Prayers About Guidance
Find 50 prayers about Guidance to guide, comfort, and strengthen your faith.
Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (BSB)
BiblicalShow 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)
BiblicalYour Word Is a Lamp to My Feet
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I gain understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law. I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me. Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. Incline my heart to Your testimonies and not to selfish gain.
Psalm 119:105-106, 103-104, 18-19, 111, 36 (BSB)
BiblicalPrayer for Illumination
O Lord, heavenly Father, in whom is the fullness of light and wisdom, enlighten our minds by Your Holy Spirit, and give us grace to receive Your Word with reverence and humility, without which no one can understand Your truth. For Christ's sake. Amen.
John Calvin (16th century, public domain)
TraditionalSpeak, Lord, for Your Servant Is Listening
Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.
1 Samuel 3:10 (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)
BiblicalTeach 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)
BiblicalMay 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)
BiblicalLead Me, O Lord, in Your Righteousness
Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. Attend to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to You I pray. In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation. Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight Your way before me. But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.
Psalm 5:1-3, 8, 11 (BSB)
BiblicalSend Out Your Light and Your Truth
Vindicate me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation; deliver me from deceitful and unjust men. For You are the God of my refuge. Why have You rejected me? Why must I walk in sorrow because of the oppression of my enemy? Send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain, to the place where You dwell. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my greatest joy. I will praise You with the harp, O God, my God. 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 43 (BSB)
BiblicalTeach Me to Do Your Will
O Lord, hear my prayer; listen to my plea for mercy. In Your faithfulness and righteousness, come to my relief. My spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I consider the work of Your hands. I spread out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. Do not hide Your face from me, or I will be like those descending to the Pit. Let the morning bring news of Your loving devotion, for I have put my trust in You. Teach me the way I should walk, for to You I lift up my soul. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Psalm 143:1, 4-8, 10 (BSB)
BiblicalWhat Does the Lord Require?
He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Micah 6:8 (BSB)
BiblicalPrayer of St. Richard of Chichester
Thanks be to You, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits You have given me, for all the pains and insults You have borne for me. O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother, may I know You more clearly, love You more dearly, and follow You more nearly, day by day. Amen.
St. Richard of Chichester (d. 1253)
SaintLead, Kindly Light
Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom, lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home. Lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene. One step enough for me. I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou shouldst lead me on. I loved to choose and see my path, but now, lead Thou me on! I loved the garish day, and, in spite of fears, pride ruled my will. Remember not past years. So long Thy power has blessed me, sure it still will lead me on.
Blessed John Henry Newman (1833, public domain)
SaintSet a Guard, O Lord, Over My Mouth
O Lord, I call to You; come quickly to me. Hear my voice when I call to You. May my prayer be set before You like incense, the lifting up of my hands like the evening offering. Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. Do not let my heart be drawn to any evil thing or take part in wicked deeds with men who do iniquity. But my eyes are fixed on You, O Lord GOD; in You I take refuge; do not leave my soul destitute.
Psalm 141:1-4, 8 (BSB)
BiblicalSeek the Lord While He May Be Found
Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked man forsake his own way and the unrighteous man his own thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that He may have compassion, and to our God, for He will freely pardon. 'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,' declares the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.'
Isaiah 55:6-9 (BSB)
BiblicalSolomon's Prayer for Wisdom
O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. Your servant is here among the people You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. So give Your servant a discerning heart to govern Your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?
1 Kings 3:7-9 (BSB)
BiblicalIf Any of You Lacks Wisdom
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
James 1:5-6 (BSB)
BiblicalCome, Creator Spirit
Come, Creator Spirit, visit the souls of Your people. Fill with heavenly grace the hearts that You have created. You are called the Comforter, gift of God most high, living fountain, fire, love, and anointing of the soul. You bestow Your sevenfold gifts; You are the finger of God's right hand. You are the Father's solemn promise, putting words upon our lips. Kindle light in our minds and pour love into our hearts. Strengthen the weakness of our flesh by Your unfailing power.
Veni Creator Spiritus (9th century hymn, attributed to Rabanus Maurus)
TraditionalCome, Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth. O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Traditional Pentecost prayer
TraditionalPrayer 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
SaintBlessed Is the Man
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.
Psalm 1:1-3 (BSB)
BiblicalVindicate Me, O Lord
Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked with integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Test me, O Lord, and try me; examine my heart and mind. For Your loving devotion is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. I wash my hands in innocence and go about Your altar, O Lord, giving voice to thanksgiving and recounting all Your wonders. I love the house where You dwell, O Lord, the place where Your glory resides.
Psalm 26:1-3, 6-8 (BSB)
BiblicalPrayer of Daniel for Wisdom
Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him. He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and establishes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. I give You thanks and praise, O God of my fathers, for You have given me wisdom and power.
Daniel 2:20-23 (BSB)
BiblicalCollect for Grace
O Lord, our heavenly Father, Almighty and everlasting God, who hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: Defend us in the same with thy mighty power; and grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger; but that all our doings may be ordered by thy governance, to do always that is righteous in thy sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Book of Common Prayer (1662, public domain)
TraditionalPrayer of Examen
Lord, I give You thanks for all the gifts You have bestowed on me this day. I ask for Your light to review the day now ending. Where did I feel Your presence today? Where did I respond to Your grace? Where did I resist Your grace? Lord, show me how I failed to love today. I am sorry for the times I turned away from You and from others. Give me the grace to begin again tomorrow, closer to You, more open to Your love, more ready to serve. I place my trust in You for the day to come.
Based on St. Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises (d. 1556)
SaintI 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)
BiblicalPrayer 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
SaintTeach 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)
BiblicalBe Strong and Courageous
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 (BSB)
BiblicalPrayer of Surrender
Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love only what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy.
St. Augustine of Hippo (d. 430)
SaintPrayer of St. Gregory Nazianzen
O Lord and Ruler of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, curiosity, love of power, and empty talking. But grant to me, Your servant, the spirit of moderation, humility, patience, and love. O Lord and King, grant me the grace to see my own faults and not to condemn my neighbor. For blessed are You unto the ages of ages. Amen.
St. Gregory Nazianzen (d. 390)
Church FatherThe 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)
BiblicalTrust in the Lord and Do Good
Do not fret over those who do evil; do not envy those who do wrong. For they will wither quickly like grass and fade like the green herb. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.
Psalm 37:1-7 (BSB)
BiblicalOffer Your Bodies as Living Sacrifices
Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:1-2 (BSB)
BiblicalAsk and It Will Be Given to You
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:7-11 (BSB)
BiblicalOrthodox Morning Prayer
O Lord, grant me to greet the coming day in peace. Help me in all things to rely upon Your holy will. In every hour of the day, reveal Your will to me. Bless my dealings with all who surround me. Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul, and with firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words, guide my thoughts and feelings. In unforeseen events, let me not forget that all are sent by You. Teach me to act firmly and wisely, without embittering and embarrassing others. Give me strength to bear the fatigue of this coming day with all that it shall bring. Direct my will, teach me to pray, and You Yourself, pray in me. Amen.
Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow (d. 1867)
TraditionalPrayer of St. Basil the Great
O God and Lord of Hosts, Creator of heaven and earth, look down upon Your servants who lift up their hands and eyes to heaven. Deliver us from every onslaught of the enemy. Grant us Your mercy. We look for help from no other source, but we hope in You alone. Guard our souls, protect our lives. Direct our intentions, sanctify our thoughts, and lead us to our perfection. Help us in our feebleness and save us from all dangers by granting us grace, mercy, and compassion for those whom You have made.
St. Basil the Great (d. 379)
Church FatherPrayer of Clement of Rome
We beg You, Lord, to help and defend us. Deliver the oppressed, pity the insignificant, raise the fallen, show Yourself to the needy, heal the sick, bring back those of Your people who have gone astray. Feed the hungry, lift up the weak, take off the prisoners' chains. May every nation come to know that You alone are God, that Jesus Christ is Your child, that we are Your people, the sheep of Your pasture. Amen.
St. Clement of Rome (d. ~100 AD)
Church FatherPrayer to the Holy Spirit by St. Ephrem
O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Your servant. O Lord and King, grant me to see my own sins and not to judge my brother, for You are blessed from all ages to all ages. Amen.
St. Ephrem the Syrian (d. 373)
Church FatherPrayer of St. John Bosco for Young People
O Lord Jesus Christ, who when on earth did love to be surrounded by young people, look with favor upon the youth of our time. Protect them from the dangers that beset them. Give them a love of purity, patience in suffering, and perseverance in good works. Fill their hearts with zeal for Your service and for the welfare of their neighbor. Guide them in the way of peace and lead them safely to their eternal home. Through Your mercy, O Lord. Amen.
Based on St. John Bosco (d. 1888, public domain)
SaintPrayer of Abandonment
Father, I abandon myself into Your hands; do with me what You will. Whatever You may do, I thank You: I am ready for all, I accept all. Let only Your will be done in me, and in all Your creatures. I wish no more than this, O Lord. Into Your hands I commend my soul; I offer it to You with all the love of my heart, for I love You, Lord, and so need to give myself, to surrender myself into Your hands, without reserve, and with boundless confidence, for You are my Father.
Blessed Charles de Foucauld (d. 1916, public domain)
SaintThe 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)
BiblicalBlessed 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)
BiblicalThe Lord Watches Over Those Who Fear Him
Sing joyfully to the Lord, O righteous ones; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. For the word of the Lord is upright, and all His work is trustworthy. The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of His loving devotion. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all their host by the breath of His mouth. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His inheritance. The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His loving devotion. We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.
Psalm 33:1, 4-6, 12, 18, 20 (BSB)
BiblicalI Am Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
O Lord, You have searched me and You know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways. For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all my days were written in Your book and ordained for me before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:1-3, 13-16 (BSB)
BiblicalNehemiah's Prayer of Confession
O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion with those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Your eyes be open and Your ears attentive to hear the prayer that I, Your servant, now pray before You day and night for Your servants, the Israelites. I confess the sins we Israelites have committed against You. Both I and my father's house have sinned.
Nehemiah 1:5-6 (BSB)
BiblicalFor I Know the Plans I Have for You
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (BSB)
BiblicalRemain in Me
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
John 15:5, 9-11 (BSB)
BiblicalPrayer for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in your knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe.
Ephesians 1:17-19 (BSB)
Biblical
APP BLOCKING
Pray before you scroll.
DAILY SCRIPTURE
From 3 Christian traditions.
PRAYER JOURNAL
Reflect after every prayer.
Build a habit around praying & spend less time on social media.
Build a daily prayer habit with Pray Focus.
APP BLOCKING
Pray before you scroll.
DAILY SCRIPTURE
From 3 Christian traditions.
PRAYER JOURNAL
Reflect after every prayer.
Build a habit around praying & spend less time on social media.
