A Pastoral Prayer for Our Nation
Editor’s Note: This was a prayer given to the congregation of The Well Church in Boulder, CO on Sunday, July 14th, on the occasion of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump
Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage; we humbly ask you that we may always prove ourselves to be a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with your provision in the form of sound learning, prosperity in our commerce, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion us into one united people from the multitudes that come from near and far. Grant us wisdom, the wisdom that only comes from you, as we entrust the authority of government over us with our patience, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to your law, we may display the magnificence of your name among all the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness unto you, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail.
God, we pray that you would shatter the teeth of the wicked, those evil ones who would sow discord and disharmony in our land, those whose hearts are only set on violence, and those who give approval to evil in our land. We pray, especially during this political season, for your peace among our nation and that we as a people would turn to you.
We thank you for sparing the life of President Donald Trump. We pray for the man standing near Trump who lost his life yesterday in this assassination attempt and his family, as well as those who are still in critical condition. We thank you for swift justice. God, would you please turn Donald Trump to you, and may this favor you have shown him in sparing his life awaken his conscience to his need to worship you and esteem you highly?
We pray that you would protect our current president, Joe Biden, from any harm to his life. Almighty God, awaken his conscience and mind to the grievous policies he advocates for so that he may turn to you and walk in your ways. God, please protect our republic from folly and harm. We ask that the rule and reign of Christ be honored in our nation.
Father, we pray for our nation, which is experiencing your judgment because of our wicked deeds. In our nation, we murder babies, we pervert children, we celebrate pride and wickedness, and we do not acknowledge you as Lord even though we declare it with our lips. Please, God, in your mercy, lead us to walk in your ways and grant us the mercy of repentance. May we tear down the high places of idolatry and rend our hearts before you. We ask all this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Image Credit: The field in Butler, PA where President Donald Trump was nearly murdered. Photo by Evan Vucci.