Bible Reference > Bible Facts > Songs, Prayers, and Sayings
Quick Summary
The Bible contains hundreds of prayers, from a single cry of "Lord, save me!" to Solomon's long prayer at the dedication of the temple. People pray in nearly every book of Scripture: patriarchs and prophets, kings and widows, fishermen, tax collectors, a thief on a cross, and Jesus himself.
This page lists the major prayers of the Bible book by book, from Genesis to Revelation. Each entry gives who prayed, the reference, and a one-line summary, with links to fuller studies where this site has them. It also answers the questions people ask most: how many prayers are in the Bible, which is the first and the last, which are the shortest and the longest, and what kinds of prayer Scripture contains.
Famous Prayers in the Bible at a Glance
| Prayer | Where to Find It |
|---|---|
| The Lord's Prayer | Matthew 6:9-13 |
| Abraham's plea for Sodom | Genesis 18:23-33 |
| Moses after the golden calf | Exodus 32:11-14 |
| Hannah's prayer and song | 1 Samuel 1-2 |
| Solomon at the temple | 1 Kings 8:22-53 |
| Elijah on Mount Carmel | 1 Kings 18:36-37 |
| The prayer of Jabez | 1 Chronicles 4:10 |
| David's confession | Psalm 51 |
| Daniel's confession | Daniel 9:4-19 |
| Jonah in the fish | Jonah 2:1-9 |
| Mary's Magnificat | Luke 1:46-55 |
| Jesus in Gethsemane | Mark 14:32-42 |
| Jesus' High Priestly Prayer | John 17 |
| Stephen's dying prayers | Acts 7:59-60 |
| Paul's prayer for the Ephesians | Ephesians 3:14-21 |
| The Bible's last prayer | Revelation 22:20 |
Scripture references from the New Revised Standard Version.
How Many Prayers Are in the Bible?
There is no single agreed number, because it depends on what you count. A figure you will see repeated often is about 650 prayers. Counts that include only full prayers with recorded words come out much lower. Counts that include every mention of someone praying, along with the psalms and the songs of praise, run much higher.
Three questions change the total:
Do you count every psalm? Most of the 150 psalms speak directly to God, and the Bible itself calls them prayers: "The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended" (Psalm 72:20).
Do you count prayers with no recorded words? Scripture often says someone prayed without telling us what they said. "Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren" (Genesis 25:21).
Do you count songs, blessings, and doxologies? The Song of Moses, Hannah's song, Mary's Magnificat, and Paul's doxologies are all addressed to God.
Herbert Lockyer's classic All the Prayers of the Bible surveys several hundred. The list below focuses on the prayers whose words are recorded or whose setting is well known, the ones readers most often look for.
What Counts as a Prayer in the Bible?
For this list, a prayer is any time a person or group speaks to God, in words that are recorded or in a moment the text clearly describes as prayer. That includes:
Personal prayers, such as Hannah's prayer for a child
Prayers of the community, such as Israel's confession in Nehemiah 9
Short cries, such as Peter's "Lord, save me!"
Sung and poetic prayers, such as the Psalms and the Magnificat
Prayers for others, such as Abraham's plea for Sodom
General blessings spoken to people, such as Isaac blessing Jacob, are left out unless they are addressed to God.
Types of Prayer in the Bible
Scripture's prayers fall into a handful of kinds. Many prayers mix several.
Petition: asking God for something. Hannah asks for a son (1 Samuel 1:11). Solomon asks for wisdom (1 Kings 3:9).
Intercession: praying for someone else. Abraham pleads for Sodom (Genesis 18:23-33). Moses pleads for Israel (Exodus 32:11-14). See Bible Verses About Intercessory Prayer.
Praise and thanksgiving: celebrating who God is and what God has done. Moses' song at the sea (Exodus 15). Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55).
Confession: naming sin and asking for mercy. David in Psalm 51. Ezra in Ezra 9. Daniel in Daniel 9.
Lament: bringing grief, complaint, or protest to God. Psalm 13. Jeremiah 20. Habakkuk 1. See Bible Verses About Lament.
Imprecation: asking God to bring justice on enemies. Psalms 69, 109, and 137.
Dedication and surrender: entrusting a place, a life, or a death to God. Solomon dedicates the temple (1 Kings 8). Jesus commends his spirit to the Father (Luke 23:46).
For what the Bible teaches about prayer itself, read Bible Verses About Prayer.
Prayers in the Old Testament
Genesis
The first worshipers (Genesis 4:26): "At that time people began to invoke the name of the LORD." This is the Bible's first mention of prayer.
Abraham asks for an heir (Genesis 15:2-3): Abraham tells God he is still childless and asks how the promise will come true.
Abraham pleads for Sodom (Genesis 18:23-33): Abraham asks God to spare the city for fifty righteous people, then forty-five, and on down to ten. Read about him in Who Was Abraham in the Bible?
Abraham prays for Abimelech (Genesis 20:17): God heals Abimelech's household after Abraham prays.
Abraham's servant asks for guidance (Genesis 24:12-14): He asks for a sign to find the right wife for Isaac, and Rebekah arrives before he finishes praying.
Isaac prays for Rebekah (Genesis 25:21): Isaac prays because his wife cannot conceive, and she gives birth to twins.
Jacob's vow at Bethel (Genesis 28:20-22): After his dream of the ladder, Jacob promises to follow God if God keeps him safe.
Jacob prays before meeting Esau (Genesis 32:9-12): Afraid for his life, Jacob reminds God of his promises and asks for protection.
Jacob wrestles until dawn (Genesis 32:26): "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." See Who Was Jacob in the Bible?
Exodus
Israel cries out in slavery (Exodus 2:23-25): The people groan under their burdens, and "God heard their groaning." No words are recorded, and the exodus begins anyway.
Moses argues at the burning bush (Exodus 3-4): Moses asks who he is to go and begs God to send someone else.
The Song of Moses (Exodus 15:1-18): Israel sings to God after crossing the sea, and Miriam leads the women in reply (Exodus 15:21). See Songs of Moses in the Bible.
Moses intercedes after the golden calf (Exodus 32:11-14): Moses appeals to God's promises and reputation, and the LORD relents.
Moses offers himself (Exodus 32:31-32): "If you will only forgive their sin, but if not, blot me out of the book that you have written."
"Show me your glory" (Exodus 33:12-18): Moses asks for God's presence to go with Israel and asks to see God's glory. See The Miracles of Moses.
Numbers and Deuteronomy
The priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26): "The LORD bless you and keep you." God gives Aaron the words to pray over the people.
Moses' complaint (Numbers 11:11-15): Worn out by the people's grumbling, Moses tells God the burden is too heavy.
Moses prays for Miriam (Numbers 12:13): "O God, please heal her." It is one of the shortest prayers in the Bible.
Moses pleads for a rebellious Israel (Numbers 14:13-19): After the people refuse to enter the land, Moses asks God to forgive them "according to the greatness of your steadfast love."
Moses asks to enter the land (Deuteronomy 3:23-26): God says no. This is one of the Bible's clearest unanswered prayers.
The offering of first fruits (Deuteronomy 26:5-10): "A wandering Aramean was my ancestor." Israel learns to pray its own history back to God.
Joshua and Judges
Joshua after the defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:7-9): Joshua falls on his face and asks why God brought Israel this far only to be defeated.
Joshua asks the sun to stand still (Joshua 10:12-14): Joshua prays in battle, and the day is lengthened.
Gideon's fleece (Judges 6:36-40): Gideon asks God for a sign, twice.
Manoah asks for guidance (Judges 13:8): Samson's father asks God to teach them how to raise the promised child.
Samson's last prayer (Judges 16:28): "Lord GOD, remember me and strengthen me only this once."
1 and 2 Samuel
Hannah prays for a son (1 Samuel 1:10-18): She prays so intensely that Eli thinks she is drunk. Read Who Was Hannah in the Bible?
Hannah's song (1 Samuel 2:1-10): "My heart exults in the LORD." Her song of praise shapes Mary's Magnificat centuries later. See The Song of Hannah.
Young Samuel answers (1 Samuel 3:10): "Speak, for your servant is listening."
Samuel prays for Israel (1 Samuel 7:5-9 and 12:23): Samuel tells the people it would be a sin for him to stop praying for them.
David asks for direction (1 Samuel 23:10-12 and 2 Samuel 2:1): David repeatedly asks the LORD what to do before acting.
David's prayer after God's promise (2 Samuel 7:18-29): "Who am I, O Lord GOD?" David responds to God's covenant with humility and wonder. See Who Was David in the Bible?
David pleads for his dying son (2 Samuel 12:16-23): David fasts and prays for seven days, and the child dies. His response afterward is one of the most honest moments in Scripture.
David's confession after the census (2 Samuel 24:10): "I have sinned greatly in what I have done."
1 and 2 Kings
Solomon asks for wisdom (1 Kings 3:6-9): Offered anything, Solomon asks for "an understanding mind" to govern well.
Solomon dedicates the temple (1 Kings 8:22-53): One of the longest prayers in the Bible, asking God to hear every prayer prayed toward that house. See The Prayer of Solomon at the Temple Dedication.
Elijah prays for the widow's son (1 Kings 17:20-22): Elijah stretches himself over the boy three times, and the child lives.
Elijah on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:36-37): "Answer me, O LORD, answer me." Fire falls from heaven.
Elijah under the broom tree (1 Kings 19:4): Exhausted and afraid, Elijah asks God to take his life. God answers with bread, water, and rest. See Who Was Elijah in the Bible? and Miracles of Elijah.
Elisha asks God to open his servant's eyes (2 Kings 6:17): "O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see." The servant sees the hills full of chariots of fire.
Hezekiah's prayer against Assyria (2 Kings 19:15-19): Hezekiah spreads the enemy's threatening letter before the LORD and asks God to save Jerusalem.
Hezekiah's prayer in sickness (2 Kings 20:2-3): Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and weeps, and God adds fifteen years to his life. See Who Was Hezekiah in the Bible?
1 and 2 Chronicles
The prayer of Jabez (1 Chronicles 4:10): "Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border." God grants what he asks. See The Prayer of Jabez.
David's farewell prayer (1 Chronicles 29:10-19): "Yours, O LORD, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty." The closing words of many offertory prayers come from here.
God's answer to Solomon (2 Chronicles 7:14): "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face... then I will hear from heaven."
Jehoshaphat facing an army (2 Chronicles 20:5-12): "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you."
Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther
Ezra's confession (Ezra 9:6-15): Ezra tears his garments and confesses the sins of the returned exiles.
Nehemiah's prayer for Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:4-11): After hearing that Jerusalem's walls are broken down, Nehemiah weeps, fasts, and prays for favor with the king. See The Prayer of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah's arrow prayer (Nehemiah 2:4): With the king waiting for an answer, "I prayed to the God of heaven" and then spoke. A prayer in the space of a breath.
Nehemiah under opposition (Nehemiah 4:4-5 and 6:9): "Now strengthen my hands."
Israel's great confession (Nehemiah 9:5-38): The Levites retell Israel's whole history as a prayer. By verse count it is the longest recorded prayer in the narrative books.
Esther's fast (Esther 4:16): Esther asks her people to fast for three days before she goes to the king. The book never mentions God by name, yet the fast assumes prayer.
Job
Job worships after losing everything (Job 1:20-21): "The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD."
Job's complaints (Job 7, 10, and 13): Job argues with God at length and asks for a hearing.
Job repents (Job 42:1-6): After God speaks from the whirlwind, Job says, "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you."
Job prays for his friends (Job 42:8-10): God restores Job's fortunes after he prays for the friends who wronged him.
Psalms
The Psalms are the Bible's prayer book. Several carry titles that call them prayers directly: "A Prayer of David" (Psalms 17, 86, and 142), "A Prayer of Moses, the man of God" (Psalm 90), and "A prayer of one afflicted" (Psalm 102). A few of the best known:
Psalm 23: trust in the LORD as shepherd, and the most-loved psalm in English
Psalm 51: David's confession after his sin with Bathsheba; see Nathan the Prophet, David, and Psalm 51
Psalm 13 and Psalm 22: laments that ask "How long?" and "Why have you forsaken me?"
Psalm 88: the darkest psalm, which ends without resolution
Psalm 90: Moses' prayer about the shortness of human life
Psalm 103: "Bless the LORD, O my soul"
Psalm 139: "O LORD, you have searched me and known me"
Psalm 119: 176 verses, most of them addressed to God, making it the longest prayer in the Bible if you count it as one
For more, see the Overview of Psalms, How Many Psalms Did David, Moses, Asaph, and Solomon Write?, and How Many Times Does Selah Appear in the Bible?
The Prophets
Isaiah's call (Isaiah 6:5-8): "Woe is me! I am lost," followed by "Here am I; send me!"
Isaiah longs for God to act (Isaiah 64:1): "O that you would tear open the heavens and come down."
Jeremiah objects to his call (Jeremiah 1:6): "Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy."
Jeremiah asks why the wicked prosper (Jeremiah 12:1-4): The prophet takes his complaint straight to God.
Jeremiah's lament (Jeremiah 20:7-18): One of the rawest prayers in the Bible, ending with Jeremiah cursing the day he was born. See Who Was Jeremiah in the Bible?
Jeremiah's prayer while buying a field (Jeremiah 32:16-25): "Nothing is too hard for you," prayed while Jerusalem is under siege.
The community's lament (Lamentations 5): "Restore us to yourself, O LORD." See Who Wrote Lamentations?
Ezekiel intercedes (Ezekiel 9:8): "Ah Lord GOD! will you destroy all who remain of Israel?"
Daniel praises God (Daniel 2:20-23): After God reveals the king's dream, Daniel blesses the God who "gives wisdom to the wise."
Daniel prays at his window (Daniel 6:10): Knowing it is now illegal, Daniel prays three times a day toward Jerusalem, as he always had.
Daniel's prayer of confession (Daniel 9:4-19): "We do not present our supplication before you on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of your great mercies." See The Prayer of Daniel (Daniel 9).
Amos pleads for Israel (Amos 7:2 and 7:5): "O Lord GOD, forgive, I beg you! How can Jacob stand? He is so small!" God relents twice.
Jonah prays from the fish (Jonah 2:1-9): "I called to the LORD out of my distress, and he answered me." See The Prayer of Jonah.
Jonah's angry prayer (Jonah 4:2-3): Jonah complains that God is too merciful.
Habakkuk's complaint (Habakkuk 1:2-4): "O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen?"
Habakkuk's prayer of trust (Habakkuk 3:1-19): "Though the fig tree does not blossom... yet I will rejoice in the LORD." See The Prayer of Habakkuk.
Prayers in the New Testament
Prayers in the Gospels
Songs of praise around Jesus' birth
Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55): "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." See Mary's Magnificat (Luke 1:46-56).
Zechariah's Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79): "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people." See Zechariah's Prophecy About John (Luke 1:67-79).
Simeon's Nunc Dimittis (Luke 2:29-32): "Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace." See The Nunc Dimittis by Simeon.
The prayers of Jesus
The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4): the prayer Jesus taught his disciples. See What Does the Lord's Prayer in the Bible Mean?
Jesus rejoices in the Spirit (Luke 10:21): "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth." See Jesus' Joy and Thanksgiving (Luke 10:21-24).
At Lazarus' tomb (John 11:41-42): "Father, I thank you for having heard me." See The Raising of Lazarus (John 11:38-44).
"Father, glorify your name" (John 12:27-28): Jesus, troubled in soul, prays as his hour approaches.
The High Priestly Prayer (John 17): Jesus prays for himself, his disciples, and all who will believe. See Jesus Prays for His Glory (John 17:1-5), Jesus Prays for His Disciples (John 17:6-19), and Jesus Prays for All Believers (John 17:20-26).
Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46): "Not my will but yours be done." See Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives (Luke 22:39-46) and What Is the Garden of Gethsemane?
From the cross (Luke 23:34; Matthew 27:46; Luke 23:46): "Father, forgive them," "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" and "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." See The Crucifixion of Jesus (Luke 23:33-43) and Jesus Dies (Luke 23:44-49).
For every recorded prayer of Jesus, including the times the Gospels say he withdrew to pray, see Prayers of Jesus in the Bible.
Prayers of people who met Jesus
A leper (Luke 5:12): "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean." See Jesus Cleanses a Leper (Luke 5:12-16).
Peter sinking in the sea (Matthew 14:30): "Lord, save me!"
The Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:22-28): "Lord, help me." Jesus praises her great faith. See Jesus and the Canaanite Woman (Matthew 15:21-28).
A father with a sick son (Mark 9:24): "I believe; help my unbelief!"
Ten lepers (Luke 17:13): "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" Only one returns to give thanks. See Jesus Heals Ten Lepers (Luke 17:11-19).
The tax collector in the temple (Luke 18:13): "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" See The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.
Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:47): "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" See Bartimaeus (Luke 18:35-43).
The criminal on the cross (Luke 23:42): "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Acts
Choosing Matthias (Acts 1:24-25): "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen." See Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas (Acts 1:12-26).
The believers pray for boldness (Acts 4:24-30): After Peter and John are threatened, the church prays, and "the place in which they were gathered together was shaken." See The Believers' Prayer (Acts 4:23-31).
Stephen's dying prayers (Acts 7:59-60): see the section below.
Peter raises Tabitha (Acts 9:40): Peter kneels and prays before telling her to get up.
The church prays for Peter in prison (Acts 12:5-17): The church prays earnestly, and when Peter shows up at the door, they don't believe it is him. See Peter's Miraculous Escape From Prison (Acts 12:1-19).
Paul and Silas at midnight (Acts 16:25): Beaten and chained, they pray and sing hymns, and an earthquake opens the prison. See Paul and Silas Imprisoned (Acts 16:16-24) and The Philippian Jailer (Acts 16:25-40).
Farewells on the beach (Acts 20:36 and 21:5): Paul kneels and prays with the elders of Ephesus and with the believers at Tyre.
The Prayers of Stephen (Acts 7)
Stephen, the first Christian martyr, prayed twice as he was being stoned, and both prayers echo Jesus on the cross.
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit" (Acts 7:59). Jesus had prayed, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Stephen prays the same trust, now addressed to Jesus himself. This is one of the earliest prayers in Scripture spoken directly to the risen Christ.
"Lord, do not hold this sin against them" (Acts 7:60). Stephen kneels and prays for the people killing him, just as Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them."
Just before these prayers, Stephen sees "the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God" (Acts 7:56). Elsewhere Christ is pictured as seated at God's right hand. Many readers take the standing posture as Jesus rising to welcome his servant. A young man named Saul was watching (Acts 7:58), and he would become the apostle Paul. Read the full scene in The Stoning of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60) and the Acts 7 Outline, Summary, and Meaning.
The Prayers of Paul
Paul's letters are full of prayer. He usually opens with thanksgiving, prays specific requests for the churches, and breaks into praise when the theology overwhelms him. Four themes run through his prayers: thanksgiving, intercession for spiritual growth, prayer for unity and love, and doxology.
Romans
Romans 1:8-10: thanks God for the Roman believers and prays for a chance to visit them
Romans 10:1: "My heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved"
Romans 11:33-36: "O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!"
Romans 15:5-6, 13, and 30-33: prays for unity, for joy and peace "so that you may abound in hope," and asks the Romans to pray for him
1 and 2 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 1:4-9: gives thanks for God's grace among a troubled church
2 Corinthians 1:3-7: blesses "the God of all consolation"; see God of All Comfort
2 Corinthians 12:7-9: asks three times for his thorn to be removed and hears, "My grace is sufficient for you"
2 Corinthians 13:14: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you"
Galatians
Galatians 1:3-5: gives glory to God for rescuing us "from the present evil age"
Ephesians
Ephesians 1:15-23: prays for a spirit of wisdom and revelation, to know the hope of God's call and the greatness of his power. See A Prayer for Wisdom and Revelation (Ephesians 1:15-23).
Ephesians 3:14-21: kneels before the Father and prays that believers will be rooted in love and "filled with all the fullness of God." See A Prayer for Spiritual Strength and Knowledge (Ephesians 3:14-21).
Philippians
Philippians 1:3-11: thanks God for the Philippians and prays that their love "may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight." See Paul's Thanksgiving and Prayer (Philippians 1:1-11).
Colossians
Colossians 1:3-14: prays that the Colossians will be filled with the knowledge of God's will and bear fruit in every good work
1 and 2 Thessalonians
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3: gives thanks for their "work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope"
1 Thessalonians 3:11-13: prays that they will increase in love and be blameless when Christ comes
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24: "May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely"
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, 2:16-17, and 3:5, 16: prays for their faithfulness, comfort, and peace
1 and 2 Timothy and Philemon
1 Timothy 1:17: "To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever"
2 Timothy 1:3: Paul remembers Timothy in his prayers night and day
Philemon 4-6: thanks God for Philemon's love and faith
Other New Testament Letters
Hebrews 13:20-21: "Now may the God of peace... make you complete in everything good"
James 5:17-18: James points to Elijah's prayers for drought and rain as a model for ordinary believers; see A Church With a PhD (James 5:13-20)
1 Peter 1:3: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
Jude 24-25: "Now to him who is able to keep you from falling"
Revelation
Around the throne (Revelation 4:8-11): "Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty." See The Throne in Heaven (Revelation 4:1-11).
The new song to the Lamb (Revelation 5:9-14): "You are worthy to take the scroll." See The Scroll and the Lamb (Revelation 5:1-14).
The martyrs cry out (Revelation 6:10): "Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long?" See The Seven Seals (Revelation 6:1-17).
The great multitude (Revelation 7:10-12): "Salvation belongs to our God." See The Great Multitude in White Robes.
The elders give thanks (Revelation 11:17-18): "We give you thanks, Lord God Almighty." See The Seventh Trumpet.
The Song of the Lamb (Revelation 15:3-4): "Great and amazing are your deeds." See The Song of the Lamb in Revelation 15.
Heaven's hallelujahs (Revelation 19:1-8): See The Hallelujah Chorus in Revelation 19 and Rejoicing in Heaven (Revelation 19:1-10).
The Bible's last prayer (Revelation 22:20): "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" See Epilogue and Benediction (Revelation 22:6-21).
Notable Prayers in the Bible
The first prayer. The first mention of prayer is Genesis 4:26: "At that time people began to invoke the name of the LORD." Abraham's words in Genesis 15:2-3 are often counted as the first recorded prayer, though Cain speaks to God even earlier (Genesis 4:13-14).
The last prayer. "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20). The Bible closes with a prayer for Christ to return.
The shortest prayers. Moses' prayer for Miriam is five words in Hebrew: "O God, please heal her" (Numbers 12:13). Peter's "Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:30) is three words in Greek. Nehemiah's prayer in Nehemiah 2:4 has no recorded words at all.
The longest prayers. Among prayers in the narrative books, the longest are Israel's confession in Nehemiah 9:5-38 and Solomon's dedication of the temple in 1 Kings 8:22-53. Jesus' longest recorded prayer is John 17. If you count Psalm 119 as a single prayer, its 176 verses make it the longest of all.
The most famous prayer. The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), prayed by Christians around the world every day.
Prayers of women. Hannah (1 Samuel 1-2), Miriam (Exodus 15:21), Mary (Luke 1:46-55), and the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:22-28). Anna "worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day" in the temple (Luke 2:37).
Prayers God answered with no. Moses asked to enter the promised land (Deuteronomy 3:23-26). David begged for his son's life (2 Samuel 12:16-23). Paul asked three times for his thorn to be removed (2 Corinthians 12:8-9). Jesus asked for the cup to pass (Mark 14:36). Each of these people kept praying afterward.
Prayers that changed God's announced plan. Moses after the golden calf (Exodus 32:14), Hezekiah in his sickness (2 Kings 20:5-6), and Amos for Israel (Amos 7:3, 6). Scripture presents a God who listens and responds.
What the Prayers of the Bible Teach Us
Read together, the Bible's prayers show that no single kind of prayer is the right one. God hears long prayers and three-word prayers, polished liturgy and broken sobbing, praise from a temple and complaint from the belly of a fish. The people who prayed them were often afraid, angry, grieving, or unsure. What they share is the direction they faced. They turned toward God and spoke.
They also show that prayer is learned by praying with others. Mary borrowed Hannah's words. Jesus prayed the Psalms on the cross. Stephen prayed Jesus' words as he died. Christians today still pray the Lord's Prayer, the Psalms, and the benedictions of Paul. One simple way to use this list is to pray through it, one prayer a day, reading each passage in its setting and then praying it in your own words. For ready-made prayers drawn from Scripture, see Prayers for the Day and Nightly Prayers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many prayers are in the Bible? Counts vary with the definition. A widely repeated estimate is about 650. Counting only full prayers with recorded words gives a smaller number, and counting every psalm and every mention of prayer gives a larger one.
What is the first prayer in the Bible? Genesis 4:26 is the first mention of people calling on the name of the LORD. Abraham's question about an heir (Genesis 15:2-3) is often counted as the first recorded prayer, though Cain speaks to God earlier (Genesis 4:13-14). Abraham's plea for Sodom (Genesis 18:23-33) is the first long prayer.
What is the last prayer in the Bible? "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).
What is the shortest prayer in the Bible? Two are usually named: "O God, please heal her" (Numbers 12:13) and "Lord, save me!" (Matthew 14:30).
What is the longest prayer in the Bible? Nehemiah 9:5-38 and 1 Kings 8:22-53 are the longest prayers in the narrative books. Psalm 119, at 176 verses, is the longest if counted as one prayer.
What is the most famous prayer in the Bible? The Lord's Prayer, taught by Jesus in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4.
Who prayed the most in the Bible? David, if you count the psalms attributed to him. Among the Gospel figures, Jesus is shown praying more often than anyone else.
Did Jesus pray? Yes, often: alone before dawn, all night before choosing the Twelve, at Lazarus' tomb, in Gethsemane, and from the cross. See Prayers of Jesus in the Bible.
What are the main types of prayer in the Bible? Petition, intercession, praise and thanksgiving, confession, lament, imprecation, and dedication.
Which prayers in the Bible are about healing? Moses for Miriam (Numbers 12:13), Elijah for the widow's son (1 Kings 17:20-22), Hezekiah in his sickness (2 Kings 20:2-3), and many who cried out to Jesus. See Prayers of Healing in the Bible.
Is there a printable list of all the prayers in the Bible? You can print this page from your browser for a book-by-book list to keep in your Bible or use in a study group.
Works Consulted
Brueggemann, Walter. The Message of the Psalms. Augsburg Fortress.
Keller, Timothy. Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God. Dutton.
Lockyer, Herbert. All the Prayers of the Bible. Zondervan.
Miller, Patrick D. They Cried to the Lord: The Form and Theology of Biblical Prayer. Fortress Press.
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version.
Article Updated October, 2026.
