I never knew the power of praying scripture until a friend introduced me to the idea. I now love adding names to scripture to claim God’s truth. I’ve pulled together this list of scripture to pray for your children to help you do the same.
Last year I put together a list of Bible verses to pray over our husbands and I was blown away at the response! Clearly this is a resource that many of you wanted.
I figured if we are that eager to pray over our husbands, we should be just as eager to pray over our children. I typically pray for their salvation, health, safety, and sleep but I don’t often pray for their character or friends as much as I should. These verses will help me when I’m not sure what to pray!
As I was putting this list of scripture together I wanted a few verses to tie them all together. I came across Jesus’ prayer in John as he prays for the disciples and all believers and it really jumped out at me.
“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.”
John 17:9
Wow! This is Christian parenting summed up in one single verse. These children are not ours. We are given them for a short time but ultimately they belong to God. We need to hold them with open hands and let Him do the heart work, not us. So before you begin praying for your child using the other verses, praying John 17:9 would be a good place to start.
Just as I did with the verses to pray over your husband, I have put these verses into an eBook format for free! I love having a download of all these verses that I can pull up easily on my phone whenever I want. All you need to do to get the book is sign up for my email list and it will be sent directly to your inbox.
Click to get your free ebook!
Scripture to pray for your child’s salvation
- Acts 2:37
Lord, I pray that _______ would repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his/her sins and that he/she would receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- Romans 10:10
Lord, I pray that it is with his/her heart that ______ would believe and be justified, and that with his/her mouth that he/she would confess and be saved.
- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22
Lord, make _________ stand firm in Christ. Let Christ anoint _________, set His seal of ownership on him/her, and put His Spirit in his/her heart as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
- Psalm 62:8
Lord, I ask that ________ would trust in You at all times, pour out his/her heart to you, and know that God is his/her refuge.
- Psalm 63:3-4
Lord, I pray that _______ would know Your love is better than life and that he/she would glorify you with his/her lips. Let him/her praise you as long as he/she lives and in Your name lift up his/her hands.
- Ephesians 2:8
Lord, let ________ know that it is by grace he/she has been saved, through faith as a gift from You.
Scripture to pray for your child’s protection
- Proverbs 3:23-24
Lord, make ________ go on his/her way in safety and keep his/her foot from stumbling. When _______ lies down keep the fear away; when he/she lies down, let sleep be sweet.
- Psalm 12:7
Lord, keep ________ safe and protect him/her forever from the wicked.
- Proverbs 2:8
Lord, guard the course of _______ and protect his/her way as a faithful one.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Lord, You are faithful! Strengthen __________ and protect him/her from the evil one.
Scripture to pray for your child’s integrity
- Proverbs 22:1
Lord, help _________ know that a good name is more desirable than great riches and to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
- Proverbs 21:21
Lord, I ask that _______ would pursue righteousness and love so he/she finds life, prosperity, and honor.
- 1 Peter 3:15-16
Lord, let all that ________ does be done with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak against him/her may be ashamed of their slander.
Scripture to pray for your child’s words
- Proverbs 13:3
Lord, I pray that _______ would guard his/her lips and preserve his/her life for those that speak rashly will come to ruin.
- Proverbs 15:1
Lord, let ________ offer gentle answers to turn away wrath rather than a harsh word that stirs up anger.
- Proverbs 22:1
Lord, I ask that _________ would love a pure heart and speak with grace so he/she may have the king for a friend.
- Proverbs 21:23
Lord, guard ________’s mouth and tongue to keep him/her from calamity.
- Proverbs 4:24
Lord, keep _________’s mouth free of perversity and corrupt talk far from his/her lips.
Scripture to pray for your child’s wisdom
- Proverbs 15:31
Lord, let _________ heed life-giving corrections and be at home among the wise.
- Proverbs 24:14
Lord, let ________ know that wisdom is like honey. Help ________ find it and have a future hope, a hope that will not be cut off.
- James 1:5
Lord, if ________ is lacking wisdom, pour it out generously without finding fault.
Scripture to pray for your child’s self-control
- Psalm 19:13
Lord, keep _________ from willful sins; may they not overrule him/her. Then _______ will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.
- Romans 6:6-7
Lord, because _______’s old self was crucified with Christ so that his/her body ruled by sin would be done away with, let him/her no longer be a slave to sin because _________ has has been set free from sin.
- Proverbs 20:11
Lord, I pray that _________ would be known for his/her actions and that they would be pure and upright.
Scripture to pray for your child’s courage
- Psalm 56:3
Lord, when ________ is afraid, help him/her to put his/her trust in you.
- Joshua 1:9
Lord, You have commanded _________ to be strong and courageous. Help him/her to not be afraid or discouraged for You will be with him/her wherever he/she goes.
- Psalm 112:6
Lord, make ________ have no fear of bad news; let his/her heart be steadfast, trusting in You.
Scripture to pray for your child’s generosity
- Proverbs 22:9
Lord, You bless those that are generous, let _________ be one that feeds the poor.
- 2 Corinthians 9:11
Lord, I pray that _________ would be enriched in every way so that he/she can be generous on every occasion, and that his/her generosity would result in thanksgiving to God.
- Psalm 112:5
Lord, let good come to _________ as he/she is generous and giving freely. Help him/her to conduct his/her affairs with justice.
Scripture to pray for your child’s friendships
- Proverbs 22:24-25
Lord, keep ________ from befriending angry people or associating with hot-tempered people so the behavior is not learned and the soul endangered.
- Proverbs 13:20
Lord, help ________ walk with the wise and become wise and keep them from the companion of fools that bring harm.
- Proverbs 18:24
Lord, keep _______ from unreliable friends that bring about ruin, but instead bring about friends who stick closer than a brother or sister.
Scripture to pray for your child’s heart
- Proverbs 22:11
Lord, let _________ love a pure heart and gracious speech so the king will be a friend.
- Proverbs 4:23
Lord, above all else, guard _________’s heart, for everything he/she does flows from it.
- Psalm 51:10
Lord, create a clean heart in _________, and renew a steadfast spirit in him/her.
Scripture to pray for your child’s future spouse
- Proverbs 18:22
Lord, let _________ find a spouse and find what is good. Let him/her receive favor from You.
- Matthew 19:5-6
Lord, help _________ find a spouse and leave us to become united together, as one flesh. Make them one as you join them together and let nothing come between them.
- 1 Corinthians 13:4
Lord, let _________’s love for his/her spouse be patient, and kind. Make it free from envy, boasting, and pride.
To close this incredible list of verses and prayers, I wanted to include one final set of verses that so beautifully encompasses all that we might dream for our children. I think I may need to create a printable just for this passage because it’s so powerful.
- Colossians 1:9-12
Lord, since the day we discovered we were expecting, we have not stopped praying for our child. We ask You to fill ________ up with the knowledge of Your will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that _______ may live a life worthy of You and please You in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to Your glorious might so that he/she may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to You, the Father, who has qualified _______ to share in the inheritance of Your holy people in the kingdom of light. Amen.
What is your favorite verse to pray over your child?
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I love these verses! Praying more specifically for my children is a major goal, and I’m so happy you wrote these out!
Thanks, Lyndsie!