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Japanese Husband and wife can say this prayer together: “Lord, you made us one. Keep us faithful to each other and to you. Teach us to listen before we speak, to forgive quickly, and to serve each other gladly. Guard our home, carry us through hard days, and let our love grow deeper every year. Amen.”
If you are afraid of your husband or wife, or are being hurt at home, prayer does not replace getting safe. In the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline answers at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. In England, call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247; in Scotland, 0800 027 1234; in Wales, Live Fear Free on 0808 80 10 800; in Northern Ireland, 0808 802 1414. There are also more Christian and crisis lines.
A traditional prayer for husband and wife
The Manual of Prayers of 1888, prepared by order of the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore for American Catholics, gives this prayer “to be said by Husband or Wife.” It works as a daily prayer for both. The line in brackets is for couples with children.
O merciful God, we humbly beseech Thee to send Thy blessing continually upon us, and to make us thankful for all that Thou hast already vouchsafed unto us; and as Thou hast made us one in the mystical grace of matrimony, grant that we may be also inwardly of one heart and of one mind, paying due honor one to another, united in love to Thee and to each other in Thee; living together in peace and holiness, as faithful members of Thy Church, denying ourselves, and being a mutual help, comfort, and support to each other, all the days of our life. [Give us grace to train our children in Thy faith and fear.] Bless us with health and strength, if it be Thy will, and with whatever else Thy good providence shall see to be best for our souls and bodies. Fit and prepare us day by day for our departure hence, that we may together inherit eternal life in Thy heavenly kingdom. Through the merits of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Amen.
A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Catholic Laity (1888), The Sacrament of Matrimony, “A Prayer to be said by Husband or Wife,” p. 452
Prayers for your marriage
For unity
Father, you joined us together. Keep selfishness and pride from pulling us apart, and when we disagree, let us look for understanding instead of victory. Be the third strand that holds us, for “a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12). Amen.
For talking and listening
Lord, we speak carelessly and listen badly. Set a guard over our mouths. Help us hear the feeling behind each other’s words, and choose words that build up. “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). Amen.
After an argument
God, we have hurt each other again. Cool our tempers, and give us the humility to say sorry first. Keep us from bringing up old failures. Your word says, “let not the sun go down upon your wrath” (Ephesians 4:26), so bring us back together before we sleep. Amen.
When your husband or wife is angry
Lord, my husband [or wife] is angry and will not listen. Soften [his or her] heart, and soften mine. Keep me from answering anger with anger, show me what I have done wrong, and give us a calm hour to talk. Amen.
There are more prayers for an angry husband.
For forgiveness
Father, pull up every root of bitterness in us. Help us to keep no record of wrongs, to admit when we are wrong and to forgive completely when we are wronged, “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another … even as Christ forgave you” (Colossians 3:13). Amen.
For closeness
Lord, you made marriage the closest of human bonds. Break down the walls we have put up. Help us share our fears and hopes, pray together, and delight in each other body and soul, as your word says: “rejoice with the wife of thy youth” (Proverbs 5:18). Amen.
For faith that grows in both of us
God, our marriage is only as strong as our walk with you. Give us both a hunger for your word and for prayer. Where one of us is struggling in faith, make the other patient and encouraging, not preachy. Amen.
For serving each other
Jesus, you came to serve. Open our eyes to what the other needs: rest, help, a kind word, time alone. Let us do the small things gladly, “in lowliness of mind” letting each “esteem other better than themselves” (Philippians 2:3). Amen.
Under pressure from outside
Lord, money, work, our families and our worries are straining this marriage. Help us turn toward each other and not against each other. Give us wisdom to set limits that protect our time together, and let us bring every anxiety to you. Amen.
For our home and family
God, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Psalm 127:1). Build ours. If you give us children, help us raise them in your ways; if it is the two of us, make our home a place of peace, welcome and prayer. “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). Amen.
For healing old wounds
Lord, we both brought hurts into this marriage, and we have added some of our own. Show us what still needs healing, give us the courage to talk about it gently, and heal what we cannot. “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). Amen.
For joy and laughter
Father, do not let the bills and the chores crowd out our joy. Help us laugh together, make time for each other, and stay best friends. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). Amen.
For faithfulness for life
God, we made promises before you. Keep us faithful in thought and deed, through sickness and old age, until death parts us. “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Mark 10:9). Amen.
For a marriage retreat or couples’ group
Lord Jesus, you blessed the wedding at Cana. Be with every couple here. Where love has grown cold, warm it again; where there are old wounds, begin to heal them; and send every husband and wife home closer to each other and to you. Amen.
Prayers from the wedding services
The Episcopal marriage service
This prayer from the Episcopal Church’s 1928 marriage service can be said on an anniversary or any day, with “us” in place of “these thy servants.”
O God, who hast so consecrated the state of Matrimony that in it is represented the spiritual marriage and unity betwixt Christ and his Church; Look mercifully upon these thy servants, that they may love, honour, and cherish each other, and so live together in faithfulness and patience, in wisdom and true godliness, that their home may be a haven of blessing and of peace; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
The Book of Common Prayer (1928), The Solemnization of Matrimony, p. 303
From the Orthodox crowning service
In the Orthodox marriage service, called the Crowning, the priest asks God to bless the new couple as he blessed the married couples of Scripture. An excerpt, from Isabel Hapgood’s 1906 English translation of the Russian service book:
Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Abraham and Sarah: Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Isaac and Rebecca: Bless them, O Lord our God, as thou didst bless Jacob and all the patriarchs … Remember them, O Lord our God, and the parents who have nurtured them; for the prayers of parents make firm the foundations of houses.
Hapgood, Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic (Greco-Russian) Church (1906), The Rite of Holy Matrimony, The Order of Marriage, or of Crowning, p. 297
The prayer of Tobias and Sara
The Book of Tobit, called Tobias in the Douay-Rheims Bible, tells how Tobias and his bride Sara prayed together on their wedding night. Catholics and Orthodox count the book as Scripture; Protestants place it among the Apocrypha.
And Tobias said: Lord God of our fathers, may the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all thy creatures that are in them, bless thee. Thou madest Adam of the slime of the earth, and gavest him Eve for a helper. And now, Lord, thou knowest, that not for fleshly lust do I take my sister to wife, but only for the love of posterity, in which thy name may be blessed for ever and ever. Sara also said: Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us, and let us grow old both together in health.
Tobias 8:7–10, Douay-Rheims Bible
Saints Peter and Fevronia, patrons of marriage in Russia
Russian Orthodox couples often pray to Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, a prince and his wife whom the Russian Church honors as patrons of married life. The Orthodox Encyclopedia of the Russian Church dates them tentatively to the thirteenth century and notes that almost everything known about them comes from a sixteenth-century life by the writer Yermolai-Erazm, written long after the events and containing very little historical data. They were canonized as local saints at a church council in 1547, and their feast is 25 June in the Church calendar (8 July in the civil calendar). Protestant churches generally direct prayer to God alone rather than to the saints.
Why couples pray together
The New Testament ties a couple’s prayers to how they treat each other. Peter tells husbands to give honor to their wives “as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered” (1 Peter 3:7). Paul’s teaching on marriage opens with “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:21) and tells husbands to love their wives “even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25). Jesus promised a particular blessing on shared prayer: “if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19–20).
Prayer for Unbreakable Unity
Your marriage is a sacred bond, designed by God to be a partnership of unbreakable unity. This prayer asks God to weave your two hearts together as one, protecting your marriage from the things that would try to pull you apart.
Heavenly Father,
We come before You as a husband and wife, joined together by Your hand. We ask You to bless our union with a supernatural unity that the world cannot understand and nothing can break. Please guard our hearts against selfishness and pride, the very things that create distance between us. Help us to think of each other’s needs before our own and to pursue one another with love and respect every single day.
Lord, teach us to be of one mind and one heart, focused on You as the center of our marriage. When we disagree, help us to seek understanding, not victory. Smooth over our rough edges so that we fit together more perfectly. Remove any seeds of division, whether they come from misunderstanding, outside influences, or our own weaknesses.
We want our marriage to be a strong cord of three strands, with You as the third and most important strand holding us together. Let our unity be a powerful testimony to Your goodness and Your design for marriage. May the world see our love for each other and know that it comes from You. Bind us together in a bond of peace and make us an inseparable team, working together for Your glory, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A unified marriage is a fortress of strength and a beautiful reflection of Christ’s love for the church. By praying for unity, you invite God to be the glue that holds you together through every season of life, just as Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
Prayer for Wise and Loving Communication
Words have the power to build up or tear down. This prayer is for the gift of communication that is filled with wisdom, grace, and love, allowing you to truly hear each other’s hearts and speak life into your relationship.
Lord God,
You are the author of all communication, and we ask for Your wisdom to flow through our words to each other. So often, we speak carelessly or listen poorly. Please forgive us. We ask You to place a guard over our mouths, that we would be slow to speak and quick to listen. Help us to choose words that build up our spouse, not tear them down. Give us the courage to speak the truth in love.
Father, we ask for hearts that are open and receptive. Help us to listen not just to the words being said, but to the emotions and needs behind them. Remove defensiveness and the need to be right from our conversations. Instead, fill us with empathy and a genuine desire to understand our partner’s perspective, even when it is different from our own.
Pour out Your Spirit upon us, so that our home is filled with encouraging and life-giving conversations. Let our words to each other be like a soothing balm, bringing healing and comfort. May our communication be a channel for Your love, strengthening our bond and drawing us closer to each other and to You, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Healthy communication is the lifeblood of a thriving marriage. When you ask God to guide your conversations, you are inviting Him to turn every talk into an opportunity for greater intimacy, understanding, and love. Always remember, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
Prayer for Patience and Quick Forgiveness
In a close relationship, misunderstandings and hurts are inevitable. This prayer is an appeal for God’s supernatural patience in moments of frustration and for a humble heart that is always ready to offer and receive forgiveness.
Heavenly Father,
We confess that we are imperfect people who sometimes hurt each other with our words and actions. Lord, in those moments of tension and frustration, we pray for an overwhelming sense of Your patience. Quiet our spirits when we are tempted to react in anger. Help us to pause and breathe instead of escalating a conflict. Fill us with the gentle and patient spirit of Christ.
More than anything, Lord, teach us how to forgive as You have forgiven us. Rip out any root of bitterness or resentment that tries to grow in our hearts. Don’t let us keep a record of wrongs or bring up past failures. Give us the humility to admit when we are wrong and the grace to extend forgiveness freely and completely when we have been wronged.
Let our home be a safe place of mercy and grace, not a courtroom of judgment. Help us to look at each other through Your eyes, with compassion and understanding. Make our hearts soft and quick to reconcile, so that the sun never goes down on our anger and our unity is restored quickly, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Letting go of hurts is a choice that protects your sacred union. By choosing forgiveness, you reflect God’s heart and invite His peace into your home, remembering to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
Prayer for a Shared Purpose and Vision
A strong marriage is more than just two people living together; it’s a partnership on a mission. This prayer asks God to align your hearts with His, giving you a shared vision for your life and family that inspires and directs you.
Lord of all Creation,
You have brought us together not just for our own happiness, but for Your purposes. We ask You to give us a united vision for our marriage and our family. Show us the unique mission You have for us as a couple. Help us to dream Your dreams together and to align our plans with Your greater will for our lives.
Please remove any selfish ambitions that cause us to pull in different directions. Help us to be a team, supporting one another’s gifts and callings as we pursue the goals You set before us. Give us wisdom as we make decisions about our future, our finances, our time, and our family, so that every choice honors You.
We lay our individual desires at Your feet and ask You to blend them into a beautiful, shared purpose. May our life together be a story of Your faithfulness. Let us run the race You have set before us side-by-side, encouraging each other every step of the way and pointing others to You through our joint efforts, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When a couple shares a God-given purpose, their marriage becomes a powerful force for good. You move from being roommates to being teammates on a divine adventure, knowing that you are building something eternal together. “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18, KJV).
Prayer for Strength Against Outside Pressures
The world can place heavy burdens on a marriage, from financial stress to work demands and family conflicts. This prayer is for a shield of divine protection and strength to withstand any pressure that seeks to weaken your bond.
Almighty God, our Rock and our Fortress,
We acknowledge that the world around us is full of stress and pressures that can strain our marriage. We ask You to be our shield and our strength. When financial worries, career demands, or family conflicts try to pull us apart, help us to turn toward each other for support, not against each other in blame.
Lord, grant us the wisdom to set healthy boundaries to protect our time and emotional energy as a couple. Teach us to cast our anxieties on You, trusting that You care for us and will provide for all our needs. Give us resilience and a united front against any challenge we face. When we feel overwhelmed, remind us to lean on You and on each other.
Let our marriage be a safe harbor, a place of peace and refuge from the storms of life. Fill our home with Your presence, driving out fear and anxiety. Help us to be each other’s biggest encourager, reminding one another of Your promises and faithfulness in difficult times, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Your marriage is a precious gift that is worth protecting fiercely. By asking God for strength, you are inviting the most powerful being in the universe to stand guard over your relationship, ensuring that outside pressures will not break you. As Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Prayer for Deepening Intimacy and Affection
True intimacy in marriage is a blend of emotional, spiritual, and physical closeness. This prayer asks God to remove barriers and deepen the affection and connection between you, making your relationship a source of profound joy and comfort.
Loving Father,
You designed marriage to be the most intimate of all human relationships. We pray that You would help us grow closer in every way. Please deepen our emotional connection, helping us to be vulnerable and share our hearts, fears, and dreams with each other in a safe and loving space. Break down any walls of protection we have built up.
Lord, we also ask for a deeper spiritual intimacy. Help us to pray together, to seek You together, and to encourage one another’s faith. Let our shared love for You be the foundation upon which all our other connections are built. Bless our physical relationship as well, that it would be a joyful and selfless expression of our love and commitment.
Rekindle the passion and affection between us. Teach us how to cherish one another, to express love in ways both big and small, and to never take this precious gift of closeness for granted. Help us to see each other with fresh eyes of love and desire every day, just as we did in the beginning, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Intimacy is the beautiful result of two people choosing to know and be known by each other completely. Pursuing this closeness honors God’s design and makes your marriage a true sanctuary of love. As you grow together, you live out the truth of Song of Solomon 8:7: “Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.”
Prayer for Individual Growth in Faith
A strong marriage is made of two strong individuals who are growing in their own personal walks with God. This prayer is for God to work in each of your hearts, making you more like Jesus so you can love each other better.
Lord, our Teacher and Guide,
We know that our marriage can only be as strong as our individual walks with You. We pray that you would ignite a fire in each of our hearts for You. Draw us both closer to Yourself. Create in us a deep hunger for Your Word and a passion for prayer. Reveal to us the areas in our character where we need to grow to become more like Jesus.
Father, as You work in my spouse’s heart, help me to be patient, supportive, and encouraging of their spiritual journey. And as You work in my heart, let the fruit of that growth be a blessing to my spouse. Make me more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
We don’t want to grow stagnant in our faith. We want to be vibrant followers of Christ, and we know that will make us a better husband and wife. Help us to challenge each other in our faith in a loving way, so that together we grow stronger and our marriage becomes a brighter light for You, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
When you both focus on growing closer to God, you will naturally grow closer to each other. Your individual spiritual health is the best gift you can give to your marriage, allowing God to shape you into the partners you were created to be. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
Prayer for a Heart of Service Toward Each Other
True love in a Christian marriage is expressed through selfless service. This prayer asks God to give you both the humble heart of Jesus, who came not to be served, but to serve, so you can meet each other’s needs with joy.
Humble Savior,
You have set the ultimate example of love through service. We confess that we are often selfish, thinking of our own needs and comfort before our spouse’s. We ask that You would change our hearts. Remove our pride and replace it with the humble heart of a servant. Show us how to love each other through practical, daily acts of service.
Lord, open our eyes to the needs of our spouse. Help us to notice when they are tired, stressed, or discouraged, and give us the energy and desire to lift their burdens. Let us joyfully serve one another without expecting anything in return. Teach us to do the small things—a kind word, a helping hand, a listening ear—that show our deep love.
May we find true happiness in making our partner happy. Help us to outdo one another in showing honor and in serving each other. Let this spirit of mutual service fill our home, creating an atmosphere of love, respect, and generosity that reflects the selfless love You have shown to us, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A marriage where both partners seek to serve each other is a marriage filled with joy and security. This approach transforms daily chores and duties into acts of love, building a relationship based on mutual care. The guiding principle is clear: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).
Prayer for Wisdom in Leading Our Family
Whether you have children or not, your marriage is the foundation of your family. This prayer is for divine wisdom to lead your household with love, integrity, and a focus on God, creating a legacy of faith for generations to come.
God of all Wisdom,
You have placed us as the leaders of our home, and we feel the weight of this responsibility. We ask You to grant us Your divine wisdom to lead our family well. Guide our decisions, both big and small, so that they will honor You and bless our household. Help us to be united as we lead, presenting a strong and consistent front.
Lord, if we have children, equip us to be the parents they need. Give us patience, understanding, and the right words to train them in Your ways. If it is just the two of us, help us to manage our home and our lives with integrity and purpose. May our household be a place of peace, order, and spiritual warmth.
We want to build our house upon the rock of Your truth. Protect us from foolish choices and guide us on the path of righteousness. Help us to create a family culture that loves You, serves others, and is a beacon of light in our community. Let our leadership be marked by grace and truth, pointing our family always toward You, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Leading a family is one of life’s greatest callings. When you seek God’s wisdom, you ensure you are not leading alone but are partnering with Him to build a home that will stand strong and honor Him. As Joshua declared, this prayer affirms, “…as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
Prayer for Lasting Joy and Laughter
God intends for marriage to be a source of deep joy and companionship. This prayer is a request for God to fill your relationship with genuine happiness, laughter, and the simple pleasures that make life together a delight.
Giver of all Good Gifts,
We thank You for the gift of marriage and for the joy it is meant to bring. We pray that You would fill our relationship with a deep, abiding joy that comes from You—a joy that is not dependent on our circumstances. Help us to find delight in each other and to be a source of happiness for one another.
Lord, please fill our home with laughter. Help us not to take ourselves too seriously. Give us a shared sense of humor and the ability to find fun in the everyday moments of life. Protect us from the heaviness and stress that can steal our joy. Remind us to celebrate our victories, enjoy our blessings, and make time for fun and recreation together.
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Let us be each other’s best friend and favorite companion. Rekindle the playful spirit that we had when we first fell in love. May the sound of our laughter be a frequent and welcome noise in our home, a sign of a healthy and happy hearts that are grateful for the life we share, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Joy and laughter are essential nutrients for a healthy marriage. They are the music that lightens the burdens of life and strengthens your bond, reminding you that you are on this journey with your best friend. A marriage filled with this spirit reflects the truth that “A cheerful heart is good medicine” (Proverbs 17:22).
Prayer for Healing from Past Wounds
Every person enters marriage with hurts and baggage from their past. This prayer is for God’s gentle and powerful healing touch on any old wounds—from childhood, past relationships, or even from within your marriage—that are affecting your love today.
Great Healer,
We come to You with open hearts, acknowledging that we carry wounds from the past. Some hurts are from long ago, and some we have caused each other. We ask You, Lord, to bring Your divine healing to these broken places within us. Where there is pain, bring Your peace. Where there is bitterness, bring Your forgiveness.
Shine Your light on the hidden corners of our hearts and reveal any past trauma or hurt that is negatively impacting our ability to trust and love each other fully. Give us the courage to talk about these things with grace and compassion. Help us to be a safe place for each other to be vulnerable, offering support and understanding, not judgment.
We release all past hurts into Your hands. We choose to no longer let them define our present or our future. Heal the memories and mend what is broken within us, so that we can love each other from a place of wholeness and freedom, making our marriage stronger than ever before, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Unhealed wounds can poison a marriage from the inside out. Inviting God to heal you as individuals and as a couple is a courageous act of faith that clears the way for a deeper, more authentic love. This prayer embraces the promise that “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).
Prayer for a Legacy of Faithfulness
Your marriage is not just for today; it is building a legacy that will outlive you. This prayer is a commitment to build a life together that is marked by faithfulness to God and each other, leaving a lasting impact on your family and community.
Eternal God, our Faithful King,
We desire for our marriage to be more than just a temporary partnership; we want it to be a lasting legacy of Your faithfulness. We pray that our life together would tell a story of commitment, perseverance, and unwavering love for You and for each other. Help us to build a foundation of faith that will endure for generations to come.
Lord, may our children, our friends, and our community see in our marriage a reflection of Your covenant love for Your people. Let them see a couple who keeps their promises, who weathers storms with grace, and whose love grows deeper with time. Help us to live with integrity and purpose, making choices today that will bear good fruit in the future.
Let our shared life be a testament to Your goodness. When we are old, may we look back with gratitude on a lifetime of loving and serving You together. We commit our marriage and its legacy into Your hands, trusting that You will use us for Your glory long after we are gone, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
A marriage focused on legacy is a marriage with a powerful, forward-looking vision. It’s about building something beautiful and lasting that points others to Christ, creating a spiritual inheritance for those who follow you. By this, you aim to one day hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23).
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