How to Close a Prayer (With Examples)

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A guide to graceful endings for individual and group prayers
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Whether you’re leading groups in worship or just starting to pray by yourself, it’s important to know how to end your prayer. We spoke to Christian performance artist and founder of Bible Women Speak Olivia Woodford to get her advice on building a relationship with God, and how that relates to prayer. Keep reading to learn how to close your conversations with God and deepen your understanding of your own spiritual practice.

Things You Should Know

  • End prayers with “amen” to show you fully believe in what you said. If you’re leading others, have them say “amen” with you.
  • Use an ending from the Bible, like “All God’s people said, ‘amen,’” or “Help us keep your word in our hearts so we may not sin against you.”
  • Glorify God at the end of a prayer by saying “To God be the glory, forever and ever,” or “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.”
Section 1 of 4:

Common Prayer Endings

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  1. When you say “amen,” you’re agreeing with what was said in God’s name. In the Old Testament, it also refers to the will and judgment of God. [1] To show you wholeheartedly believe in your prayer, simply say “amen” when you’re finished.
    • Feel free to add “amen” to any other prayer ending, as well.
    • Jewish prayers are also often ended with “Amen.”
  2. 2
    "In Jesus’s name, amen." In John 14:13-14, Jesus tells the people around him that he will do anything that they ask in his name. [2] This popular prayer ending follows Jesus’s teachings and acknowledges his role in Christian salvation.
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  3. 3
    "All God’s people said, amen." This is a great way to end a group prayer. If you’re working with a congregation, encourage the group to say “amen” together when they hear this phrase to help build the community aspect of the prayer.
    • In Deuteronomy 27, Moses explains the 10 commandments and says “and all the people shall answer, ‘Amen.’” [3]
  4. 4
    "We pray this trusting and believing in you." According to Christian performance artist Olivia Woodford, trust is a core part of your relationship with God. “God is always answering your prayers…[even if] the situation might feel really hard, [it] might be exactly what you need.” When you’re troubled, surrender yourself to God.
  5. 5
    "To God be the glory, forever and ever. Amen." Whether you believe God is everything or that God is the creator of everything, all glory is God’s glory. When you recognize that, it’s easier to surrender to the Will of God, which can answer your prayers in unexpected ways.
    • This is similar to the ending of the Lord’s Prayer—“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever, amen.”
    • Alternatively, say “In all that we do may the glory be to you. In Jesus’s name, we believe and pray, amen.”
  6. 6
    "Help us keep your word in our hearts so we may not sin against you." As you ask God for help, it’s good practice to finish your prayer by asking for the strength to act selflessly. One early definition for sin is to “miss the mark,” so through this prayer, you’re asking to be set on the right path and not be led astray. [4]
    • You can also add “Through Jesus’s name, we pray. Amen.” at the end.
    • This ending comes from Psalm 119. [5] Always feel free to bring scripture into your prayer.
  7. 7
    “Help us be more like you, and hear when you are speaking to us." This prayer ending, like the previous one, sums up what you’re asking of God. It tells God the most important thing to you is to be better to the world around you (and yourself).
    • Or, ask God for continued help by ending your prayer with “Please bless us as we go throughout our week, and be grounded and rooted in your word.”
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Section 2 of 4:

Advice for Ending Group Prayers

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  1. To be sure everyone’s on the same page (and knows that it’s time to end the prayer), pick a few phrases to regularly close with. You could say “in Jesus’s name,” or always end each prayer by thanking God. This will cue the congregation to say "amen" together.
    • Use any common prayer ending that resonates with you, such as: “We pray this trusting and believing in you,” or “Help us be more like you, and hear when you are speaking to us.”
  2. 2
    Have your group say “amen” all together. Praying with others is a powerful way to connect to God as individuals and as a community. [6] Use a few phrases like “and all God’s people said” or “in Jesus’s name” to signal to your group it's time to come together as one and say “amen.”
    • Consider starting with a shared song and ending with “amen” to section off your prayer from the rest of your service.
  3. 3
    Try ending with a moment of silence. If you’re leading a prayer, having a few moments of silence at the end gives the others time for their personal relationships with God. Like any relationship, it’s based on giving and receiving, so let everyone have a moment to listen to God at the end of your prayer.
    • Optionally, end the moment of silence with “amen.”
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Section 3 of 4:

Group Closing Prayers after Worship or Meetings

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  1. If you’ve been asked to lead a closing prayer for a church fellowship meeting, you can thank God for how the meeting went or for the community you get to work with. Ask for blessings, safety, or for the strength to be more aligned with God, and feel free to alter the words below to resonate with your spirit more strongly:
    • We want to thank you, Lord, for being with us in this meeting, and for guiding us through it. We’re endlessly grateful for the love you have given us—the love that we see in the faces of our other community members. Now, as we have to leave each other, stay with each and every one of us, keep us safe in your presence, and accompany us in our joys and hardships. We pray this believing and trusting in you, amen.
    • God, thank you for being present with us today, for sending your good word through our wonderful speaker, for touching our hearts in song and prayer. We pray that everyone searching for answers was led in the right direction and that everyone looking for comfort was held in your word. Please, keep us safe as we go about our daily lives, and let us meet here again next week to praise you. In Jesus’s name, amen.
  2. 2
    Prayers for thanks Glorifying and giving thanks to God is one of the most important parts of Christianity. Woodford reminds us that “you should continually praise God because God is always answering your prayers.”
    • Dear God, thank you for letting us spend time in your presence today. Help us remember the gifts you constantly grace us with, including those that go unnoticed to us. Help us continue to worship and adore you, and to continue the unending struggle to understand you. Thank you for our blessings, for our friends and family, and the community we have in each other. In Jesus’s name, amen.
    • Lord, thank you for hearing our prayers, for welcoming us to come to you with every worry we have, and for using your will to bless us in ways we don’t always understand. Let us feel you within our hearts today, and feel the Spirit fill the room. We ask you to help us hear you and glorify your name, and help us keep your word in our hearts so we may not sin against you. Amen.
  3. 3
    Prayers for virtue Within most religions, God’s qualities are meant to be followed and imitated. Use these prayers to ask God for help being the best person you can be as you part ways:
    • Lord, in all of the challenges that we face, let us be steadfast in our faith in you and help us fall back on your grace and love. Grant us patience and the ability to fulfill our promises to you. Bless us to love others the way you do, and to love and honor ourselves, as you teach us to. Help us be patient with the world around us so we may be better followers of you. We pray this trusting and believing in you. Amen.
    • Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of our salvation, which you bestow on all living things. Help us to forgive the people who have wronged us and grant us your compassion so we may be more like you. Fill our hearts with grace and kindness so we may spread your love in our every action. Amen.
  4. 4
    Prayers for grace These short, mealtime prayers are excellent places to speak from your heart. Praise and thank God for what you’re thankful for at the moment—your food, your loved ones, your life—and ask for God’s support as you try to be the best version of yourself before parting ways.
    • Dear Lord, we thank you for blessing us with food, for the meal before us, and the bread of your flesh that feeds our souls. Help us do our part in honoring you and your work, and lead us to be more like you in your boundless love. We ask in Jesus’s name, amen. [7]
    • Dear God, thank you for letting us come together today, and for giving us this bountiful meal. Please allow us to stay together, and to keep us safe when we are apart. Give us the strength to be kind in the face of hatred, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Amen.
  5. 5
    Secular parting prayers Practicing gratitude is good for widening your perspective and balancing your mental well-being. [8] Whether you believe in God or not, vocalizing what you’re grateful for and what you want can provide clarity, peace, and fulfillment.
    • “ Thank you for everything in our lives, everything we have, the people around us, and those who have graced us with their absence. We accept what has happened to us, but we continue to fight for a better world. We am grateful for all of it. Thank you. ”
    • “ Help us uphold our morals in every situation. When we do wrong, we hurt ourselves the most. We owe it to ourselves to be the best version of ourselves that we can be, and we want to do good. Help us find a place in our community to serve others and keep us true to ourselves. ”
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Section 4 of 4:

Non-Christian Prayer Endings

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  1. Just as in Christianity, "amen" is the most common prayer ending in the Jewish faith. It has the same roots as the Hebrew word " emunah ," meaning "faith." In Judaism, "amen" must be pronounced very clearly and come at the end of a prayer or benediction (unlike some Gospels, which use "amen" at the beginning of a sentence). [9]
  2. 2
    Islam: “ Assalamu alaykum wa rahma tullaah .” This is the phrase that ends the “salaat,” a daily ritual prayer in Islam. At the end of the prayer, turn to the right and say “Assalamu alaykum wa rahma tullaah,” then turn to the left and say it again.
    • “ Assalamu alaykum wa rahma tullaah ” means “May the peace and mercy of God be upon you.”
  3. 3
    Hinduism: “ Om, shanti shanti shanti .” This phrase can begin or end a meditation. In Hinduism, “ om ” is the sound of all creation in the universe—it’s an incredibly powerful word. “Shanti” means peace. When you say “ Om, shanti shanti shanti, ” you’re asking for peace to be bestowed across all aspects of your life. [10]
    • Mantras can have endings other than “ Om, shanti shanti shanti, ” so consider finding one that resonates with you to chant .
  4. Prayer is for everyone, not just religious people. If you don’t believe in a God or a formalized religion, take moments to express your gratitude for life and the people and things around you. Ask the universe (or even yourself) to keep them safe and happy.
    • You can also end by saying “Thank you for everything.”
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about spirituality, check out our in-depth interview with Olivia Woodford .

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.jstor.org/stable/1449949?seq=2
      2. ↑ https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/14
      3. ↑ https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/27
      4. ↑ https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/missing-mark
      5. ↑ https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/119
      6. ↑ https://www.ocbfchurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Power_of_Collective_Prayer_Devotional.pdf
      7. ↑ https://www.xavier.edu/jesuitresource/online-resources/prayer-index/mealtime-prayers
      8. ↑ https://www.uclahealth.org/news/health-benefits-gratitude
      9. ↑ https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/amen-hot-topic/
      1. ↑ https://www.siddhayoga.org/shanti-mantras/om-dyauh-shanti

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