Prayers For Life

We have collected some of the best prayers for life to use in request to God. May these prayers for safety bring you comfort and peace of mind. May these prayers for strength encourage your spirit and strengthen your faith.

Life is a characteristic that distinguishes physical entities that have biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased (they have died), or because they never had such functions and are classified as inanimate.

See also: Pro-Life Prayers 

Life is the most luminous, the most beautiful of the miracles of Dominical Power. It is the most powerful and most brilliant of the proofs of Divine Unity.

Prayer for Life #1

Our old women gods, we ask you!
Our old women gods, we ask you!
Then give us long life together,
May we live until our frosted hair is white;
May we live till then.
This life that now we know!

— Tewa (North American Indian) Traditional Prayer

Prayer For Life #2

Heavenly Father, source of all life, who desires not the death of your children, but
wishes that they may grow into the fulfillment of the personhood that you placed in them
from the moment of conception, shower Your blessings upon the unborn, protect them
from all evil and bring them forth into the world to walk in Your ways.

Bestow Your particular love upon those privileged by motherhood that they may be
supported at this most special time in their lives. Turn the hearts of the fathers toward
You that they, too, may be filled with abundant grace.

I offer You my special prayer for all your children, for my life itself, for all the blessings
You have bestowed on me, and ask finally to be brought into Your presence when You
see fit to end my earthly sojourn.

Prayer For Life #3

Dear Lord, thank you for your many blessings. Thank you for the lives we have been graciously given, and help us to use our limited time for good. Help us to pursue our lives to their fullest. Remind us that living for you is the only path to true fulfillment.

— Greg Laurie

Prayer for Life #4

O God, our Creator, all life is in your hands from conception until death. Help us to cherish our children and to reverence the awesome privilege of our share in creation. May all people live and die in dignity and love. Bless all those who defend the rights of the unborn, the handicapped and the aged. Enlighten and be merciful toward those who fail to love, and give them peace. Let freedom be tempered by responsibility, integrity and morality.

Prayer for Life #5

The Brick Wall Prayer (A Prayer to Know God’s Will)

God, you know me better than I know myself. You know my fears and my desires. You know how much I want this. You know how much I will be devastated if this doesn’t happen. I know you love me. I know you have a plan for me. Please, Lord, don’t let my desires blind me to your will. If this is not within your plan for me, throw up a Brick Wall. Give me an obstacle I cannot get past. Help me follow your will, Father. Give me peace about whatever is to come. If this falls through, I will know it is your hand.

Thank you for loving me,

Amen

To Protect Life

Dear Lord

Look kindly on all the unborn whom You have called to life. From the moment of their conception protect all innocent unborn children whose hearts begin to beat at an early stage of pregnancy and who can serve You for a lifetime on earth and can praise and love You for all eternity. Give their mothers the means to bring these babies into the world. Provide them with the insight to know that even though they may not be able to feed, clothe, and educate them, someone is willing to adopt them and give them the love they need.

Give both the mothers and their unborn babies health of mind and body. Help all their family members to be accepting of this gift of new life, so that they will be able to encourage the mother and father and support them in any necessary way. Amen.

A Prayer to Love the Life You Have

God, help me love the life I live right now. Show me the good things I often overlook and help me be content with what I have. Forgive me when I compare myself to others, forgive me for longing for things outside of you and your kingdom. Thank you for loving me right where I am, right as I am. Help me keep my eyes on you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

— Nicki Koziarz

Prayer to God the Father of all Life

Eternal God, You have revealed Yourself as the Father of all Life. We praise You for the Fatherly care which You extend to all creation, and especially to us, made in Your image and likeness.

Father, extend Your hand of protection to those threatened by abortion, and save them from its destructive power. Give Your strength to all fathers, that they may never give in to the fears that may tempt them to facilitate abortions.

Bless our families and bless our land, that we may have the joy of welcoming and nurturing the life of which You are the source and the Eternal Father. Amen.

Redeemer in the Womb

Lord Jesus Christ, You took our human nature upon Yourself. You shared our life and death, our childhood and adulthood.

You also shared our time in the womb. While still God, while worshipped and adored by the angels, while Almighty and filling every part of the universe, You dwelt for nine months in the womb of Mary. You were our Redeemer in the womb, our God who has a preborn child.

Lord Jesus, we ask You to bless and protect the children who today are in their mothers’ womb. Save them from the danger of abortion. Give their mothers the grace to sacrifice themselves, in body and soul, for their children. Help all people to recognize in the preborn child a brother, a sister, saved by You,our Redeemer in the womb.

Lutheran Prayers For Life #1

Let us Pray.
Heavenly Father, Your Son bore all our griefs and carried all our sorrows. Strengthen the faith of these grieving parents and all who bear this heavy burden. Help them to rely on Your boundless mercy and to trust that their little one, who has been gathered into Your loving arms, will rise on the last day; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.
Amen

Miscarriage

Almighty God, gracious Father, Your ways are often beyond our understanding. In Your hidden wisdom the hopes of (Names of Parents) have been turned from joy to sadness. In Your mercy help them to accept Your good and gracious will. Comfort them in their hour of sorrow with Your life-giving Word for the sake of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Lord God, Father of mercies and God of all comfort, we thank You for Your care in this time of trial and sadness. Console and comfort (Names of Parents) with the assurance of Your tender compassion and unfailing love; through Jesus Christ, our Lord who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Stillbirth/Death shortly after birth

Almighty and eternal God, You have given, and You have taken away. Comfort (Names of Parents), whose hopes have been turned to sorrow. Strengthen their faith in this time of sadness that they may trust in You. Teach them to depend on Your boundless mercy, confident that their little one has been invited into the arms of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Heavenly Father, Your Son bore all our griefs and carried all our sorrows. Strengthen the faith of (Names of Parents) and all who bear this heavy burden of sorrow and loss. Help them to rely on Your boundless mercy and to trust that their child, who has been gathered into Your loving arms, remains in Your abiding care; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Premature Birth

Heavenly Father, our lives are in Your care and keeping. Look in mercy upon the fragile life of (name of child/this child). Preserve (his/her) life, and nurture (him/her) that (he/she) may grow and develop in both body and soul. Grant patience to (Name of Parents) and dispel their fears that with confidence they may rely on your promises; through Jesus Christ, our Lord who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Those seeking to adopt

Heavenly Father, before the foundation of the world You chose us in Christ to be Your sons and daughters. Look with favor upon (Names of Parents) as they (seek to adopt/prepare to receive) a child into their family. Give them patience during their time of waiting, and encourage them with Your love; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Thanksgiving upon adoption

Heavenly Father, You have adopted us as Your sons and daughters by grace. We give You thanks that (Names of Parents) have been granted the gift of a (son/daughter). Fill this family with wisdom and patience that they might live together in faith and love; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever.

When a mother is considering an abortion

God of all grace, out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy You have given us life and commanded us not to hurt or harm our neighbor in his body. Teach us to care for this unborn child whom You have created in Your image. Grant Your grace to (Name of Mother) that, by Your Word and Spirit, she may live according to Your will and have the courage to nurture and cherish her child. Surround her with those who will rejoice in this child, and provide for her needs of body and soul; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

For the comfort of one who has undergone an abortion

Gracious Father in heaven, look with mercy on your daughter (name), who suffers the shame of abortion. For the sake of Christ Jesus, our Savior, forgive her all her sins, and remove all feelings of guilt and despair. Protect her from the accusing voices of others and the accusations from within. By Your Spirit increase her faith that she may entrust herself and her child into Your fatherly hands; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Terminally ill

Eternal Father, You alone make the decisions concerning life and death. Have mercy on (name), whose illness seems irreversible. If it be Your will, restore (him/her) and lengthen (his/her) earthly life; if not, O Father, keep (him/her) in (his/her) baptismal grace and prepare (him/her) to commit (himself/herself) to Your eternal care. Give (him/her) a repentant heart, from faith, and a lively hope that the pain or fear of death may not cause (him/her) to waiver in confidence and trust. When (his/her) days on earth are ended, grant (him/her) a joyous entrance into everlasting life with the glorious company of all Your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

For the physically disabled

Lord God, heavenly Father, receive our thanks for the gift of life and everything in Your creation that enriches our physical lives. By Your merciful guidance, aid and strengthen (name), and enable (him/her) to find fulfillment in (his/her) life and encouragement and support for all (his/her) endeavors; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Lord Jesus Christ, give (name) at all times a patient spirit, willing and ready to wait and pray, that (he/she) may not weary of You, but cast every care upon You with all cheerfulness and confidence and always hope for the best from You, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Patience to bear afflictions

Heavenly Father, You teach us in Your holy Word that You do not willingly afflict or grieve Your children. Look with compassion on (name), for whom we pray. Remember (him/her) in mercy, strengthen (him/her) in patience, comfort (him/her) with the memory of Your goodness, and let Your face shine on (him/her) that (he/she) may be guarded by Your peace in Christ Jesus, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

For the caretakers (family)

Almighty God, gracious Lord, look in mercy on the family (and friends) of (name) as they care for (him/her). Grant them Your Holy Spirit that they may have faith equal to the task before them. Sustain them that by Your grace they may reflect Your love through their patient service to (name) and each other; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Merciful Father, God of all truth, we commend (name) into your gracious keeping, for You have redeemed (him/her). Guard and shield (him/her) from all the powers of darkness as (he/she) walks through the valley of the shadow of death. Grant that (he/she) may fall asleep in peace and awaken to the bright joy of your eternal presence; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

For the family in deliberation

Heavenly Father, we thank You for the truth of Your Word that nothing in death or life will separate us from Your love in Christ Jesus and that whether we live or die we belong to You. By Your gracious Spirit strengthen the family of (name) in this confidence, and guide them as they face difficult decisions concerning (name) medical care so that their actions may be in agreement with Your holy will. Do not forsake them, but uphold and keep them in Your love and peace, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

(Unless otherwise noticed, prayers are taken from the “LSB Pastoral Care Companion” copyright © 2006 CPH. Reprinted with permission under license number 11:5-4. www.cph.org.)

Lutheran Prayer For Life #2

Almighty God, Heavenly Father, the maker of heaven and earth, we praise You for creating us in Your own image, and for gifting us with bodies which You have formed with Your own hands. We praise You and bless You, and join our voices with Your servant David in confessing that:

You created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful,

I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from
You when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the dark of the womb,
Your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me were written in
Your book before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

Remind us that we are not an accident, nor formed by random chance, but Your special creation, fashioned for Your pleasure. Help us to glorify You by yielding the members of our body as instruments of righteousness for Your service and the good of others.

Lord Jesus Christ, true God and true man, we praise You that You have purchased us for Yourself with Your own blood, shed for us on the cross. We join You in declaring that our bodies are not our own because we have been bought with a price. As Your disciples, baptized into Your death and resurrection, our body is now a temple of Your Holy Spirit whom we have received from You. Help us, therefore, to honor You with our bodies. By Your holy conception and virgin birth, by Your obedient life in a human body, by Your innocent suffering and death in our place, and by Your victorious resurrection from the dead, please forgive us for all the many abuses of our bodies. Have mercy upon us for the sexual immorality that is so pervasive in our culture, and for all the wanton disregard of Your precious gift of life, especially that of our unborn children. We pray for Your divine benediction to be upon pro-life agencies in this community and around the world. Bless those who counsel unwed mothers and fathers, those who do ultrasounds, those who provide care and shelter for people in crisis pregnancy, and those in adoptive services, that we would value and protect every child conceived. Bless also those who care for the frail elderly, those in nursing homes, and those in hospitals and hospices. May all human persons be honored, regardless of the quantity or quality of their lives. May those who care for others see You in those whom they serve, and may those who receive care and service experience Your love in the one who provides for their needs.

Lord and Giver of Life, Holy Spirit of God, life-giving Breath, we look to You for the strength to stand up for life in all its stages, from the moment of conception until that time when You say, “return to dust, O children of men.” Use us to give voice to the defense of life through our voting, our writing, our speaking, our non-violent protests, as well as our fasting and fervent prayers. Work in the hearts and minds of fathers and mothers everywhere. Inform their conscience and their conduct by Your Holy Word. Help all parents to take responsibility for their children, to bring them to healthy birth, and to do what is in their best interest for a healthy life, even when circumstances call for the loving option of adoption. Guide and direct the life-issues decision makers, not only those in the home, but also those in the White House, in the House and Senate of our state and nation, and in the courthouses of our country. May those whom You have charged with the responsibility of protecting all citizens, take it as a sacred obligation to defend the defenseless, to support the weak, and to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. We humbly ask for all these things with boldness and confidence in the name Christ Jesus, our Lord, who is the Resurrection and the Life, and who has come to give us life in all its fullness. Amen.

The following prayers were shared on May 2, 2013 at the National Day of Prayer event in Portage, Michigan. The prayers were written by Rev. Dr. Paul R. Naumann, senior pastor at Saint Michael Lutheran Church, in Portage.

Jewish Prayers for the Final Moments

1) Psalm 121

Hebrew and Transliteration:

Translation:

A Song of Ascents.
I lift my eyes to the mountains — from where will my help come?
My help will come from the Lord, Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot falter; your guardian does not slumber.
Indeed, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.
The Lord is your guardian; the Lord is your protective shade at your right hand.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and your coming from now and for all time.

2) Psalm 130

Hebrew and Transliteration:

Translation:

A Song of Ascents.
Out of the depths I call to You, O Lord.
My Lord, hearken to my voice; let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas.
G‑d, if You were to preserve iniquities, my Lord, Who could survive?
But forgiveness is with You, that You may be feared.
I hope in the Lord; my soul hopes, and I long for His word.
My soul yearns for the Lord more than [night] watchmen [waiting] for the morning, wait for the morning.
Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is kindness; with Him there is abounding deliverance.
And He will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

3) Psalm 91

Hebrew and Transliteration:

Translation:

You Who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, Who abides in the shadow of the Omnipotent,
I say [to you] of the Lord Who is my refuge and my stronghold, my G‑d in Whom I trust,
that He will save you from the ensnaring trap, from the destructive pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions and you will find refuge under His wings; His truth is a shield and an armor.
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
the pestilence that prowls in the darkness, nor the destruction that ravages at noon.
A thousand may fall at your [left] side, and ten thousand at your right, but it shall not reach you.
You need only look with your eyes, and you will see the retribution of the wicked.
Because you [have said,] “The Lord is my shelter,” and you have made the Most High your haven,
no evil will befall you, no plague will come near your tent.
For He will instruct His angels in your behalf, to guard you in all your ways.
They will carry you in their hands, lest you hurt your foot on a rock.
You will tread upon the lion and the viper; you will trample upon the young lion and the serpent.
Because he desires Me, I will deliver him; I will fortify him for he knows My Name.
When he calls on Me, I will answer him; I am with him in distress, I will deliver him and honor him.
I will satisfy him with long life, and show him My deliverance.

4) Adon Olam

Hebrew and Transliteration:

Translation:

Lord of the universe, Who reigned
before anything was created —
at the time when by His will all things were made,
then was His name proclaimed King.
And after all things shall cease to be,
the Awesome One will reign alone.
He was, He is,
and He shall be in glory.
He is one, and there is no other
to compare to Him, to consort with Him.
Without beginning, without end,
power and dominion belong to Him.
He is my G‑d and my ever-living Redeemer,
the strength of my lot in time of distress.
He is my banner and my refuge,
my portion on the day I call.
Into His hand I entrust my spirit,
when I sleep and when I wake.
And with my soul, my body too,
the Lord is with me, I shall not fear.

5) Ana B’choach

Hebrew and Transliteration:

Translation:

We implore you, by the great power of Your right hand, release the captive.
Accept the prayer of Your people; strengthen us, purify us, Awesome One.
Mighty One, we beseech You, guard as the apple of the eye those who seek Your Oneness.
Bless them, cleanse them; bestow upon them forever Your merciful righteousness.
Powerful, Holy One, in Your abounding goodness, guide Your congregation.
Only and Exalted One, turn to Your people who are mindful of Your holiness.
Accept our supplication and hear our cry, You Who knows secret thoughts.
Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever.

6) V’al Ken Ne’kaveh

Hebrew and Transliteration:

Translation:

And therefore we hope to You, Lord our G‑d, that we may speedily behold the splendor of Your might, to banish idolatry from the earth and false G‑ds will be utterly destroyed; to perfect the world under the sovereignty of the Almighty. All mankind shall invoke Your Name, to turn to You all the wicked of the earth. Then all the inhabitants of the world will recognize and know that every knee should bend to You, every tongue should swear [by Your Name]. Before You, Lord our G‑d, they will bow and prostrate themselves, and give honor to the glory of Your Name; and they will all take upon themselves the yoke of Your kingdom. May You soon reign over them forever and ever, for kingship is Yours, and to all eternity You will reign in glory, as it is written in Your Torah: The Lord will reign forever and ever. And it is said: The Lord shall be King over the entire earth; on that day the Lord shall be One and His Name One.

7) The Shema and Verses of Unity

At the very last moments, all present, including the person himself (if possible), recite the following passages aloud, and with intense concentration:

translation: Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our G‑d, the Lord is One.

Recite the following verse in an undertone:

translation: Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever. (Say three times.)

Recite the following verse out loud:

translation: G‑d is the Lord. (Say seven times.)

translation: The Lord is King, the Lord was King, the Lord will be King forever and ever.

— By Zalman Goldstein