American Psalms
How to Get Started Praying for America
The first step in praying for the nation is committing to do so. I’ve often pondered how important it is to pray for America, but I wasn’t actually doing it. I had a ton of ideas on how others should be praying, but planning a prayer life for someone else is as effective as calling football plays from your couch. Decide you’re going to get off the spiritual bench and do something yourself.
The most important element in developing a spiritual discipline is making a commitment to the process of letting God change you. Once you’ve made that commitment, you want to be sure you remain accountable. Make a covenant with God to pray for the nation, then ask other Christians or your small group to keep you accountable. Here’s a few things to keep in mind when praying for America:
1. Worship God for what he’s already done and recognize his sovereignty.
2. Pray the Word of God. The greatest weapon against a partisan mind is scripture. When we pray the Word of God, we can be sure we’re praying in his will.
3. Commit to listening. Prayer is never about changing God, it’s about allowing God to change us.
4. Check your motives. When praying for leaders we don’t agree with, it’s tempting to pray they become more like us. Be sure you’re praying for God’s will–not your own political agenda.
When you’re ready, make a declaration of prayer; let God know you’re willing to be engaged. You can use the prayer that follows or create your own.
A DECLARATION OF PRAYER
Father God, you are the King of kings and the Lord of lords.(1) Your Kingdom is sovereign above all others; yours is the Kingdom of Glory, which will reign in righteousness for eternity. I pray our nation would be a light to the world, that it might see your Kingdom in us.
You have commanded us to pray for those who are in authority, (2) because there is no government that has not been appointed by you. (3) I am grateful I’ve been given the opportunity to share in the liberty and freedom you have bestowed upon the United States.
I confess that our nation can be prideful; our pride should be in your abilities, not our own. We can not succeed without your grace and blessing. For you have said:
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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14, NIV84)
I will call upon your name; I will humble myself before you for the sake of my walk with Christ, and for the sake of my country.
I will call upon your name for the sake of our leaders, for the sake of our citizens and for the sake of our future. I ask that you would hear my prayers and restore our nation. Send the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sin (4) and call other believers to join in prayer for America. I pray you will hear our cries from heaven and fulfill your promise to heal our land.
Because you have commanded me to pray and because I have a heart for this nation, I commit myself to this course of action; I will lift up the United States and her leaders to you in prayer. I will remember that it is you alone who grants liberty and freedom. I will put aside my own bias and political views so that I may pray for our leaders to become more like you, instead of judging them for not being more like me.
I thank you for this great country you have allowed me to be a part of. May your light be seen from the shores of America throughout the world.
AMEN.
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1 I Timothy 6:15
2 I Timothy 2:1-3
3 Romans 13:1
4 John 16:8-11
A PRAYER FOR AMERICA'S FAITH
Father God,
You are the God of faithful promises,(1) worthy of praise!(2) It is by your hand that America has become great—for all government is established within the sovereignty of your purpose.(3) You alone bring blessings to our nation, but we will find darkness where we allow our footsteps to depart from the light of your Word.(4) Reveal where our hearts must turn back toward you, for you have said:
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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.(5)
May our leaders be blessed as their hearts turn toward your will.
May we hear the echo of your voice within the patriotism of our cries.
May we, in Your strength, seek you with the faith of a child, (6)
and may your name be glorified by that strength.
Give us the wisdom, as Christians Patriots, to represent the freedom of worship you’ve bestowed upon us with excellence. Give us a heart for our neighbors and our communities; grant us a burden to pray for those in authority7 and the guidance to be ambassadors of your mercy with intentional integrity. May the heart of the American Christian be renewed and become a beacon to those who seek your faithfulness.
Amen.
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1. 2 Peter 1:3-4
2. Psalm 145:3
3. Romans 13:1
4. Psalm 119:105
5. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV84)
6. Luke 18:17
7. 1 Timothy 2:1-3
A PRAYER FOR AMERICA'S FREEDOM
“[Independence Day] ought to be commemorated, as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty”
-John Adams
Father God,
You have granted freedom to our land and you are worthy of praise.(1) You placed in the hearts of our forefathers a desire to seek Your will through independence and freedom.
I pray for our continued independence and sovereignty as we look toward You. For the gifts our Declaration of Independence speak of, “life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” are granted by you alone.
May we be secure in our freedom,
but never take it for granted.
May we be free from slavery,
but be a servant to Your will.
May we be protected from oppression
as we extend the provision of liberty to others,
And may we speak with honor as we honor your Word.
May we, as Christian Patriots, heed the words of Paul, who wrote:
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13 NIV)
Bless those who serve our nation and have protected her shores.
Bring protection, honor and blessings to their households.
May we be a people whose freedom is a beacon to the world of Your grace,
and may we be forever reminded of Your hand in our deliverance.
AMEN.
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1 Psalm 145:3
A PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS
Father God and Protector of Nations,
You are our strength and our shield.(1) May you receive all the glory and praise for the blessings you have bestowed on our country.
United States Joint Service Color Guard
United States Joint Service Color Guard
I ask you to bless and protect our soldiers. They sacrifice more than most of us know in protection of the freedom and liberty You have given us. These are the men and women who truly have a servant’s heart;(2) they are the Americans who truly understand living a sacrificial life for others. Place Your angels of protection before them and give them a sense of your hand upon them.
Our troops have left their families and the comfort of their homes to ensure liberty for the United States and freedom for those who are oppressed. Do not allow them to feel isolated or alone in their deployment. Instead, let them hear your promise to be with them always(3) and find peace in your strength. In moments of fear, let them find comfort from the Holy Spirit. Give them courage as you did David when he wrote:
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
so why should I be afraid?
The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger,
so why should I tremble?
When evil people come to devour me,
when my enemies and foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.
Though a mighty army surrounds me,
my heart will not be afraid.
Even if I am attacked,
I will remain confident.
(Psalm 27:1-3, NLT)
Give our soldiers a knowledge of your Word, and allow them to feel our prayers of protection upon them. Speak to their hearts a promise of protection for their families so they might be fully focused on the job before them.
Our soldiers will no doubt walk through fire and see terrible things as they are deployed. I pray that they would seek you in the darkest moments of their mission and see your hand in the beauty of creation that surrounds them. Let them see your hope where there seems only to be hopelessness, your mercy in lands that are being oppressed and
your peace where there seems only to be war.
Whether stationed overseas or at a base on native soil, whether deployed to the front line or doing administrative tasks, whether a seasoned warrior or a soldier training for their first mission, whether
a retired veteran or a recruit just leaving home, bless those who serve our nation. May they find respect and support from those of us who benefit from their sacrifice.
AMEN.
.
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1 Psalm 28:7
2 Mark 10:45
3 Matthew 28:20
A PRAYER FOR OUR VETERANS
Prince of Peace,(1) you see those who are burdened by the emotional and physical scars of war. We are grateful for the soldiers who’ve sacrificed their lives defending freedom, but let us not forget the men and women who live among us as veterans. You have commanded us to honor those who came before us:
Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. (Deuteronomy 32:7)
Yet there are many veterans whose stories have not been told. There are soldiers of sacrifice who suffer in silence with bodies no longer responding to their command. There are veterans plagued by the chaos of trauma and nightmares, but you have formed their hearts and seen them.(2) Deliver these men and women from their trials, for you are not a God of disorder, but of peace.(3) Send the Holy Spirit to comfort and draw them toward you. For you have promised to carry our burdens:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
May the households of our veterans be blessed today, and may our nation recognize the importance and severity of their sacrifice. May their lives be honored and their history remembered. I am grateful for the soldiers who serve away from their families so I might live in liberty with mine. Bless them with prosperity and peace.
AMEN.
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1. Isaiah 9:6
2. Psalm 33:13-15
3. 1 Cor. 14:33
A PRAYER FOR AMERICA (ON THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER)
Father God,
You are great and worthy of praise.(1) I am grateful for the mercy you have conferred on the United States. You have promised to heal our land if we humble ourselves before you,(2) and today we do so in a special day of prayer.
I join with the President in asking for your guidance, mercy and protection on our country. May my life be a reflection of President Monroe’s declaration of prayer, for he said:
“The liberty, prosperity, and happiness of our country will always be the object of my most fervent prayers to the Supreme Author of All Good.”
I thank you for the liberty and freedom you have bestowed on the United States. I lift up my president and his staff to you. May the Holy Spirit give them the gifts of both leadership and servitude.(3) I do not know the struggles they face on a daily basis, but I pray for them to be encouraged and strengthened through a relationship with you.
I ask your blessing on American troops serving away from their loved ones, and for your comforting hand to be on the families awaiting their safe return.
I pray for the sovereignty of America. Give us the strength to stand with our allies, but the will to stand alone with You when necessary. Through seeking your will, may our sovereignty be a light to other nations and a hope to those in need.
Above all, teach us to be a nation dedicated to your Word. Teach us to pray for our leaders(4) and seek your face. Teach us to pray for repentance as our forefather did, and may we never be a Christian nation by mere proclamation, but through our actions, mercy and compassion.
AMEN.
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1 Psalm 145:3
2 2 Chronicles 7:14
3 Romans 12:5-8
4 1 Timothy 2:1-2
FULL LIST OF PRAYERS & TOOLS AVAILABLE IN BOOK
Part I: Preamble
The Kingdom and the Nation
Praying the Word of God
Part II: Weekly Prayers for the Nation
A Declaration of Prayer
A Prayer for our President
A Prayer for the Legislature
A Prayer for the Judicial System
A Prayer for America’s Sovereignty
A Prayer for our Military Leaders
A Prayer for our Troops
A Prayer for our Military Families
A Call to Repentance
A Prayer for America’s Faith
A Prayer for America’s Generosity
A Prayer for America’s Freedom
A Prayer for our Local Leaders
A Prayer for our Firefighters
A Prayer for our Police Officers
A Prayer for our Teachers
A Call to Prayer and Fasting
A Prayer for America’s Pastors
A Prayer for the American Church
A Call for Workers in the Harvest
A Prayer for the President’s Cabinet
A Prayer for our Vice President
A Prayer for the Chief of Staff
A Prayer for the Secretary of State
A Prayer for the Secretary of Defense
A Prayer for the CIA
A Prayer for the FBI
A Prayer for the Secret Service
A Prayer for Veterans Affairs
A Prayer for Homeland Security
A Prayer for NASA
A Call to Worship
A Prayer for our Entertainers
A Prayer for our Sports Heroes
A Prayer for our News Media
A Prayer for our Farmers
A Prayer for our Fishermen
A Prayer for our Workforce
A Prayer for America’s Infrastructure
A Prayer for Israel
A Prayer for the Jewish People
A Prayer for Israeli Relations
A Prayer for an American Revival
A Call to Financial Stewardship
A Prayer for our Economy
A Prayer for the Homeless and the Jobless
A Prayer for America’s CEOs
A Call to Physical Stewardship
A Prayer for Healthcare Providers
A Prayer for Widows and Orphans
A Prayer for America’s Elderly
Our Coming King
Part III: Psalms for Special Days of Prayer
New Year’s Day
Easter
The National Day of Prayer
Memorial Day
Independence Day
September Eleventh (Patriots Day)
Election Season
Veterans Day
Thanksgiving Day
Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
Christmas
During Natural Disasters
Part IV: Praying Patriot Worksheets
Real Prayers for Real People
Worksheets
Table of Inserts
The Praying Patriot
Presidential Prayers
Encouraging Legislators
Praying for the Military
Praying for Teachers
Pray the Names
Praying for Government Agencies
Praying for a Bridge is Boring
The Fasting Challenge
Praying for Missionaries
The Partisan Prayer
God’s Creation
Praying for Celebrities
Why Am I Praying for Israel?
Hope in Financial Freedom
Click HERE for more information on the book.
Condition of Use:
Prayers on this page are from the book, American Psalms: Prayers for the Christian Patriot
by Joshua J Masters
Copyright 2012, 2016 Joshua J Masters and Kingdom Knight Productions. May not be reproduced without permission. If you would like to use one of these prayers, please contact the author at josh@joshuajmasters.com