I have been troubled by the images of war atrocities I am seeing from Ukraine. My heart cry has been to help and save and protect the innocent. But I have also been torn about exactly how to pray for the invading army involved. My western sensibilities hesitate to pray for harm to befall violent enemies, yet I know that they must be stopped if we are to see an end to this violence.
Our merciful God has provided “pre-packaged prayers” in the Psalms that were written during times like ours. In the book Praying the Scriptures Judson Cornwall says, “When we have exhausted our thoughts, we do well to turn to God’s thoughts as revealed in the Scriptures.” Doesn’t God say in Isaiah that His thoughts are not our thoughts? And His ways are higher than ours as the heavens are higher than the earth?
Cornwall boldly states, “When we pray the pure Word of God, we open ourselves to pure faith, and we cannot help but get involved in pure prayer.” “The cry of prayer is an authorized cry, and it is an honored cry.” “Prayer is not a last resort, it is our first resource.”
The following verses have been taken from Psalms 7, 9, 17, 21, 22, 25, 28, 33, 35, 36, 43, 44, 46, 56, 61, 63, 64 & 75. I used several translations including the New Living Translation, New American Standard, Passion Translation, and the English Standard Version.
These words are meant for those who, like me, have had difficulty knowing how to pray for this horrible war. Use one word, one line, or a whole verse as you join with the prayers of the saints everywhere. Let’s remember what James tells us: “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.”
I hope and pray that these lines from the Psalms will inspire and involve you in true prayer for our broken world. And as we pray God’s inspired words, may we all grow closer to Him and see His desires realized for nations, leaders, and individual citizens.
Call to God
Give ear, O God Almighty, enthroned upon the angels!
Look down from heaven and see our plight.
Shine forth, stir up your might and come to save us!
The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.
He understands everything they do.
Do you see what Your arrogant enemies are doing?
They devise crafty schemes against Your precious ones.
They say “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation.”
Prayers for God to defeat enemies
Put on your armor, and take up your shield.
Chase them away like before a mighty storm and terrifying tempest.
O Lord, disgrace them until their faces fill with shame.
Make them utter failures in everything they do.
Arise, God, and confront them and challenge them with Your might!
Though they plan evil against You, they will not succeed.
You will put them to flight; You will aim at their faces with Your bows.
Do not let my enemies rejoice at my defeat.
These foes will all be defeated and ashamed when they harm the innocent.
Give them the punishment they so richly deserve.
Give them a taste of what they have done to others.
Rise up, Mighty God!
Grab your weapons of war and block the way of the wicked who come to fight.
Humiliate those who seek harm.
Frustrate their plans and drive them back.
Blow them away like dust in the wind.
Make the road in front of them nothing but slippery darkness.
Surprise them with your ambush, Lord, and catch them in their own trap.
May the enemy be disgraced and dishonored.
There is no fear of God to restrain them, and never once do they consider the evil of their ways.
O God, take up my cause! Defend me against these ungodly people.
They and their short-lived success will soon shrivel up and quickly fade away, like grass clippings in the hot sun.
O God, break the teeth in their mouths. Defang those young lions.
Let them flow away like water that runs off.
God has His own arrows. Suddenly, without warning, they will be pierced and struck down.
Let their eyes be darkened so they cannot see.
Prayers for the personal help and safety of the Ukrainians
I call to You when my heart is faint.
Your steadfast love is better than life.
You are God, my only safe haven.
It is You who gives us victory over enemies.
Rescue them from violent death.
Spare their lives from these dogs.
Look! Come and see the breathtaking wonders of our God. He’s the one who makes conflicts end throughout the earth.
Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the Lord.
You put my tears in Your bottle.
This I know, that God is for me.
The godly will celebrate in the triumph of good over evil.
Then everyone will say, “There is a God who judges on earth! There is great reward in loving God!”
It is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.
Arise, O God, judge the earth!
Everything and everyone belongs to Him.
The nations will be sifted in His hands.
