Bible Verses to Turn to When You Want to Pray

Sometimes you want to pray and the words don’t come. You sit down, close your eyes, and nothing happens. Or too much happens, and you can’t tell where to begin.

If that’s you, you are in good company. In the Gospel of Luke, one of Jesus’ own followers asks him directly: “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1, WEB). Even people who walked beside him asked for help with this.

This article offers a small handful of Bible verses on how to pray. They aren’t a method or a formula. Think of them as companions: short passages you can read slowly, borrow words from, and return to on days when you want to pray but don’t know how.

All quotations below are from the World English Bible (WEB), a public-domain translation. If you have a translation you love, use that one instead. The wording will differ, but the verse references stay the same.

1. “Enter into your inner room”: Matthew 6:6

“But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:6)

This verse is a good first step because it lowers the bar. Jesus is speaking about prayer that isn’t a performance. No audience is needed, and neither are impressive words.

Try this: Find a quiet corner, a parked car, or a walk before anyone else is awake. The “inner room” can be any place where you aren’t trying to be seen. Say what is true, in your own words, even if it’s only a sentence.

2. The Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6:9–13

Right after that instruction, Jesus gives a short pattern for prayer, often called the Lord’s Prayer. It begins:

“Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.” (Matthew 6:9–10)

It goes on to ask for daily bread, forgiveness, and protection (Matthew 6:11–13). A version also appears in Luke 11:2–4.

Try this: You don’t need to recite it quickly. Pray it one line at a time and pause after each. Notice which line you want to stay with, and spend your whole prayer time there if you like.

3. “In nothing be anxious”: Philippians 4:6–7

“In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7)

Many people come to prayer because something is weighing on them. This passage gives permission to bring that weight as it is: ask, and say thank you in the same breath.

Try this: Name one worry out loud. Then name one thing you’re grateful for, however small. Repeat as long as it feels natural.

4. “Be still”: Psalm 46:10

“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

Not all prayer is talking. This short line is a reminder that stillness can be part of prayer too.

Try this: Set a timer for two or three minutes. Breathe slowly. When your mind wanders, which it will, gently return to the first words of the verse: Be still. You haven’t failed when you wander and come back. Coming back is part of the practice.

5. When you don’t know what to say: Romans 8:26

“In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered.” (Romans 8:26)

This verse is for the days when prayer feels like failure. Paul, writing to the church in Rome, admits that we don’t know how to pray as we ought. He doesn’t say you should have it figured out. He says you are helped.

Try this: If you only have a sigh, offer the sigh. You can say simply, “God, I don’t know what to say,” and let that be the prayer.

6. Finding God: Jeremiah 29:13 and James 4:8

Some people aren’t sure they believe, or are returning after a long time away, and the real question is how to find God at all. Two verses are often turned to here:

“You will seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)

Notice what both verses describe: movement toward God, not mastery. Seeking and drawing near are the starting point.

Try this: If you’re searching, read one of these verses slowly each morning for a week. Then write down one honest sentence about where you are. You don’t need to claim more faith than you have.

7. “Near to all who call”: Psalm 145:18

“Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18)

The phrase in truth suggests honesty over polish. If your prayer today is frustrated, tired, or doubtful, that is a truthful place to begin.

A simple way to put these verses to use

If you’d like a gentle routine, here is one way to use these passages without turning prayer into a chore:

1. Choose one verse. Don’t try to use all of them at once. Pick the one that caught your attention.
2. Read it twice, slowly. The second time, notice a word or phrase that stands out.
3. Answer it. Speak back to God in your own words: a thank-you, a question, a request, or a confession.
4. Sit quietly for a minute. You don’t have to hear or feel anything particular.
5. Close simply. “Amen” is enough.

Some people like to keep a small notebook and copy out the verse they prayed with that day. Over time it becomes a record of where you’ve been.

A few gentle reminders

• There is no single right way. The verses above show different shapes of prayer: private, structured, anxious, silent, searching. Each has a place.
• Short prayers count. Many of the verses here are a single sentence. You can pray with one line.
• Consistency matters more than length. A few quiet minutes a day may serve you better than a long session you dread.
• You don’t have to do this alone. If it helps, talk with a pastor, a trusted friend, or a faith community about how they pray.

Where to go from here

If you’re just beginning, choose one verse from this list and spend this week with it. You can return to it tomorrow, and the day after, and nothing about that is behind or ahead of schedule.

For more quiet, practical encouragement, you’re welcome to explore the rest of The Quiet Return.

---

Suggested image alt texts (for the editor to match with images chosen or created):

1. Hero image: An open Bible resting on a wooden table beside a cup of tea in soft morning light
2. Mid-article: A person sitting quietly by a window with hands folded in prayer
3. Mid-article: A handwritten notebook page with a Bible verse copied out in pen
4. Closing: A quiet path through trees at dawn, suggesting a moment of stillness

Sources: World English Bible (public domain), Matthew 6:6, 6:9–13; Luke 11:1–4; Philippians 4:6–7; Psalm 46:10; Psalm 145:18; Romans 8:26; Jeremiah 29:13; James 4:8.

Related reading on want to pray

• Journal questions with room for doubt
• Return to a passage: note what changed in your reading