayer, O Lord
Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my cry for help come before You. Do not hide Your face from me in my day of distress. Incline Your ear to me; answer me quickly when I call. For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is withered like grass, for I forget to eat my food. But You, O Lord, sit enthroned forever; Your renown endures to all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show her favor; the appointed time has come.
Psalm 102:1-4, 12-13 (BSB)
BiblicalYou Turned My Mourning into Dancing
I will exalt You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up and have not allowed my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me. O Lord, You brought me up from Sheol; You spared me from descending into the Pit. Sing to the Lord, O you His saints, and praise His holy name. For His anger is fleeting, but His favor lasts a lifetime. Weeping may stay the night, but joy comes in the morning. You turned my mourning into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever.
Psalm 30:1-5, 11-12 (BSB)
BiblicalO Lord, God of My Salvation
O Lord, God of my salvation, day and night I cry out before You. May my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to Sheol. O Lord, I cry out to You; in the morning my prayer comes before You. Why, O Lord, do You reject me? Why do You hide Your face from me? From my youth I have been afflicted and near death; I have borne Your terrors and am in despair. But to You, O Lord, I cry for help; in the morning my prayer meets You.
Psalm 88:1-3, 13-15 (BSB)
BiblicalHe Was Pierced for Our Transgressions
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. Yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:3-5 (BSB)
BiblicalEternal Rest
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. May their souls, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Traditional prayer for the deceased
TraditionalDe Profundis
Out of the depths I cry to You, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who 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 put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love, and with Him is full redemption. He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.
Psalm 130 (traditional liturgical rendering)
TraditionalOrthodox Prayer for the Departed
O God of spirits and of all flesh, who has trampled down death and overthrown the devil, and given life to Your world: Give rest, O Lord, to the soul of Your departed servant in a place of brightness, a place of refreshment, a place of repose, where all sickness, sighing, and sorrow have fled away. Pardon every transgression which they have committed, whether by word, by deed, or by thought. For You are a good God and the Lover of mankind, because there is no man who lives and does not sin.
Traditional Orthodox memorial service
TraditionalTraditional Prayer of Remembrance
O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our prayers on behalf of the soul of Your servant departed, and grant them an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of Your saints. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Traditional prayer of remembrance
TraditionalInto Your Hands I Commit My Spirit
In You, O Lord, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in Your righteousness. Incline Your ear to me; come quickly to my rescue. Be my rock of refuge, the stronghold of my deliverance. Into Your hands I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth. I will be glad and rejoice in Your loving devotion, for You have seen my affliction; You have known the distress of my soul. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes fail from grief, my soul and my body as well.
Psalm 31:1-2, 5, 7, 9 (BSB)
BiblicalAs 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)
BiblicalHow Long, O Lord?
How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle in my soul, with sorrow in my heart each day? How long will my enemy dominate me? Consider me and respond, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death. But I have trusted in Your loving devotion; my heart will rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for He has been good to me.
Psalm 13 (BSB)
BiblicalI Remembered God and I Groaned
I cried out to God; I cried aloud to God to hear me. In the day of my distress I sought the Lord. At night I stretched out my hands without growing weary; my soul refused to be comforted. I remembered God and I groaned. Then I thought, 'I will appeal to this: the years of the right hand of the Most High.' I will remember the works of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old. I will reflect on all Your works and meditate on Your deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is so great as our God? You are the God who works wonders; You display Your strength among the peoples.
Psalm 77:1-3, 10-14 (BSB)
BiblicalI Am the Resurrection and the Life
Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and everyone who lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?'
John 11:25-26 (BSB)
BiblicalThere Is a Time for Everything
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work God has done from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4, 11 (BSB)
BiblicalOut 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)
BiblicalRestore Our Fortunes, O Lord
When the Lord restored the captives of Zion, we were like those who dream. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with shouts of joy. Then it was said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.' The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
Psalm 126 (BSB)
BiblicalSalve Regina
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us, and after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Traditional Marian antiphon (11th century)
TraditionalAll Shall Be Well
God said not: Thou shalt not be troubled, thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be afflicted. But He said: Thou shalt not be overcome. God wants us to take heed of these words, and always to be strong in sure trust, in weal and woe. For He loves us and delights in us, and so He wishes us to love Him and delight in Him and trust strongly in Him, and all shall be well.
Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love (d. ~1416)
SaintThe Beatitudes
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3-10 (BSB)
BiblicalI Know That You Can Do All Things
I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted. You asked, 'Who is this who conceals My counsel without knowledge?' Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. My ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore I retract my words, and I repent in dust and ashes.
Job 42:2-3, 5-6 (BSB)
BiblicalNothing Can Separate Us from God's Love
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:35, 37-39 (BSB)
BiblicalPraise Be to God for a Living Hope
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5 (BSB)
BiblicalHis Mercies Are New Every Morning
Because of the Lord's loving devotion we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
Lamentations 3:22-25 (BSB)
BiblicalAll Things Work Together for Good
And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:28-31 (BSB)
BiblicalCommendation of the Dying
Go forth, Christian soul, from this world, in the name of God the almighty Father, who created you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, who suffered for you, in the name of the Holy Spirit, who was poured out upon you. Go forth, faithful Christian. May you live in peace this day, may your home be with God in Zion, with Mary the virgin Mother of God, with Joseph, and all the angels and saints. Amen.
Traditional commendation of the dying (Commendatio Animae)
TraditionalHave 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)
BiblicalThe 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)
BiblicalHe 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)
BiblicalPraise 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)
BiblicalI 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)
BiblicalSearch 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)
BiblicalThe 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)
BiblicalThe 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)
BiblicalDo 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)
BiblicalPrayer 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
TraditionalThe 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)
TraditionalSt. 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
SaintPrayer 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
SaintAct 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
TraditionalSuscipe 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
SaintGlory 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
TraditionalSong 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)
BiblicalPrayer 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
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