Children are a gift from the Lord;
they are a real blessing.Psalm 127:3 (GNT)
So often when I look at my teens, I find it incredible that these taller-than-me humans once fit entirely in my arms! If you have a child who has crossed that baby stage, you know what I mean.
But no matter how old our children are, they will never outgrow our prayers.
Praying for our children is not just about asking for their needs; it is a God-given privilege and responsibility.
When Jesus walked about the streets of Israel, many parents brought their children to Him “to place his hands on them and to pray for them” (Matthew 19:13, GNT). We, too, are called to take our children in prayer to the Lord.
Every. Single. Day.
But what if you don’t know what to pray for?
What if there is no specific need you can identify or, on the other hand, there’s so much to ask for, you don’t know where to start?
God’s Word is the perfect starting point. Here are 7 scriptural prayers that cover different areas of their lives and help you pray intentionally and consistently for your children. Even when you’re lost for words.
Prayers for our children
For protection
The Lord will protect you from all danger;
he will keep you safe.
He will protect you as you come and go
now and forever.
Father, I place my children under your wings. Watch over their comings and their goings. May your angel encamp around them and guard them in all their ways. Be their rock and their fortress. Let no weapon formed against them prosper. I thank you, for you are their shield, their strength, and the stronghold of their life. Amen.
For wisdom and discernment
for wisdom will come into your heart,
and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;
prudence will watch over you;
and understanding will guard you
Lord, in a world filled with different voices, anchor my children in your truth. Let your Word be a lamp to their feet and a light to their path. Give them understanding and discernment to know which path to walk in. When they face decisions, both small and big, give them the wisdom to choose what is good and pleasing in your sight. Hold them close to your ways and lead them in the way of truth. Amen.
For faith and whole-hearted trust in God
Continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Father, I ask that my children be rooted in Christ. Let the truth they have been taught take hold in their minds and hearts. When doubts come, anchor them in faith. When difficulties arise, let them turn to you, knowing that you are their ever-present help. May they continue to live their lives in you and to trust you more and more each day. Amen.
For their vocation/calling
Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
Lord, I place my child’s vocation and calling into your hands. Help them discover the gifts and talents you have filled them with and the purpose to which you have called them. Shape their desires and order their steps. Where there is uncertainty, bring clarity. Where there is doubt, bring trust in you. Show them the path they should take so that they may fulfil the great plans you have for their lives. Bless the work of their hands so that they may bring glory to your name. Amen.
For godly friends
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,
but the companion of fools suffers harm.
Father, surround my children with friends who walk in wisdom and truth. Place people in their lives who encourage what is good and who will draw them closer to you. Protect them from harmful and toxic friendships, especially from those who would pull them away from you. Give them discernment to choose their friends wisely. May they have and be the kind of friends who build up rather than tear down. Let their friendships be filled with joy, kindness, and encouragement. Amen.
For bearing fruit in God’s kingdom
Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
Father, I ask that my children may be shining lights for you. Let their words and their actions give you glory and draw others to you. May they use their gifts, talents, and time to serve others, as faithful stewards of your grace. Help them reach out to those around them. Make them strong in faith and in service, like trees planted by the waterside, bearing fruit in all seasons. Amen.
When you still don’t know what to pray
In the same way the Spirit also comes to help us, weak as we are. For we do not know how we ought to pray; the Spirit himself pleads with God for us in groans that words cannot express.
Father, I come to pray for my children, but I don’t know what to say. So I ask that your Spirit would take my half-formed words and intercede on my behalf. They are yours, Lord, and you know their hearts, their minds, and their needs far better than I do. Hold them in your loving hands and lead them in the paths they should go. Heal their hearts where they hurt. Let them know they are deeply loved by you and by me. Fill them today with all they need to become the person you created them to be. Amen.
The mantle of prayer
Of all the things we do for our children, few matter more than faithfully covering them with prayer.
Ask your children if there is anything they’d like you to pray for. Even if they hesitate to share, this tender question reminds them how deeply they matter to you. Pray over them when they wake up, when they leave the house, and when they lay down to sleep, covering them with your love and with the love of God.
There will be seasons when we feel uncertain or helpless as parents. But we were never meant to carry this weight alone.
Our prayers go with our children where we cannot, placing them always under the mantle of the Lord’s protection and wisdom — because even when we don’t know what to do, He does.
In faith,
Pray boldly for the next generation!
Gen Z is battling pressures we didn’t have. Get the “Prayers for a Generation” guide – 15 powerful scriptural prayers for teens & tweens, covering health, heart, mind, relationships, vocation & faith.