4 Prayers to Pray for the Sick

This article is part of the 4 Prayers to Pray series.

1. Read Proverbs 18:10 and Pray:

Give them grace, O sweet Jesus, thus to be persuaded of your goodwill even in the midst of the shadow of death, that they faint not under the cross, and become of a desperate mind, but valiantly abide your good pleasure, and all the time of their trouble and sickness patiently and thankfully to call upon your blessed name, which is a strong tower for all them that flee unto it; and ever set before their eyes your loving kindness. —Thomas Becon

2. Read Ezekiel 47:1–12 and Pray:

Lord, bless the sick and make them well as soon as it is right they should be. Sanctify to them all they have to bear. There are also dear friends who are very weak; some that are very trembling. God bless them. . . . Lord, help us to sit very loose by all these things here below. May we live here like strangers and make the world not a house but an inn, in which we sup and lodge, expecting to be on our journey tomorrow. —Charles Spurgeon

3. Read Mark 6:53–55 and Pray:

We appeal, O Lord, to your mercies, knowing them to be much more greater than our sins; and you came not to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance, to whom you say, “Come unto me all you that are overladen and diseased with the burden of sins, and I will ease you and refresh you.” Yes, Lord, you are that God who wills not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn and live. You are our Savior, who wishes all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of your truth. Therefore, O Lord, we humbly ask you not to withdraw your mercies from us because of our sins, but rather, O Lord, lay upon us your saving health, that you may show yourself toward us to be a Savior: for what greater praise can there be to a Physician, than to heal the sick; neither can there be any greater glory to you being a Savior, than to save sinners. —Henry Smith

4. Read Acts 5:12–16 and Pray:

Let your merciful providence so govern all in this sickness, that I never fall into utter darkness, ignorance of you, or inconsideration of myself; and let those shadows which do fall upon me, faintnesses of spirit, and condemnations of myself, be overcome by the power of your irresistible light, the God of consolation; that when those shadows have done their office upon me, to let me see, that of myself I should fall into irrecoverable darkness, your Spirit may do his office upon those shadows, and disperse them, and establish me in so bright a day here, as may be a critical day to me, a day wherein and whereby I may give your judgment upon myself, and that the words of your Son, spoken to his apostles, may reflect upon me: “Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” —John Donne

This article is adapted from the ESV Prayer Bible.

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4 Prayers to Pray through Spiritual Darkness

October 30, 2019

Turn to the Lord in prayer and in his word during times of despair and discouragement. He is near and read to defend, protect, and preserve those he loves.