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Japanese A prayer for God to reveal what is hidden fits in one sentence: “God, nothing is hidden from you; show me the truth I need to know, give me the courage to face it, and keep me from judging too soon. Amen.” Daniel said of God, “He revealeth the deep and secret things” (Daniel 2:22).
Prayers for God to reveal what is hidden
Each of these asks God to bring something into the light, and each leaves the answer and the timing to him.
When you think you are being lied to
Lord, something is wrong, and I cannot see what it is. You know every word before it is spoken. If I am being deceived, bring the truth out, whether it is about a person, my money or my work. If my suspicion is wrong, show me that too, and keep me from accusing anyone falsely. “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Amen.
For the truth to come out in a dispute
God of justice, the facts of this matter are hidden, and people are telling different stories. Bring the truth into the open, before the people who must decide. Give honest witnesses the courage to speak, and protect the innocent. Jesus said, “there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed” (Matthew 10:26). Let it be so here. Amen.
For hidden faults in my own heart
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. Show me the pride, resentment or dishonesty I have stopped noticing in myself. “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults” (Psalm 19:12). Give me the grace to confess what you show me, and to change. Amen.
For God’s will in a decision
Father, I have to choose, and I cannot see where either road leads. You have promised, “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go” (Psalm 32:8). Show me the next step. Send wise advice through people I trust, and give me peace about the right choice and unease about the wrong one. Amen.
For a calling or a hidden gift
Lord, you made me for good works that you prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10). Bring to light the gifts you have put in me that I have not yet used. Show me where they are needed, and give me the courage to begin. Amen.
For understanding Scripture
Holy Spirit, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). When I read the Bible, show me what it means and what it asks of me today. Amen.
For eyes to see another person’s hidden pain
Jesus, you noticed the people the crowd walked past. Show me who around me is carrying grief, fear or loneliness behind an ordinary face, and teach me how to help. Amen.
For protection from harm you cannot see
Lord, if anyone is working against me in secret, you see it. Protect me and my family, turn their plans aside, and change their hearts. Keep me from hatred and from suspecting everyone around me. “Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day” (Psalm 139:12). Amen.
Prayers from Scripture
Daniel’s thanksgiving
King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that his wise men tell him both his dream and its meaning. Daniel asked his friends to pray with him, and “then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision” (Daniel 2:19). His prayer of thanks follows:
Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.
Daniel 2:20–23
Paul’s prayer for wisdom and revelation
Paul prayed for the Christians at Ephesus “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling” (Ephesians 1:17–18). The prayer can be said for oneself by changing “you” to “me.”
Traditional prayers
The Book of Common Prayer opens its Communion service with a prayer to the God “from whom no secrets are hid.” This is the text of the Episcopal Church’s 1928 book:
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer (1928), The Holy Communion, The Collect, p. 67
In the Orthodox Church the priest says a prayer for understanding before the Gospel is read at the Divine Liturgy. Isabel Hapgood’s 1906 translation gives it this way in the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts:
Illumine our hearts, O God who lovest mankind, with the pure light of thy divine knowledge, and open the eyes of our understanding to the comprehension of the proclamation of thy Gospel. Implant in us, likewise, the fear of thy blessed commandments; that, trampling down all carnal desires, we may pursue a godly life, both thinking and performing such things as are well pleasing unto thee. For thou art the light of our souls and of our bodies, O Christ our God, and unto thee do we ascribe glory, together with thy Father, who is from everlasting, and thy holy, and blessed, and life-giving Spirit, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Hapgood, Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic (Greco-Russian) Church (1906), The Divine Liturgy of the Presanctified, p. 135
Which psalm is prayed for hidden things to be revealed?
French prayer sites often list Psalm 129 under the heading “to obtain the revelation of hidden things,” but they do not agree on which psalm that is. Some print the psalm that begins “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD,” which is Psalm 129 in the Latin and Greek numbering and Psalm 130 in the King James Version and most Protestant Bibles. Others print the psalm that begins “Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth,” Psalm 129 in the King James Version. Neither psalm says anything about secrets. Psalm 130 is a cry for mercy and a prayer of waiting: “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope” (Psalm 130:5). Headings that assign each psalm a use are popular custom, not part of the Bible.
Several psalms do speak directly of what God knows and shows:
- “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23–24)
- “Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21)
- “The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” (Psalm 25:14)
- “Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.” (Psalm 90:8)
Bible verses about God bringing hidden things to light
- “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29)
- “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” (Luke 8:17)
- “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
- “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” (1 Corinthians 4:5)
- “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” (James 1:5)
More passages are gathered in Bible verses about truth being revealed.
Is there a saint to pray to for hidden things?
Some French prayer sites offer a prayer to Saint Lucy “to discover hidden things.” Lucy was a young woman of Syracuse in Sicily who, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia, gave her wealth to the poor and was put to death in 303 in the persecution under Diocletian; Catholics and Orthodox keep her feast on 13 December. Her Latin name, Lucia, shares a root with lux, “light.” She is widely honored as the patron saint of the blind because of a story that her eyes were put out, a detail missing from the early accounts of her life. Asking her help to uncover secrets is a popular devotion found on those sites; the Catholic Encyclopedia’s account of her life says nothing about it.
Catholic and Orthodox Christians ask the saints to pray for them. Most Protestants pray to God alone. Every prayer on this page is addressed to God.
Prayer or fortune-telling?
Asking God to show the truth is different from trying to force hidden knowledge out of the unseen world. The Law of Moses forbids anyone who “useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch” (Deuteronomy 18:10). The Catechism of the Catholic Church rejects “all forms of divination,” including “practices falsely supposed to ‘unveil’ the future,” horoscopes and mediums (paragraph 2116). A prayer asks and waits. It carries no guarantee of when, or whether, God will show what is hidden, because “the secret things belong unto the LORD our God” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
Prayer also goes alongside plain steps. When you suspect lying or fraud, ask direct questions, keep records, and talk to someone you trust: a pastor, a lawyer, or the police if a crime may have been committed. There are more prayers for this in prayers for the truth to be revealed.
Prayer for Revealing My True Calling
Sometimes we feel adrift, unsure of our purpose. This prayer is a heartfelt plea for God to reveal the special calling He has placed on your life, showing you the path He designed just for you.
Heavenly Father, Giver of all good gifts and divine purpose, I come before You today feeling a deep longing to know the path You have set for me. My heart is restless, and my spirit searches for the meaning You have woven into my life. I feel like I am standing at a crossroads, and I am afraid of taking a wrong turn.
Please, Lord, pull back the veil that hides Your specific plan for me. Show me the gifts and talents You have placed within me, and ignite a passion in my soul to use them for Your glory. Your Word in Ephesians 2:10 says we are “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Lord, reveal those good works to me.
Silence the confusing voices of the world, my own fears, and the expectations of others so that I can clearly hear Your still, small voice. Give me the courage to step out in faith when You call, and the wisdom to recognize the doors You are opening. I surrender my own ambitions and desires. Align my heart with Yours, so I can walk confidently in the purpose You have for me, bringing light and love to the world in a way only I can. I trust You completely to light my way, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Trust that God hears this prayer. He created you with a unique purpose and is faithful to guide you toward it. Be patient and watchful for His gentle answers in the days to come.
Prayer for Clarity on a Difficult Decision
Facing a big decision can be overwhelming, leaving us paralyzed by fear and uncertainty. This prayer is a cry for God’s wisdom and clear guidance when you don’t know which way to turn.
Lord of all wisdom, I am standing at a fork in the road, and I don’t know which path to take. The options before me are confusing, and my heart is filled with anxiety. I am afraid of making the wrong choice, a choice that could lead me away from You and Your perfect will for my life.
I lay this decision at Your feet right now. I surrender my own understanding and my own desires. Your Word in Proverbs 3:5-6 promises, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” I am submitting this path to You, Lord. Please make it straight.
I ask for a sign, for a feeling of peace, for a word of wisdom from a trusted friend, or for a clear prompting from Your Holy Spirit. Remove the confusion from my mind and replace it with Your divine clarity. Help me to see this situation from Your heavenly perspective. Give me the patience to wait for Your timing and the courage to move forward when You give the signal. I trust You to guide my every step, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God honors a heart that seeks His guidance. As you wait for His answer, continue to trust in His goodness. He will not let you walk a path that leads to harm when you have asked for His light.
Prayer for Truth to Shine in a Relationship
Misunderstanding and suspicion can poison even the strongest relationships. This prayer asks God to bring hidden truths to light, healing broken trust and restoring honesty and peace between people.
Father of Truth, my heart is heavy because of a painful situation in a relationship. There is confusion, hurt, and mistrust, and I feel lost in the shadows of what is unsaid or unknown. I pray for Your divine light to shine into this darkness and reveal the absolute truth.
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Lord, I ask that You would gently expose any lies, misunderstandings, or deceptions that have caused this pain. Soften all the hearts involved, including my own, so that we can see the situation clearly and speak and hear the truth in love. As Jesus said, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). We are in bondage to this conflict, and we need Your truth to release us.
Please give me the humility to see my own part in this problem and the grace to forgive as You have forgiven me. Protect this relationship from further damage from the enemy, who loves to create division. I pray for reconciliation, for restored trust, and for a new foundation built on honesty and grace. Bring healing where there is brokenness and peace where there is turmoil. Let Your love be the bond that holds us together, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Entrusting your relationships to God is an act of faith. He is the great restorer. Be prepared for the truth, and be ready to offer and receive forgiveness when it comes to light.
Prayer for Eyes to See the Unseen Pain of Others
We often walk past people every day without seeing the secret burdens they carry. This is a prayer for a compassionate heart and spiritual eyes to see the hidden pain of those around us.
Lord Jesus, when You walked the earth, You didn’t just see the crowds; You saw the individual. You saw the lonely, the grieving, and the hurting. My own eyes are often so focused on myself that I fail to see the quiet suffering of the people You have placed in my life.
Please, Father, break my heart for what breaks Yours. I ask that You would anoint my eyes to see beyond the surface, beyond the fake smiles and the “I’m fine” answers. Reveal to me the friend who is struggling with secret anxiety, the family member who is grieving silently, or the coworker who feels invisible and unappreciated. Let me see their hidden burdens.
As Your Word commands in Galatians 6:2, help me to “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” But I cannot carry a burden I cannot see. So, open my eyes, Lord. And once I see, give me the wisdom to know how to respond—whether with a listening ear, a kind word, a helping hand, or a silent prayer. Make me an instrument of Your comfort and peace, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God will answer this prayer by increasing your empathy. Be ready to be His hands and feet to those He reveals to you, offering the same comfort you have received from Him.
Prayer for Exposing Lies and Deception
When you feel that something is not right, that you are being deceived, it can be deeply unsettling. This prayer calls on God, the ultimate source of truth, to expose any lies affecting your life.
God of all Truth, in whom there is no darkness at all, I come to you feeling confused and suspicious. My spirit is troubled because I sense that I am not seeing the full picture. I fear that lies, whether intentional or not, are clouding my judgment and leading me down a wrong path.
I ask you, Lord, to bring to light what is hidden in darkness. Your Word promises in Luke 8:17, “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.” I claim this promise over my situation. Please expose any deception, manipulation, or falsehood that is at work against me.
Give me discernment to recognize a lie when I hear it and wisdom to know how to respond with grace and strength. Protect my heart from bitterness and my mind from paranoia. I don’t want to become cynical, Lord, I just want to walk in the clarity and safety of Your truth. Please guard my family, my finances, my work, and my spirit from any scheme of the enemy. Let righteousness and honesty prevail in all my affairs, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Walk forward in confidence, not fear. God is your protector and defender. Trust that He will expose the truth in His perfect timing and give you the grace to handle it when He does.
Prayer for Revealing Spiritual Strongholds
Sometimes the struggles we face are not just physical or emotional, but spiritual. This prayer is a plea for God to reveal and help you break any spiritual strongholds that are holding you back.
Almighty God, my Warrior and my Shield, I feel stuck. I am battling a recurring sin, a persistent negative thought pattern, or a deep-seated fear that I cannot seem to overcome on my own. I suspect that this is more than just a bad habit; it is a spiritual stronghold that the enemy has built in my life.
I ask you to reveal the nature of this stronghold to me. Show me the lies I have believed and the spiritual roots of this struggle. Your Word reminds me “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Help me to see the battle for what it truly is.
Lord Jesus, by the power of Your name and Your blood shed on the cross, I ask You to tear down this stronghold. Give me the authority and the strength to resist the devil and to stand firm in my identity as Your beloved child. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and replace the lies with Your truth, fear with faith, and bondage with freedom. I declare Your victory over this area of my life, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Recognizing the spiritual nature of a battle is the first step to victory. Cling to the truth that you are not powerless. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives in you.
Prayer for Seeing God’s Work in My Past
It can be difficult to see God’s hand in our past, especially in times of pain or confusion. This prayer asks God to reveal His faithful presence and purpose through all your yesterdays.
Faithful Father, the one who was, and is, and is to come, I look back on the story of my life and sometimes all I see are my mistakes, my pain, and my confusion. My memory can feel like a broken mirror, showing only fragmented pieces. But I know You were there through it all.
I ask you to open the eyes of my memory and my heart. Help me to see Your hand at work, weaving all things together for my good, just as you promise in Romans 8:28. Reveal to me how You were protecting me when I felt abandoned, guiding me when I felt lost, and strengthening me when I felt weak. Show me the lessons you were teaching me in the midst of my trials.
Help me to see my past not as a source of regret, but as a testimony to Your incredible grace and faithfulness. Let me see the patterns of Your provision and the constant thread of Your love. By seeing how you have carried me through everything behind me, build my faith to trust you with everything that is before me. Thank you for never leaving my side, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Looking back with spiritual eyes can transform your perspective. It builds a foundation of gratitude and strengthens your faith to face the future, knowing that the God who carried you then will carry you now.
Prayer for Understanding God’s Plan for Me
Knowing that God has a plan is comforting, but not knowing the details can be frustrating. This prayer is a sincere request for God to reveal the next steps in His beautiful plan for your life.
Sovereign Lord, You are the Master Planner, and Your plans are perfect. You knew my name before the world began, and you have laid out a path for my life that is filled with hope and a future. Today, Lord, I feel a deep desire to understand that plan more clearly.
I feel like I’m walking in a fog, able to see only one step ahead. I ask you to reveal a little more of the map to me. While I trust you completely, my human heart longs for direction. As it says in Jeremiah 33:3, “‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’” I am calling to You now, Lord. Tell me the great things you have in store.
Reveal to me the season I am in right now and what You want me to learn or accomplish in it. Show me if I am where you want me to be, or if there is a change I need to make. Give me a vision for my life that aligns with Yours. Calm my anxious heart with the assurance that even when I don’t see the full plan, You are in complete control and leading me perfectly, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
God delights in a heart that wants to follow His will. While He may not show you the entire blueprint, trust that He will faithfully illuminate the very next step you need to take.
Prayer for Light on My Path Forward
The future can feel like a dark and unknown road, causing anxiety and fear. This prayer asks God, the light of the world, to illuminate the path just ahead of you, giving you peace.
Lord, you are the Light of the World, and in You there is no darkness. I confess that when I look toward my future, I see shadows and unknowns that make me feel anxious and afraid. The path ahead seems dim, and I am scared of stumbling or getting lost.
I desperately need Your light, Father. Your Word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path (Psalm 119:105), and I am asking you to shine it brightly on the steps directly in front of me. I don’t need to see miles down the road; I just need enough of Your light to take the next step in faith and confidence.
Please reveal any obstacles that I need to avoid and highlight the opportunities you want me to take. Dispel the darkness of my fear with the bright morning sun of Your presence. Fill me with an unshakeable peace that comes from knowing that the One who holds the stars is also holding my hand and lighting my way. I choose to walk by faith and not by sight, trusting Your light to guide me home, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
You do not have to walk into your future alone or in the dark. God’s presence is a constant light. As you take one small step at a time, trust that His light will move with you.
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