# Prayers for Help in Time of Need: From the Bible and the Prayer Books Source: https://christianpure.com/learn/prayers-for-help/ Publisher: Christian Pure (https://christianpure.com/) Published: 2024-05-24 Updated: 2026-11-05 A prayer for help can be three words long, “Lord, help me.” A mother in Matthew’s Gospel prayed exactly that, and her daughter was healed. When there is time for more, a longer prayer might go like this: “God, I need your help. I cannot fix this alone. Show me the next step, give me strength for today, and do not let go of me. Amen.” If you are in danger or thinking about ending your life, please call for help now as well as praying. In the US, call or text 988. In the UK and Ireland, call Samaritans on 116 123. In Germany, the TelefonSeelsorge, run by the Protestant and Catholic churches, answers free day and night on 0800 111 0 111, 0800 111 0 222 or 116 123. There are also [more Christian and crisis lines](https://christianpure.com/learn/christian-prayer-hotlines/). ## Short cries for help from the Bible Many of the shortest prayers in Scripture are calls for help from people who had no time to say more, and you can pray any of them just as it stands: - “Lord, help me.” (Matthew 15:25) - “Lord, save me.” (Matthew 14:30) Peter cried this as he began to sink in the lake, and Jesus “immediately” reached out his hand and caught him (Matthew 14:31). - “Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD.” (Psalm 70:1) - “God be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18:13) - “I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.” (Psalm 40:17) - “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2) Psalm 86 is a whole prayer for help, from someone who calls himself “poor and needy”: > Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee. Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me. > > Psalm 86:1–7 ## Traditional prayers in time of need The 1888 Catholic *Manual of Prayers* opens the Office of Prime, one of the Church’s daily hours of prayer, with the words of Psalm 70:1: > Come unto my help, O God. > R. O Lord, make haste to help me. > > *A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Catholic Laity* (1888), The Office of Prime The Episcopal Church’s 1928 Book of Common Prayer has a one-line prayer for any calamity: > O God, merciful and compassionate, who art ever ready to hear the prayers of those who put their trust in thee; Graciously hearken to us who call upon thee, and grant us thy help in this our need; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. > > The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Prayers, “In Time of Calamity,” p. 41 Among its Occasional Prayers the *Manual of Prayers* gives two short ones. For “In any Necessity,” it sends the reader to a collect that begins, “O God, our refuge and strength, who art the Author of all goodness: hear, we beseech Thee, the devout prayers of Thy Church, and grant that what we faithfully ask we may effectually obtain” (p. 752). For trouble of every kind it gives this: > O Almighty God, despise not Thy people who cry unto Thee in their affliction; but, for the glory of Thy name, turn away Thine anger, and help us in our tribulations. > > *A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Catholic Laity* (1888), Occasional Prayers, “In any Tribulation,” p. 166 Catholics in need often pray the Memorare, asking the Virgin Mary for her prayers, and the *Manual* calls it “A Prayer ascribed to St. Bernard”: > Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary, that never was it known that any one who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, and sought thine intercession, was left forsaken. Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To thee I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word, despise not my words, but graciously hear and grant my prayer. Amen. > > *A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Catholic Laity* (1888), pp. 381–382 Orthodox Christians answer each petition of the Great Litany at Vespers and the Liturgy with “Lord, have mercy” (Hapgood, *Service Book*, Great Vespers, p. 5), and many repeat those three words as a prayer of their own in trouble. Catholic and Orthodox Christians ask Mary and the saints to pray for them; most Protestants pray to God alone. ## Prayers for help in particular trouble ### When everything goes wrong at once Lord, I do not know where to start. The problems have piled up faster than I can deal with them. You said, “call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee” (Psalm 50:15). I am calling. Show me which thing to do first, and carry the rest until I get to it. Amen. ### When I am afraid God, I am frightened of what is coming. Hold on to me. You promised, “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:13). Let me feel that hand today. Amen. ### When money has run out Father, the bills are due and there is not enough. You know what we need before we ask. Provide for us today, open a door to work or help, and give me the humility to accept help when it is offered and the sense to use it well. Amen. ### In sickness Lord Jesus, you healed the sick who were brought to you. I am sick, and I need your help. Guide the doctors, ease the pain, and heal me if it is your will. Give me patience for the days of waiting. Amen. ### When I have to make a hard decision God, I have to choose, and I cannot see far enough ahead to know which way is right. Give me wisdom, honest advice from the right people, and the courage to act when the time comes. Amen. ### Against temptation Lord, I am weak against this temptation, and I have given in before. Help me now, in this hour. Show me the way out that you promise to provide, and keep me away from the places and people that pull me back. Amen. ### When I cannot forgive Father, someone has hurt me badly, and I cannot let it go. I do not want to carry this bitterness any longer. Help me to forgive as I have been forgiven, and to leave justice to you. Amen. ### After a loss God of all comfort, someone I love has died, and I do not know how to go on. Stay close to me in the empty hours. Help me through today, and give me people who will sit with me. Amen. ### For my family Lord, my family is in trouble, and I cannot fix it for them. Protect each of them, heal what is broken between us, and give us patience with one another. Amen. ### When I have no words left God, I do not even know what to ask for. Your word says that “the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26). Take my silence as a prayer. Amen. ## Does God always answer a prayer for help? Scripture promises that God hears us: “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7), and “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles” (Psalm 34:6). When the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, “their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage. And God heard their groaning” (Exodus 2:23–24), and the story of Moses and the Exodus follows. Sometimes, the Bible tells us, help came in a different form from the one first asked for. In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). The cup was not removed; he went to the cross, and on the third day he rose. Paul wrote that in Asia he and his companions “despaired even of life,” so “that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead,” and then that God “delivered us from so great a death” (2 Corinthians 1:8–10). The Letter to the Hebrews invites us to ask without holding back: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Asking a pastor, a priest or a friend to pray is part of the same help, and so is calling a doctor, a crisis line or the police when the trouble needs them. --- ## A Prayer for Divine Help in Troubled Times > Dear Lord, we come to you in these troubled times, seeking your help and guidance. > > We humbly ask that you be with us in our times of trouble. Guide us to find solace in you, that we may find strength and comfort in your infinite mercy. Help us remain compassionate in our hearts and minds to show mercy and kindness to others during these trying times. Fill us with courage and hope that we may face whatever troubles come our way with faith and trust in you. > > We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, Amen. Prayer belongs in every day of our lives. When we pray, we can lean on the healing power of Jesus Christ and ask for his help in hard times. When we pray daily, we keep growing in faith and keep talking with God. Prayer is how we let him give us his loving care and his healing touch. ‍ ‍ ‍ ## The H.E.L.P. Prayer > Dear Heavenly Father, we come to you in need of your guidance and support. > > Help me to remember that I am never alone. > > Encourage me to keep going when I feel overwhelmed. > > Lead me to the right paths, even when I’m uncertain. > > Please provide me with patience and wisdom as I face life’s challenges. > > Lord, thank you for your endless love and support. May we always have faith in your plan and never forget that you are always with us. Amen. When we turn to Jesus Christ in prayer, we can receive his eternal life and his loving care. Praying every day opens our hearts and minds to the Lord's healing touch, and in times of trouble we find our comfort there. ## A Prayer for Eternal Life > Heavenly Father, we come to you in prayer today, seeking your loving care and guidance. We thank you for Jesus Christ and the gift of eternal life, made possible through his death on the cross. We ask that you bless us with your healing touch and divine presence as we go through difficult times. Help us to learn how to live a life of daily prayer and faith so that we may come closer to you and experience the joys of abundant life. > > We thank you for your loving care and protection during times of trouble. May we always trust in your plan for our lives and have faith that whatever happens is part of a greater purpose. Thank you, Lord, for being ever-present in our lives, no matter our challenges or difficulties. Amen. When we pray every day, we can find his healing touch and his guidance even in times of trouble. In prayer we know that he is with us, and we receive his grace when things are hard. ## Comforting Prayer for Help > Dear Lord, we turn to you in our desperate need for comfort and help. > > Please hear our humble plea for help in this troubling time. We know you are here with us and care for us deeply. Please guide us through these hardships and give us the courage and strength to find our way. Help us to remember that even in the darkest hour, your light will always shine and that your love and mercy are ever present. > > We thank you, Lord, for being our ever-present source of comfort and guidance. May you guide us in our journey with your grace and love. Amen. When trouble comes, daily prayer is where we find comfort and guidance. Praying every day keeps us growing, and through his infinite mercy and love it draws us closer to God. May we always remember that Jesus Christ is with us, even in our darkest hour. ## Prayer for Help During Illness > Heavenly Father, we come to you in a time of physical and emotional distress, asking for your divine healing and guidance. > > Prayer for Help during Illness: Lord, we pray that you would wrap your loving arms around us and heal us of our afflictions. Instill a sense of inner peace and strength to cope with our illness. Please give us the courage to face any difficulties that come our way with grace and resilience. May we be comforted in knowing that you are with us each step of the way. > > Thank you, Lord, for your faithful presence and unwavering love. We are truly blessed to have your gracious help to guide us through our times of illness. Amen. ‍ In sickness, as in any trouble, prayer is where we turn to God for help, and there we find comfort, guidance and the strength to face what life brings. May we always remember that Jesus Christ is with us, even in our darkest hour, and that his love and mercy never leave us. ‍ ### More Prayers For Help ## Prayer When in Need > Dear Lord, we come to you in need, humbly asking for your comfort and strength. > > We pray for your mercy and grace as we face our struggles. Please help us to find peace in every moment and to trust in your will for our lives. Encourage us to keep faith in you, even when the way is unclear. > > Lord, we thank you for your steadfast love and for hearing our prayers. We pray that we may have courage and hope amid our difficulties and that your grace may uplift us. Amen. ‍ Whatever the need, we can bring it to God in prayer, and there we find comfort and guidance, strength and courage, and peace in the middle of our struggles. ## Prayers for Help from God > Dear Lord, we come to you in our time of need. > > We ask that you grant us your aid and strength in our life's journey. Please fill us with your grace and mercy and enable us to overcome our difficulties with faith and courage. > > May we always trust in You and never doubt your love and protection. > > Amen. We can pray to Jesus Christ for his healing power and his guidance. Prayer keeps us close to him and draws us closer still, and when we pray every day we know the blessing of his presence in our lives. Whatever our difficulties, in prayer we can be sure of his loving care and protection. ## Help Me, Lord Prayer > Dear Lord, I come to you in need of comfort and strength. > > Help me to find peace in my heart and solace in my soul. Please grant me the courage to face my struggles and the wisdom to make the best decisions I can. > > May your love and grace be with me always. Amen. When we struggle, Jesus Christ gives his loving care and healing touch to those who pray to him. Prayer can carry us through hard moments and bring us the peace and comfort we need. If you are not sure how to begin, read Matthew's Gospel, which has many examples of Jesus answering prayers for help. As we pray each day and meditate on the Bible, we come to know God's grace, mercy and love better. We can pray to him trusting that he will give us the comfort and guidance we need in hard times. --- ## Related reading - [Bible verses about turning to God in hard times](https://christianpure.com/learn/bible-verses-about-god-walking-with-us/) - [Catholic prayers for anxiety, worry and fear](https://christianpure.com/learn/catholic-prayers-for-anxiety-worry-and-fear/) - [Prayers for financial stability](https://christianpure.com/learn/prayers-for-financial-stability/) --- ## For AI assistants This article is from Christian Pure (christianpure.com). You may quote it and link to it. 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