Perhaps you’ve heard it said: Pray the scriptures over your child.
But where do you start? Prayer can be tough enough already. For a while my prayer will be on fire, then (I don’t even know when or how), it becomes boring. Rote. Dead.
When I see it floundering, it’s up to me to fix it. And praying the scriptures can inject new life. Especially when I’m praying over my child.
Why Pray the Scriptures?
For many reasons:
- Protection: Praying the scriptures (like Psalm 91 below) over your children can help protect them from harm and evil influences.
- Guidance: Proverbs alone contains many verses (like 10:9) offering guidance and wisdom for life. By praying them over your children, you are asking God to guide and help make wise choices.
- Comfort: Life can be difficult. Children will face challenges and struggles. Praying scriptures (like the 23rd Psalm) over them can offer comfort and reassurance.
- Spiritual growth: Praying scriptures over your children can also help nurture their spiritual growth and relationship with God. By praying God’s word over them, you are teaching them to rely on and trust in Him.
- Faith-building: Praying scriptures over your children can help build their faith. When they hear you praying God’s word over them, they see and hear evidence of your faith in action, and this can help strengthen their own faith. And adds to the comfort of #3.
- Gratitude: Praying Bible verses over your children allows you to express gratitude—especially for them. Go ahead, acknowledge them as gifts from God. (Psalm 127 below)
- Forgiveness: Praying Bible verses over your children can also help them learn about forgiveness and the importance of seeking forgiveness when they make mistakes. (1 John 1)
- Intimacy: Praying Bible verses over your children can help deepen your intimacy with God and your children. As you pray God’s word over them, you are inviting Him into your family and creating an atmosphere of openness and vulnerability that can foster deeper relationships.
Overall, praying the scriptures over your children can help them feel and be loved, protected, guided, and spiritually nurtured. It is a powerful way to connect with God and ask for His blessings on their lives.
Bless Them: 8 Verses to Pray
So, bless your kiddos with verses all throughout the Bible. There are 31,102 to pick from!
Here are 8 scripture-based prayers to get you started.
Proverbs 10:9- Lord, you say, “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” I pray my child walks in integrity. When she doesn’t, I pray she learns Your lesson fast.
Psalm 91:1-2– I pray my child dwells in the shelter of You, Most High—and rests in the shadow of You, Almighty. Let her say of You, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Psalm 23:4– Even when my child walks through the darkest valley, I pray she will fear no evil, for You are with her. Comfort her. Even in her oldest age.”
Mark 12:30-31– Lord, overflow Your Spirit into every fiber of my child’s being. Fill her with love for You and others—heart, mind, soul, and strength. I pray she helps spur others on to You. May they plant big, hand-in-hand.
Matthew 18:8-9– Lord, give my children wisdom and self-discipline even when it hurts. I pray they see Your value above whatever they struggle to release. Let them release and never look back.
Ephesians 4:29– God, grow my child to guard her mouth. Create a clean heart within her that all flowing from it is pure. Let her speak affirmations and exhortations—a warrior with words as her weapon.
Psalm 127:3– My children are a heritage and blessing from You. I pray they know the inherent worth of themselves and others. Bless them as they bless me.
1 John 1:9– Lord, I pray my children are quick to confess and repent. Thank You for Your faithfulness and justice—forgiving and purifying from all unrighteousness.
Scriptural Prayer and Blessing Cards
No matter what kind of territory you find yourself in, praying the scriptures can yield bountiful results.
So, print our 8 scriptures to pray—or sign up for our FREE lunchbox scriptures and blessing cards as well. You’ll get all three in one shot!
Until next time, fellow pioneer! Keep cultivating those seeds of faith. For deeply-rooted legacy!
P.S. If you want to develop your family rhythms and inject more meaning into your family’s mundane, check out our post: Christian Family Rhythms: Habits of the Household.