The first days
When the loss is new and you cannot think.
Lord, you are close to the brokenhearted, and my heart is broken. I don’t have words. Stay near me. Carry me through today. Amen.
Draws on Psalm 34:18
Prayers for grief
Four short prayers for when someone you love has died. You do not need the right words. These can be yours for now.
When it hurts
When you are angry, confused, or empty.
God, I miss them. I don’t understand why this happened, and I won’t pretend I do. Jesus wept at his friend’s grave, so I know you are not far from tears. Hear my sorrow. Comfort me the way only you can, and hold the one I lost in your care. Amen.
Draws on John 11:35, Psalm 13:1-2 and Matthew 5:4
On a hard day
A birthday, an anniversary, a holiday with an empty chair.
Father, today is heavy. Thank you for the years I had with them. Thank you for what they gave me. Hold me when the memories hurt, and give me hope in the day when you wipe every tear away. Amen.
Draws on Revelation 21:4 and Philippians 1:3
For a friend who is grieving
For someone else’s loss. Say their name.
Lord, [name] is grieving. Be their comfort when the visits stop and the house is quiet. Give them people who will sit with them. Help me know when to speak and when to stay. Amen.
Draws on 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 and Romans 12:15
Adds “Comfort in grief” to your list on /pray.
Write a prayer in your own words
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The verses behind them
Bible verses for grief
Read one aloud, or pray it back to God in your own words. Every verse is from theLumin Translation.
Yahweh is close to those whose hearts are broken, and he saves those whose spirits are crushed.
Psalm 34:18The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:4Jesus: those who mourn will be comforted.
Jesus wept.
John 11:35Jesus wept, standing at his friend’s grave.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will not exist any longer, and neither will grief or crying or pain, because the former things have gone away.”
Revelation 21:4No more death or mourning or crying or pain.
But, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about those who have fallen asleep, so that you will not be sorrowful like the rest, who have no hope.
1 Thessalonians 4:13Grieve, but not as people who have no hope.
What the Bible says about grief, with more verses and one next step
Prayers for other needs
Ask Lumin
Need a prayer for your own situation?
Lumin is a Bible AI. Tell it what is going on. It writes a short prayer and names the passages it rests on.
Answers here come from Lumin, a Bible AI that names the verse beside every answer. What Lumin is
Questions
Is it OK to be angry at God when someone dies?
Many people in the Bible told God exactly how they felt. Psalm 13 begins by asking God how long he will forget the one praying. Bringing your anger to God is still prayer. You do not have to tidy it first.
Can I change the words of these prayers for grief?
Yes. They are a place to start, not a formula. Use your own words, add names, or pray just one line. God hears the prayer, not the wording.
Who wrote these prayers?
Lumin wrote them from the passages named under each prayer. They are not Scripture. Every reference is checked against the Bible text each time the site is built. The verses are quoted from the Lumin Translation, so you can open each one and read it in context.