World in Prayer

Sharing in God’s loving compassion for all

Weeping and Rejoicing: Prayers for the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and a Handshake for Lebanon (July 23, 2026)

Holy One, Source of all peoples, you call us to rejoice with those who rejoice and to weep with those who weep. Hear us now, as we bring you the week’s sorrows and its small, stubborn joys. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer. We weep with the people of Iran, Kuwait, and the Gulf […]

We Pray for Peace: A Prayer for Iran, Israel, the United States, and Every Nation Drawn Into War (March 12, 2026)

We come before You with heavy hearts as war spreads and many lives are shaken. Many of David’s psalms called out to the Lord for protection, strength and victory against his enemies – we pray for divine peaceful intervention during this conflict. David trusted God and called upon the Lord to defend and scatter foes. […]

Repairers of the Breach: A Prayer for Every Continent, from Africa to Antarctica (February 5, 2026)

Editor’s note: This may not be ‘the usual’ but it most definitely IS World in Prayer -including us all. The Lord will guide you continually     and satisfy your needs in parched places     and make your bones strong, and you shall be like a watered garden,     like a spring of […]

Without Bloodshed and Killing: A Prayer for Soldiers, Conscientious Objectors, and UN Peacekeepers (May 22, 2025)

Eternal God, have mercy on all soldiers and veterans buried in cemeteries and those whose gravesites are unknown. In particular, we pray for those forced into service despite their conscientious objection. Bring them all into your kingdom of light and peace and let them share joy with you and with all your saints. May they […]

Peace Be With You: A Prayer for the World as Pope Leo XIV Begins (May 15, 2025)

A week ago today, Christians around the world, Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox Christians alike, held their collective breath waiting for white smoke, the signal that a new pope had been chosen in Rome, Italy. Just a short while after the smoke signaled that the conclave had unified around one name, Robert Francis Prevost, the cardinal […]

A Song of Peace: Prayers for Greenland, Venezuela, and Gaza with Dag Hammarskjold (March 27, 2025)

The author of this week’s prayer writes, “Last week, our church hosted clergy from India, Holland, Belgium, Austria, the Czech Republic for an international meeting.  I welcomed them with a sign listing their names and unsorted flags and invited observers to connect the national flag to each name.  When some nations appear to want to […]

Our Backs Tell Stories: A Prayer Honoring Women Confronting Gender Based Violence (January 9, 2025)

“Our backs tell stories no books have the spine to carry.” – Rupi Kaur Divine Mother, our world is filled with great sorrow. The tragedy of violence against women across continents is alarming, and yet, it continues to increase in volume. Heal us, protect us, and inspire us to demand change. Thank you for the […]

Finding Joy Amid Violence: A Prayer of Thanks for Peacebuilders in Colombia, Lebanon and India (October 17, 2024)

In today’s prayer we celebrate the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s blessing found in The Book of Joy. We are thankful for the Archbishop’s willingness to convey God’s love for all of us and his extraordinary ability to find joy amidst violence and destruction. May his words nurture the goodness that is stirring within us. […]

This Is My Song: Prayers for Typhoon Gaemi, Global Hunger and New Zealand’s Abuse Inquiry (July 25, 2024)

World in Prayer is seeking a few more volunteers to join our team! Each week, one writer compiles the news and crafts the accompanying prayers. The week’s editor checks the prayers for accuracy and coherence, then posts them on our website. Team members generally serve approximately once every 4-6 weeks. Requirements: an interest in international […]