Prayer is an important Christian discipline, and every worship leader needs a good repertoire of worship songs about prayer in their back pocket when the situation calls for it.
We’ve compiled 15 worship songs about prayer to use as devotions, readings, leading your congregation in song, or adding them to your church presentation software just to expand the library.
Hymns about prayer
Don’t write off these classic songs from church history. Many of them communicate truth in thoughtful ways that are missing in some modern worship.
You can find all of these hymns about prayer in MediaShout’s lyric library, so pulling them into your next church presentation software is a cinch. (If you’re not using MediaShout yet, consider trying it out for free.)
1. Beautiful Garden of Prayer
The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer.—Psalm 6:9
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.—1 Peter 5:6–7
If the sermon is about the importance of creating a disciplined prayer life, this hymn is a great place to start. The music was written by James Henry Fillmore and Eleanor Allen Schroll. It was originally copyrighted and first published in 1920.
Lyrically, “Beautiful Garden of Prayer” paints a picture of prayerful intimacy,
There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
There’s a place that is wondrously fair.
For it glows with the light of His presence,
‘Tis the beautiful garden of prayer.O the beautiful garden, the garden of prayer,
O the beautiful garden of prayer.
There my Savior awaits, and He opens the gates
To the beautiful garden of prayer.There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
And I go with my burden and care.
Just to learn from His lips, words of comfort,
In the beautiful garden of prayer.There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
And He bids you to come meet Him there,
Just to bow and receive a new blessing,
In the beautiful garden of prayer.
The encouragement to cast burdens on Christ and receive his comfort makes this a very appropriate hymn to use as a transition to congregational prayer times for various concerns.
2. In the Garden
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.—1 John 1:7
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.—Hebrews 1:1–2
Using extremely figurative language, “In the Garden” describes the relationship that comes out of a regular prayerful relationship with the Lord. For such a popular hymn, it’s fairly polarizing. Many critics point to its “sappy” nature and criticize it for its hyper-sentimentality.
The reason it is still so popular over 100 years after its first publication is that many can identify with the picture that writer C. Austin Miles paints of the intimacy available to believers, but only if they’re willing to “come to the garden alone.”
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses;
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses.And He walks with me,
And He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.He speaks, and the sound of
His voice is so sweet,
The birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me,
Within my heart is ringing.I’d stay in the garden with Him,
Though the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go;
Through the voice of woe,
His voice to me is calling.
3. Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling.—Psalm 46:1–3The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
the righteous man runs into it and is safe.—Proverbs 18:10
While “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms” never directly mentions prayer, it speaks of a confidence and trust in God’s providence that speaks to a faith that is born from out of a prayerful relationship. This works well as a worship song about prayer in a way that isn’t too obvious and cheesy.
In 1887, Anthony J. Showalter corresponded with two different friends who had lost their spouses. In an effort to provide some solace, Showalter referenced Deuteronomy 33:27—”The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”
In meditating on that passage, Showalter sat down at his piano and wrote the chorus for the hymn.
Leaning, leaning,
Safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
He then called on his friend and hymn writer, Elisha Albright Hoffman, to help him write the lyrics for the verses.
What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms!
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms!Oh how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms!
Oh how bright the path
Grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
4. My Faith Looks Up to Thee
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.—Philippians 1:6
Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith—Hebrews 12:1–2
Ray Parker, a recent Yale graduate, penned the words to this hymn in a personal notebook that he used for poetry, prayers, and prose. He wrote it in response to a difficult year and never intended for anyone to ever see it. Years later, he ran into his friend, composer Lowell Mason who had been working on a book of hymns and wanted to know if Palmer had anything to contribute, and Palmer showed him these words. Mason loved them and immediately went to work putting them to music.
My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray;
Take all my guilt away.
Oh let me from this day
Be wholly Thine!May Thy rich grace impart
Strength to my fainting heart,
My zeal inspire.
As Thou hast died for me,
Oh may my love to Thee
Pure, warm and changeless be,
A living fire.While life’s dark maze I tread,
And griefs around me spread
Be Thou my Guide.
Bid darkness turn to day;
Wipe sorrow’s tears away;
Nor let me ever stray
From Thee aside!When ends life’s transient dream,
When death’s cold sullen stream
Shall o’er me roll,
Blest Saviour, then in love,
Fear and distrust remove.
Oh bear me safe above,
A ransomed soul.
Inspiring holy confidence, “My Faith Looks Up to Thee” is a song of depth and power. It’s perfect to use when the focus of a service is on prayerful confession.
5. Pass Me Not
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.—1 Timothy 2:5
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.—Hebrews 4:16
This is one of the first hymns published by famous hymn writer Fanny Crosby, writer of hymns like:
- All the Way My Savior Leads Me
- Blessed Assurance
- Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus Our Precious Redeemer!
- Take the World, But Give Me Jesus
The strength of this song lies in its desperation. It’s so similar to the boldness shown by many of the sick who cried out for Christ’s attention and healing. If you’re looking for a song that really communicates the reckless and courageous prayers that God desires from his people, this is it.
Pass me not, O gentle Savior;
Hear my humble cry.
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry.
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief;
Kneeling there in deep contrition,
Help my unbelief.Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face.
Heal my wounded, broken spirit.
Save me by Thy grace.Thou, the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heaven but Thee?
In need of some FREE background media for your worship presentation software? Download this free media pack to get you started today!
6. Sweet Hour of Prayer
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!—1 Chronicles 16:11
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.—James 5:13
While there is still some question about who wrote “Sweet Hour of Prayer” and how it was written, there’s no denying that it is a well-loved hymn. The lyrics are a valuable resource for identifying and expressing many of prayer’s blessings.
Sweet hour of prayer,
Sweet hour of prayer.
The joys I feel, the bliss I share.
Of those whose anxious spirits burn
With strong desires for Thy return.
With such I hasten to the place
Where God, my Savior, shows His face.
And gladly take my station there,
And wait for Thee, sweet hour of prayer.Sweet hour of prayer,
Sweet hour of prayer,
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless;
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His word, and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my ev’ry care.
And wait for Thee, sweet hour of prayer.Sweet hour of prayer,
Sweet hour of prayer,
May I Thy consolation share,
‘Til from Mount Pisgah’s lofty height,
I view my home and take my flight.
This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise
To seize the everlasting prize,
And shout while passing through the air,
Farewell, farewell sweet hour of prayer.
7. Tell It to Jesus
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”—Matthew 11:28–30
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.—2 Corinthians 1:3–5
Turning your sorrows, doubts, and fears into prayers don’t come naturally. It’s a discipline. Originally published in 1876 German hymnal, “Tell It to Jesus” reminds and encourages Christians to share their heavy hearts in prayer with God.
Do the tears flow down
Your cheeks unbidden?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus.
Have you sins that
To men’s eyes are hidden?
Tell it to Jesus alone.Do you fear the
Gathering clouds of sorrow?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus.
Are you anxious
What shall be tomorrow?
Tell it to Jesus alone.Are you troubled
At the thought of dying?
Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus.
For Christ’s coming kingdom
Are you sighing?
Tell it to Jesus alone.Tell it to Jesus,
Tell it to Jesus.
He is a Friend that’s well known.
You have no other
Such a friend or brother.
Tell it to Jesus alone.
8. What a Friend We Have in Jesus
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.—John 15:13–15
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.—Philippians 4:6
The words to this beloved classic were written by Joseph Medlicott Scriven. Growing up in Ireland, Scriven hoped to follow in the footsteps of his father’s prestigious military career, but his poor health prevented it.
After graduating from Trinity college in 1842, Scriven fell in love and prepared to get married. The night before his wedding, his wife-to-be accidentally drowned. As if that’s not heartbreaking enough, years later he was engaged to another woman who contracted pneumonia and died.
In light of these experiences, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” becomes even more poignant. When someone with Scrivener’s experiences tells you that our peace is forfeited when we neglect to carry our burdens to God in prayer, we should listen.
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry,
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge!
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do Thy friends despise forsake Thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In His arms He’ll take and shield Thee;
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Modern worship songs about prayer
Here is a selection of more current worship songs about prayer. Due to their copyright status, we won’t be able to reprint all of the lyrics—but you can find them elsewhere online without much hassle.
9. Hear Our Prayer
Writer: Tanya Riches
Restore us, O God of hosts;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!—Psalm 80:7
Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his pleas for mercy, and for your own sake, O Lord, make your face to shine upon your sanctuary, which is desolate.—Daniel 9:17
Direct and simple, “Hear Our Prayer” is a passionate cry for a touch from God. It’s an ideal opening to lead a congregation into a prayerful worship time, or a great song of response for a service centered around bold prayer.
10. Give Us Clean Hands
Writer: Charlie Hall
Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart . . .—Psalm 24:3–4Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or dissension.—1 Timothy 2:8
This is another prayer of empowering confession. Taking a teaching about prayer and turning it into an opportunity for a congregation to add to their worship software is a wonderful benefit of leading others in worship.
“Give Us Clean Hands” has a definite stand-in-the-gap (Ez. 22:30) element to it, and makes a forceful song for praying for your country or generation.
FREE SUNDAY CHECKLIST
FREE for your Church Presentation Software needs: We’ve put together an easy-to-follow, downloadable, Sunday morning service checklist for your ministry. The best part: It’s FREE! Download today.
11. Lord, I Need You
Writers: Daniel Carson, Christy Nockels, Matt Maher, Jesse Reeves, Kristian Stanfill
This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.—Ephesians 3:11–12
So we can confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?”—Hebrews 13:6
This moving song is built around the chorus of “I Need Thee Every Hour” by Annie Sherwood Hawks and Robert Lowery:
I need thee oh I need thee
Every hour I need thee
Oh bless me now my savior
I come to thee
Around that classic chorus, “Lord, I Need You” weaves a prayer of desperation and longing. It’s part confession, part urgent appeal, and all prayer. If you’re not familiar with this one, it’s a powerful prayer for commitment and dedication that’s sure to get everyone singing.
12. The Lord’s Prayer
Writers: Shane Barnard
Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.—Matthew 6:9–13
If the church wants to take prayer seriously, it should start with the Lord’s Prayer. After all, it is the instruction Jesus himself gave us about prayer. While there are many versions and recordings of the Lord’s Prayer, Shane & Shane’s version is a great modern take.
13. Make My Life a Prayer to You
Writer: Melody Green
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.—1 Corinthians 10:31
We love because he first loved us.—1 John 4:19
I know that this is listed under “modern worship songs about prayer,” but considering the fact the church is over 2,000 years old, I think it’s OK to include a song from 1978.
Keith Green wrote most of the songs he performed, popular songs like: “Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful,” “There Is a Redeemer,” “Your Love Broke Through.” But “Make My Life a Prayer to You” was written by his wife Melody.
Much like “Take My Life, and Let It Be,” this is a song about consecration and commitment. It’s a prayer turning one’s life over to be used by the Lord. It profoundly eschews religious language and baggage to embrace a very simple message.
Make my life a prayer to you
I wanna do what you want me to
No empty words, and no white lies
No token prayers, no compromise
14. Take My Life
Writers: Frances Ridley Havergal, Chris Tomlin
So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.—Psalm 90:12
I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.—Romans 12:1
While “Take My Life” isn’t really a worship song about prayer, it is an actual prayer. The majority of it comes from Havergal’s hymn from 1874. This powerful invocation represents her heart’s cry for all of her talents, resources, and abilities to be put used for God’s purpose and glory.
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
To these verses, Chris Tomlin changes the melody a bit and adds a catchy refrain that kind of brings it all together.
15. Thank You Lord
Writers: Paul Baloche, Don Moen
Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!—1 Chronicles 16:8
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.—1 Thessalonians 5:18
It seems only appropriate to end this list with a prayer of thanksgiving. Thank You Lord was written by two guys responsible for well-known worship songs like:
- Open the Eyes of My Heart
- Our God Saves
- Above All
- God Will Make a Way
- Blessed Be the Name of the Lord
- And too many more to count
“Thank You Lord” expresses thankfulness in a graceful, reflective manner. It’s a worship song about prayer that seems tailor-made for so many situations. You can definitely use it during a sermon series on prayer, but it can also be used for special services like baptisms, Christmas, and Easter. Not only that, but it perfectly accents weddings, baby dedications, and even funerals. When you get down to it, there is no inappropriate time to express thankfulness.
I come before You today, and there’s just one thing that I want to say
Thank You, Lord, thank You, Lord
For all You’ve given to me, for all the blessings that I cannot see
What are your favorite worship songs about prayer?
We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a comment and tell us what your go-to songs on prayer are!
Ready to switch to the best worship software on the market? See what MediaShout church presentation software can do for you and your ministry. Download the FREE 30-day trial today!
I love the mix of classic and modern songs. Great list, I definitely recognize a lot of them others are new to me but I will check out. Thanks for sharing!
Our pleasure! Let us know if you have other songs you think would be good on this list. Thanks and be blessed!
I was raised on good ole Hymns….. I miss them so much in our ‘contemporary’ craze…
Our children are really cheated of some very deep words of wisdom and God’s Amazing Blessings of Love & Grace….
Susan – thanks for sharing your thoughts. I grew up on the hymns (as I was in a small country Methodist church) and can appreciate many of them (including the ones listed in the article). I also really enjoy many of the contemporary songs, too. Both styles have some songs that are very deep theological truths (and both styles also have some that aren’t very deep and instead are feel-good songs that may not even line up with Scripture). Unfortunately, the contemporary vs. hymn stance is nothing new. When hymns first made their appearance, a lot of Latin-speaking churches were concerned about the shift from the Gregorian Chants that had existed for many years and were suddenly being supplanted by these new hymns that the common church-goer could sing. The same is true with Contemporary Worship in that it is providing the truth of the Gospel through a different style of music that may reach another generation differently. But, I have a feeling that the music styles will change in the future and “contemporary” will become the past, too. The important thing with any worship song is not the style, but the content. Is it Theologically accurate and does it point to the Gospel of Jesus (or our need for Jesus)? That is the piece with which we should ask ourselves. After that, it is simply a preference of our music style as long as it fits the truths mentioned above. That’s why I love many of the contemporary remakes of the traditional hymns. They take the songs we love and grew up with and add a modern style (and many times additional deep lyrics to enhance what the original songwriter spoke about). Understanding that it is a combination of worship songs that draw us closer to Him (and not a chant vs. hymn vs. contemporary debate) is what makes this list so important to each of us. Thanks for taking the time to read it.
Looking for music that has the words two men walking up a hill one was gone one stood still. I remembered liking it.
Hey Julia – I think you are thinking of “I Wish We’d All Been Ready” by Larry Norman (and covered by a bunch of other artists, including D.C. Talk). Here is a link to the original song from 1969:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBFtWWeOQog
Good Morning and Happy New Year 2022.
looking for some help with hymns, which include prayers, I found your wonderful and detailed list, which I will be using in my church’s small group meeting. Thank you, may Hod continue blessing you. ?
What song says “Let us labor for the Master with a heart that’s pure and true “?
Betsy,
I couldn’t find a lyric that included that phrase you mentioned above. However, the most famous hymn to include “Let us labor for the Master…” is “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder” by James Milton Black. The phrase “…with a heart that’s pure and true…” is found in a hymn called “On the Cross You Gave Your Life for Me” by D. Emery. The phrase “…heart that’s pure and true…” can be expanded to include a 1995 song called “I Want To Be Like Jesus” by Cindy Rethmeier. That’s about all I was able to come up with. Hopefully one of those is what you are looking for. Thanks and be blessed!
When the roll is called up yonder has a similar line
Your question brings to mind the tune and words of the song “Love Each Other” by William J. Henry.
I am now 15 days recovering from open heart surgery for six bypasses. I am so grateful to Jesus for helping me every way every day to get me here better and better.I love to sing and I love the all hands and I think you are publishing these especially in the garden and what a friend we have in Jesus these means so much to me and I thank you for putting them here is that rose this morning at 4 AM thinking of him and what he’s done for me and then being able to sit here quiet and praise his holy name with these beautiful anointed songs of all old. God bless you and all your ministry thank you very much for making these and table to me even in the morning quiet times that I have where I worship my Lord give him perform as he gives me great care to care for me and all my life thank you again God bless you forever.
When using the hymn “I Need Thee Every Hour” … interject the chorus of “Lord, I Need You” instead! It works amazingly… and keeps it fresh! ?
Randy – great idea! I love combining two hymns like this.
I have been searching for a song that goes like this:
I have found a secret weapon – In these troubled days-
Heaven stops and pays attention-
When I start to pray.
Prayer can calm the troubled waters- – It can bring life to a child in darkness- And bring Peace to the one who’s drowning in despair.
……………
No doubt about it- There’s just something about a prayer.
Do you recognize this song?
I LOVE THESE WORDS OF GOD AND THE HYMN SO SPIRITUAL THANK YOU MY MOM AND AUNTY THANK YOU THEIR WITH THE LORD NOW AND I STILL SING THE BLESSED THE SONG
I need you every hour
Good good Father
Barb,
This is a great song! If you’ve never had the opportunity to hear the story behind it (written by two guys from “Housefires”), check it out here:
https://melwild.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/the-story-behind-good-good-father/
Thanks!
I need you every hour
I recognize most of these songs. A few of the modern ones I do not. I guess my favorite would be In The Garden. I wish I could have heard them all here.
Vivian,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Many of these songs can be found on YouTube in some form or fashion. Due to copyright, we can’t include the audio or video with the newer songs. Thanks and be blessed!
I thanks God for everything and also people we want too help me
Not a surprise that this list has a great number of favorite old HYMNS!
Wendy,
I couldn’t agree more. There are a number of great hymns and modern praise songs that we have covered in this article. Of course, even before a lot of these hymns were written, there were beautiful pieces written for harpsichord or strings that were about prayer and invoking that emotion through the music that was written about a particular scripture or Bible story. It’s amazing to see how the creativity God gave us over the generations (all the way back from the disciples singing after the last supper through Gregorian Chants and through instrumental pieces through hymns and modern praise songs) has always allowed us to come back to Him as the focus on it. That’s when we know it is much bigger than the style, but really it is about the One that gave us the ability to worship Him through song.
He Leadeth Me!
Jan,
That’s one of my favorites from growing up. We did it a lot in the small church I was raised in.
Love the songs, here is another song ,Did You Think to Pray.
Thanks, Janet, for sharing!
Janet and I were thinking of the same song – In fact I was looking for it – Did You Think to Pray? But of course you can’t list them all. The song has some very thought provoking words.
Wow
My All In All
Just songs of praise of the Savior that goes straight up from our hearts to his–in the order of How Great Thou Art or some of the newer ones–Majesty may be copyrighted, but along that line.
I’d like to see a collection of hymns about girding our hearts and souls against the Adversary, Satan. This could include “Soldiers 0f Christ Arise”, “A Mighty Fortress is our God”, “Be Still My Soul”, etc.
Linda,
Thanks! I’ll see if there is something we can do for this as well. Be blessed!
I know some of the old songs and some I don’t. I was wondering about bringing in some songs that will stir up the fire of praise. I don’t remember any off the top of my head but wasn’t there songs that made you want to shout and stomp?
Cathy – we will see if we can come up with something along these lines. Thanks and be blessed!
I Am Thine, O Lord.
“In the Garden” may have greater meaning and acceptance when it is recognized as the imagined words of Mary Magdalene on Easter morning as she meets the one she presumes to be the gardener, whose voice discloses Him to be the Son of God.
Dwight – thanks for the different take on this classic hymn. I don’t know if that was C. Austin Miles’ original thought process when he wrote it, but it does have an interesting fit. Thanks for sharing!
A calming song which we use as a prayer and often for a call to worship is :”All Who Are Thirsty”
Prayer is the ‘key’ to Heaven, but Faith unlocks the door. A song I remember from the ’60’s.
Jake Hamilton, ” I am convinced”
Misty Edwards, ” Killing me with mercy”
The most beautifull hymns from Traditional Latin Catholic Latin Mass are PANIS ANGELICUS and ECCE PANIS ANGELORUM When you hear the them, you can then indulge yourself deeply into prayer during HOLY MASS
Roy – thanks for sharing! Songs in Latin can be very powerful!
“Could I?” by Kim McMechan from Vineyard Music
Thanks for sharing your list. Many familiar hymns I loved.
Here are some of my favorite songs for prayer:
You Are My Hiding Place (by Michael Ledner)
Heal Our Land (by Robin Brooks/Tom Brooks)
Lord I Need You (by Christy Nickels/Daniel Carson,etc.)
All Consuming Fire (by Randy Wright)
Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies) (by Chris Tomlin)
Jesus Paid it All (by John T. Grape)
The Blood Will Never Lose It’s Power (by Andrae Crouch)
My idea is that it’s been done and such categories already exist in fine hymnals across the land.
Dan – Completely agree that there are some great ones found in many hymnals. However, not everyone has access to hymnals nor do all churches sing songs from the hymnals. That’s why we combined both into one list and picked out some of our favorites to share. Of course, the index of the themes in the hymnals may show hundreds of songs on prayer, but we want to help narrow it down to a few that people may either know already or give some great options for something new. Thanks and be blessed!
Thank you for this resource, Aaron. I especially appreciate your use of an accompanying Scripture for each song (which I usually have to look up to include in the slide that introduces the song). You also have a generous spirit in your replies to these comments.
Nancy,
Thank you for those kind words. We love serving and equipping the church with resources. It’s even better when those resources are straight from the Word of God. Be blessed!
I have a program on prayer and being still but i do not these songs well i would love to hear them then learn and share with the congregation.
Justine – thanks for the comment. Many of these songs can be found on YouTube, which is a great place to search for and listen to different versions of the songs. Be blessed!
i found 3 other songs that are not listed above:
1) “If My People” (Jimmy Owens)…straight out of 2 Chronicles 7:14…an oldie but a goodie! Also, Promise Keepers did another version by the same title (completely different melody).
2) “What If His People Prayed” (Casting Crowns)…rocking song written around 2003…really powerful message!
3) “Daniel Prayed”…listen to the version performed by Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless…nothing like authentic bluegrass to bring the point home!
All that to say…i was just searching for recently written songs that hit square on the theme of prayer (its power and centrality to the Christian walk) and was really surprised to see how few there are! Christian musicians: let’s get to writing some new ones!
Thankfully, i stumbled upon this site and found some great ideas for a worship service which i am trying to put together. You rock, Aaron!
i know that most people will say that reading the Bible is the greatest way to “know” God, and it surely is, but after reading the Bible straight through several times, i am now starting to think that PRAYER is just as good, maybe even better!!!…especially when it comes to “experiencing” God. i hope i am not off here or offending anyone by saying this, because i am a relatively new Christian. i just know that when i pray, it brings me closer to Him in a way that nothing else has…maybe it’s just because it makes everything in the Bible become really personal and relational. Wow! Sorry guys for rambling here, but i just needed to express how i’m feeling.
Jay – this is great insight! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and we are glad that you found a resource to help with your upcoming worship service. Be blessed!
Great feed back Jay. Prayer Is the answer to everything we are going through and will go through.
Prayer songs are meant to guide one into prayer, that perfect mood for prayer. I find the song “As we gather may your spirit work within us” to be very appropriate both in terms of lyrics and melody.
Wonderful and inspiring.
As We Pray by Gateway Worship ?
Gateway Worship has some great songs! Thanks for sharing!
good day
can anyone help me with the lyrics of the song ‘Im so glad i found an alter of prayer.
Hey there! Here is a YouTube video I found of the Eastmen Trio (originally recorded in 1970). Hopefully this helps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_Y7_Hxlgew
Hi Aaron,
Thanks for the list with a mix of new and old. I run a praise team and band at my church, and sometimes I need a little extra resource of ideas, other than my own memory! I try to mix things up a bit as well, since it’s hard to please all of the people all of the time 🙂 I have met with a variety of resistance since starting the more ‘contemporary’ pieces in my church the last 7-8 years; but we’re getting there. One of our favorite anthem pieces about prayer is ‘Lord Listen to your children Praying’ – not super new, but a great SATB version by Ken Medema. Thanks again for your list!
Tina,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and challenges. I know many churches who have gone through (and some still going through) those pieces of trying to figure out what best serves the congregation. In the end, though, it comes down to the heart of worshipping God, our creator (not what our favorite style or tune is). We love serving you guys and are happy to help any way we can. Be blessed!
I wrote this song on prayer in 1981 in English. But it is the mandarin translation is more widespread among Chinese Churches in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YNY-XJeBNM
Do you have the lyrics and chords, or a lead sheet for it? It is beautiful.
Thank you for me to learn and trying learning song Beautiful for the Lords! I’m deaf my dream want come true my need good voice to song and song writing Please help me to learning to singing with my smooth voice that I praying to beg God miracles my voice I would love to sing for everyone with my heart ..God blessing you all.. God is come first I trust God in my life I’m honor him, God’s son Jesus and Holy are very important I believe in God’s words!! Amen…
Victoria – we are praying for you.
Hi!!! My favorite one is “As It Is In Heaven” by Matt Maher. He sings the Lord’s Prayer beautifully. I work at a Christian school; I teach high schoolers. Next week is our first chapel service and we are going to break down The Lord’s Prayer and explain each part to the younger students. I am going to use some of the songs on this list for the praise and worship part of our program. Thank you for this information!!!
Liza,
We are so glad that you are able to use these in such an awesome way. We pray for a great school year for you, the faculty, and the students. Be blessed!
‘Do a deeper work in me’ is a song i often close my prayers with. Another one is, ‘ Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord, Come and fill this longing of my soul, Bread of Heaven feed me till I want no more, Here’s my cup, Fill it up and make me whole.
A song for dedication
i love this
I LOVE IT
How about “Whisper a Prayer”? An oldie but goodie.
Do you have the lyrics of “As long as you’re faithful” ?
I’m looking for a song with the words Pray children pray pray pray.
Any ideas on what one it is?
How about “Take Time to be Holy”
My father sang a hymn in the early 80’s shortly before he died. I think he wrote it. I remember that some of the words went like this:
“It was there in the garden they found him
The Saviour there kneeling in prayer
The sins of the whole world upon him”
I don’t remember any other of the words. Have you heard this, or is it original?
One of my absolute favourites is “A Living Prayer,” sung by Alison Krauss, written by Ron Black.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKpy15xBW4w
I have been searching for a song that has the words, “…death is what it took
But life is what it gave…” I would appreciate it if I could find out the correct title of the song and which group sings it.
My husband heard a song a few weeks ago, and we have been trying to figure out the name of it. The chorus has the lines “oh father hallowed one”….”make your people one”. It has sort of a bluegrass style to it.