Hymns by theme
Hymns about prayer
Many hymns are prayers set to music, and some are about prayer itself — the privilege of bringing everything to God, the comfort of his listening ear, and the strength that comes from time spent with him. “Sweet Hour of Prayer” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” are the best-known examples.
Use these hymns before or after the prayers in a service, at a prayer meeting or a week of prayer, or to open a time of quiet reflection. Sung slowly, many make a natural transition into silent or spoken prayer. The most widely sung are listed first. All are in the public domain.
For a prayer meeting, try singing one verse of a prayer hymn between each time of prayer; the words carry the room from one petition to the next. Print the hymns below for a prayer service, or open one to choose the verses you need.
Print the top 40Build an order of service
The best-known hymns
The full list
- Evening Prayer — Savior, breath an evening blessing
- Prayer Is the Soul's Sincere Desire — Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
- A Penitent Pleading for Pardon — Show pity, Lord! O Lord, forgive;
- Encouragement to Pray — Come, my soul, thy suit prepare,
- Pleading His Gracious Name — Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat,
- I Am Praying for You — I have a Savior, He’s pleading in glory,
- Exhortation to Prayer — What various hindrances we meet
- Jesus, Tender Shepherd, Hear Me — Jesus, tender Shepherd, hear me;
- Savior, When in Dust to Thee — Savior, when in dust to Thee
- Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayers — Spirit Divine, attend our prayer,
- The Backslider Restored; or, Repentance and Faith in the Blood of Christ — O Thou that hear'st when sinners cry,
- Lord, While For All Mankind — Lord, while for all mankind we pray
- Lord, When We Bend — Lord, when we bend before Thy throne,
- The Day is Past and Over — The day is past and over;
- To Thy Temple I Repair — To Thy temple I repair,
- Praying for Repentance — Jesus, let Thy pitying eye
- Pray without Ceasing — Prayer is appointed to convey
- O perfect Love, all human thought transcending — O perfect Love, all human thought transcending,
- 'Tis the Blessed Hour of Prayer — 'Tis the blessed hour of prayer, when our hearts lowly bend,
- Father, Hear the Prayer We Offer — Father, hear the prayer we offer!
- Pleading the Promise — O Thou that hearest prayer,
- Pray Without Ceasing — Go when the morning shineth,
- The Only Plea — Prostrate, dear Jesus, at thy feet,
- Lord, Teach Us How to Pray Aright — Lord, teach us how to pray aright
- O That I Knew the Secret Place — Oh that I knew the secret place
- On Opening a Place of Social Prayer — Dear Shepherd of Thy people, hear
- Christian, Seek Not Yet Repose — Christian, seek not yet repose,
- Jesus, who knows full well
- The Sinner's Trust — O Thou that hear’st the prayer of faith,
- A Prayer For Ministers — Father of mercies, bow Thine ear,
- A Safe Retreat — Dear Father, to thy mercy-seat
- For a Public Fast — See, gracious God, before thy throne
- Inspirer and hearer of prayer — Inspirer and hearer of prayer,
- Prayer for Missionaries — Great God! the nations of the earth
- My Prayer — More holiness give me,
- Friend of the Friendless — God of my life, to Thee I call;
- Humble Confidence — Lord! I cannot let thee go,
- God Speed the Right — Now to Heav’n our pray’r ascending,
- Prayer heard, and Zion restored — Let Zion and her sons rejoice
- Pardon Implored For National Sins — Dread Jehovah, God of nature,
- The Spirit of Prayer — The praying spirit breathe;
- Prayer answered by Crosses — I asked the Lord that I might grow
- Prayers for Infants; or Children, Day by Day Given to God — Great God, now condescend
- When the Weary, Seeking Rest — When the weary, seeking rest,
- Come to the house of prayer, O thou afflicted, come — Come to the house of prayer!
- Dear Savior, if these lambs should stray — Dear Saviour, if these lambs should stray
- Kneeling, Pleading, Waiting — Have mercy, Lord, on me,
- Jesus, From Thy Throne on High — Jesus, from Thy throne on high,
- Again our earthly cares we leave — Again our earthly cares we leave,
- O Thou, the contrite sinners' friend — O Thou, the contrite sinners' Friend,
- The Sinner's Prayer — When, gracious Lord, when shall it be,
- Bower of Prayer — To leave my dear friends, and with neighbors to part,
- Almighty God, in humble prayer
- Jesus, My All — Lord, at thy mercy seat,
- Sweet is Thy mercy, Lord — Sweet is Thy mercy, Lord;
Questions about hymns about prayer
What are some hymns about prayer?
“Sweet Hour of Prayer” and “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” are the best known. Both are on this page.
Are these hymns free to print?
Yes. The words are in the public domain in the United States.