15 Bible Verses to Pray for our Nation

She tugged on my pant leg to get my attention. I bent down to be eye-level with my small daughter. Her chubby little hands formed a cup around my ear. Clearly, she had something on her mind; a request for my ears only.

“Can you help me, Mommy?”

Because I love her, I did.

We may not be accustomed to thinking about asking for God’s help like this, but the picture is accurate.

Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! (Psalm 116:2 NLT)

If there’s one thing our world needs right now it’s help from God.

The good news–the great news–is that God is “a very present help in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46;1)

This means God is a very present help in your times of trouble, the one you face right now. It also means his help is available for our nation. I think we can all agree we need it.

But maybe you don’t know what to pray. Sometimes I feel that way, too.

I’ve found that when I’m at a loss for words–when I’m not quite sure what I should pray, or how I should pray–God’s Word shows me the way.

To help you pray for yourself, your loved ones, and for your nation, I’ve included a list of 15 scriptures below:

Why not print this post and use one or two of the scriptures as a springboard for prayer the next couple of weeks? These verses will even provide great discussion for your family.

You, friend, can tug on God’s leg and He will bend low to listen!

1. Daniel 9:4-10; 17-19 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁵ we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.⁶ We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.⁷ “Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. ⁸ We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame, Lord, because we have sinned against you. ⁹ The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; ¹⁰ we have not obeyed the Lord our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.¹⁷ “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.¹⁸ Give ear, our God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. ¹⁹ Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name.”
2. Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
3. Ephesians 3:14-21  For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
4. 2 Chronicles 7:14  “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
5. 1 Timothy 2:1-2  I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
6. Psalm 33: 6-12  “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.  Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him.  For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.  The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.  But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.  Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance.”
7. Acts 17:26  “From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.”
8. Psalms 22:27-28  “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.”
9. Romans 13:1  “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
10. Jeremiah 29:7  “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”
11. Prov. 21:1  “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.”
12. 1 Peter 2:17  “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.”
13. Job 12:23-24  “He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them.  He deprives the leaders of the earth of their reason; he makes them wander in a trackless waste.”
14. Proverbs 11:14  “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.”
15. Proverbs 14:34  “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.

If you’d like to join me asking God for help for our nation, our families and ourselves, follow me on Instagram @donnaajones or Facebook, Donna Jones Speaker & Author.

You are loved,

Donna