# Prayers for Tithes and Offerings: In Church and When You Give

Source: https://christianpure.com/learn/prayers-for-tithe/
Publisher: Christian Pure (https://christianpure.com/)
Published: 2025-10-06
Updated: 2026-11-05

When the tithes and offerings are brought forward, a church can pray over them in words like these: “Lord, everything we have comes from you, and we give back part of it with thanks. Accept these tithes and offerings. Use them for the work of your church, for the poor and for the spread of the gospel, and bless everyone who gave. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

## Prayers over the offering in church

These prayers are for a pastor, an elder or a lay leader to say aloud as the offering is received.

**Before the offering is collected**

Father, every good thing we have is a gift from you. As we bring our tithes and offerings now, take away any fear or grudging from our hearts, and let us give gladly, each as we have decided. Amen.

**After the offering is collected**

Lord, here are the gifts of your people. Some gave much and some gave the little they had, and you see every heart. Bless this money and the people who gave it. Use it to preach the gospel, to care for the poor and the sick, to support those who serve this church, and to reach people who have never heard of you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

**For a love offering**

Lord, today we give for [name], who has served you and us. Thank you for [his or her] faithfulness. Let this gift meet real needs and tell [him or her] how much [he or she] is loved. Amen.

**With children in Sunday school**

Dear God, thank you for everything you give us. Here are our coins and our gifts. Please use them to help people and to tell them about Jesus. Amen.

### Offertory sentences from the Book of Common Prayer

The 1928 Book of Common Prayer gives a list of Bible verses for the minister to read at the offering, and notes that they “may be used on any other occasion of Public Worship when the Offerings of the People are to be received.” Here are three of them:

> Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts xx. 35.
>
> He that soweth little shall reap little; and he that soweth plenteously shall reap plenteously. Let every man do according as he is disposed in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. ix. 6, 7.
>
> All things come of thee, O Lord, and of thine own have we given thee. 1 Chron. xxix. 14.
>
> The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Holy Communion, Offertory, pp. 72–73

The last line comes from King David’s prayer after the people of Israel gave gold, silver, brass, iron and precious stones “for the service of the house of God” (1 Chronicles 29:7).

### An Orthodox petition for those who give

Orthodox services pray by name for the people who support the church, and in the Augmented Litany at Vespers the deacon prays:

> Furthermore we pray for those who bear fruit and do good works in this holy and all-honourable Temple; for those who labour in its service; for the singers; and for the people here present, who await in firm hope thy great and rich mercies.
>
> Hapgood, *Service Book of the Holy Orthodox-Catholic Apostolic (Greco-Russian) Church* (1906), Great Vespers, The Augmented Litany, p. 9

## How to pray over the offering

A prayer over the offering is usually short, under a minute, and most follow the same order: thanks to God as the giver of everything, a request that he accept the gifts, a request that he use them for named work (the church’s ministry, missions, the poor), and a blessing on the people who gave. Many leaders also pray for those who could not give that day, since Paul wrote that a gift “is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not” (2 Corinthians 8:12). Such a prayer should not promise the congregation a financial return for giving.

## Prayers when you give your tithe

**A prayer of thanks**

Lord, the food on my table and the roof over my head come from you, not from my own effort alone. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). I give this tithe to say thank you. Amen.

**Giving the first portion**

God, I want to give to you first, before the bills and the spending, and not from whatever is left. “Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase” (Proverbs 3:9). Help me keep to it every payday. Amen.

**When money is tight**

Father, money is short this month, and I am afraid of the bills. You know what I need. Give me the faith to give what I can, and the wisdom to know what that is. “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Amen.

**When I am afraid there will not be enough**

Lord, I hold on to every dollar because I am afraid of running out. Loosen my grip. “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10). Teach me to trust you with my money and my future. Amen.

**For a cheerful heart**

God, I have sometimes given with a heavy heart, as if I were paying a bill. Change that. You love “a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7), and I want to be one. Amen.

**For wisdom with the rest**

Lord, I have given my tithe. Now help me handle the rest well: to tell needs from wants, to stay out of debt, to save, and to have something left to give when someone else is in need. Amen.

**For pure motives**

Holy Spirit, keep me from giving to be seen or praised. Jesus said, “when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth” (Matthew 6:3). Let my gift be between me and you. Amen.

**Handing it all back**

Sovereign Lord, “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof” (Psalm 24:1), and so is my paycheck. I am the manager, not the owner. Let this tithe be a sign that everything I have is yours. Amen.

## Other offerings: yourself, your time and your burdens

Scripture also speaks of offerings that are not money at all: Paul asked Christians to “present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God” (Romans 12:1), and Hebrews calls praise “the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips” (Hebrews 13:15).

**Offering yourself**

Lord, I give you more than money today. Take my body, my mind and my will, my past and my future, and use all of it for your purposes. Amen.

**Offering your time and gifts**

God, you gave me skills and a limited number of hours. Show me how to use both to serve others, “as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). Amen.

**Offering your work**

Lord, I offer you today’s work, the dull parts and the hard parts. Let me do it “heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:23). Amen.

**Offering your worries and your pain**

Father, all I have to bring today is worry and hurt. I give them to you, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart” (Psalm 34:18). Come near to me. Amen.

## Where the Bible speaks of tithes and offerings

- **Abraham** gave Melchizedek, priest of the most high God, “tithes of all” (Genesis 14:20).
- **Jacob** vowed, “of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee” (Genesis 28:22).
- **The law of Moses:** “all the tithe of the land … is the LORD’s: it is holy unto the LORD” (Leviticus 27:30). The tithe supported the Levites “for their service which they serve” in the tabernacle (Numbers 18:21).
- **Malachi:** “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).
- **Jesus** told the Pharisees that they tithed mint, anise and cummin but neglected “judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone” (Matthew 23:23).
- **The poor widow** put two mites into the temple treasury, and Jesus said she had “cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury” because she gave “all her living” (Mark 12:41–44).
- **Paul** told the Corinthians to set money aside “Upon the first day of the week … as God hath prospered him” (1 Corinthians 16:2), and to give “not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

More passages are collected in [Bible verses about tithes and offerings](https://christianpure.com/learn/bible-verses-about-tithes-and-offerings/).

## Do Christians have to tithe?

Churches answer that differently: many Pentecostal and evangelical churches teach the tithe of ten percent. An article in the Assemblies of God’s official news service says that “Christians should tithe on their income as an act of obedience,” and that while “a tithe is understood as 10 percent,” the writer sees it “as a minimum amount.” The Southern Baptist Convention’s *Baptist Faith and Message*, on the other hand, names no percentage; it says Christians “should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer’s cause on earth.”

The Catholic Church sets no fixed tenth either, though its Code of Canon Law says the faithful “are obliged to assist with the needs of the Church” (canon 222), and the Catechism lists among the precepts of the Church that “The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities” (paragraph 2043).

Christians on every side agree that giving should be willing, and most churches quote Paul’s rule in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give.” There is more on how the early church gave in [what the Bible teaches about giving to the church](https://christianpure.com/learn/biblical-church-giving/).

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## Prayer for a Grateful Heart to Give

When we remember that every good thing we have is a gift from God, giving our tithe becomes a glad way of thanking Him for His generosity and love.

> Heavenly Father, You are the giver of all good things. Every breath I take, the food on my table, and the roof over my head are blessings from Your hand. Forgive me for the times I have taken Your provision for granted or looked at my income as something I earned all on my own. Flood my heart with overwhelming gratitude. Help me to see the tithe not as a bill I have to pay, but as a wonderful opportunity to honor You and say "thank you" for your constant care. Let my first and best portion be a reflection of a heart that is truly thankful for everything You have done and continue to do in my life. Transform my perspective, Lord. May my giving be an act of worship, flowing from a deep well of thankfulness. I want to return a portion of what is already Yours with a happy and grateful spirit, knowing that my ability to give is a gift in itself. Thank you for your endless blessings, Lord, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Given with a grateful heart, the tithe is less a duty we owe than an act of worship, and it reminds us that "every good and perfect gift is from above" (James 1:17).

## Prayer to Trust God with Finances

It is natural to be anxious about money and to wonder whether there will be enough. In this prayer we let go of that fear and put our security in God's hands, trusting that He will always provide for our needs.

> Lord, my Provider, I confess that I struggle with fear and anxiety when it comes to my finances. I worry about the future, about unexpected bills, and about not having enough. This fear can make me want to hold on tightly to every dollar, even the portion that belongs to You. Today, I choose to place my trust in You, not in my bank account. I believe Your promise that You will supply all my needs according to Your glorious riches. When I give my tithe, calm my anxious heart and fill me with a supernatural peace that guards my mind from worry. Help me to truly believe that ninety percent with Your blessing is far greater than one hundred percent without it. Let this act of tithing be a powerful declaration of my faith. I am letting go of my need for control and trusting in Your perfect plan for my life. Remind me that You own the cattle on a thousand hills and Your resources are limitless. I trust You with my finances, my future, and my family, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

It takes faith to trust God with our money, and this prayer helps us lean on His promises rather than on what we can work out for ourselves, as Proverbs 3:5 tells us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

## Prayer for Joy in Giving

God does not want us to give because we feel forced to; He wants us to be cheerful givers. So this prayer asks Him to fill our hearts with real gladness as our tithes share in His work.

> Father God, I want to experience the joy that comes from generous giving. Forgive me for any time I have tithed with a heavy heart, feeling a sense of loss instead of a sense of privilege. I don't want to give grudgingly or out of a feeling of compulsion anymore. Please change my heart from the inside out. Pour out Your Spirit upon me and replace any reluctance with pure, bubbling joy. Help me to see tithing as an exciting partnership with You, a way to invest in eternity and support the ministry of my local church. May I get a glimpse of the good that this offering will do for Your kingdom. Let me be a reflection of Your own generous nature. You gave Your only Son for me with a heart of perfect love. As I give my tithe, let me do it with a smile on my face and a song in my heart, truly delighted to give back to the God who has given me everything, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

When we find joy in giving, our obedience blesses us as well as the church, and that glad generosity is what God loves, for as 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "God loves a cheerful giver."

## Prayer to Honor God with the First Fruits

To give God the "first fruits" is to give Him our best, right at the start. In this prayer we promise to put Him first in our finances and to honor Him with the first portion of our income rather than with whatever is left over.

> Lord of all, I come before You to honor You as the highest priority in my life. You deserve my best, not what is left over after all my other needs and wants are met. I confess that sometimes I have treated the tithe as just another expense instead of the sacred first portion that belongs to You. I commit today to honor You with the first fruits of all my income. Before I pay any other bill or spend on anything else, I will set aside the tithe for Your house. Let this act be a constant, physical reminder that everything I have comes from You and belongs to You first. Help me to be disciplined in this practice. May it train my heart to always put You first, not just in my finances, but in my time, my talents, and my decisions. I want my entire life to be an offering that glorifies You. Thank You for being worthy of my honor, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

When we set the tithe aside first, we put our priorities in the right order and do what Proverbs 3:9 asks of us: "Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops."

## Prayer for Wisdom in Managing Money

Good stewardship begins with the tithe and goes on from there, so this prayer asks God for the wisdom and discipline to manage the remaining ninety percent of what we have in a way that honors Him and keeps us out of foolish debt.

> Heavenly Father, You have entrusted resources to my care, and I want to be a wise and faithful manager of everything You've given me. I have given my tithe, and now I ask for Your wisdom to handle the rest of my finances well. Please give me a spirit of discipline and self-control. Guide my spending decisions, and help me to distinguish between my true needs and my fleeting wants. Keep me from the trap of debt that can steal my peace and limit my ability to be generous. Show me how to plan, save, and budget in a way that is responsible and glorifying to You. Lord, I don't want my financial choices to be a source of stress or a poor witness to others. I want to manage my money so well that I am able to bless others, give freely above my tithe, and live a life of peace and contentment. Grant me Your divine wisdom in all these things, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

God cares how we handle all of our money, and when we ask Him for guidance He gives it, as James 1:5 promises: "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

## Prayer to Overcome a Spirit of Scarcity

What people call a "scarcity mindset" tells us there will never be enough, and it breeds fear and greed. This prayer stands against it and asks God to put in its place a spirit of abundance, faith and generosity.

> Lord, I rebuke the spirit of scarcity that whispers lies of lack and fear in my ear. I confess that I have allowed this mindset to take root in my heart, making me anxious, greedy, and afraid to give. It causes me to hoard my resources and doubt Your goodness. I ask You to break the power of this thinking in my life. Uproot every lie that I won't have enough. Open my eyes to see the truth of Your abundance. You are not a God of "just enough," but a God of more than enough. Remind me that You are able to bless me abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that I need, I will abound in every good work. Fill me with a spirit of abundance, confidence, and trust. Help me to live with an open hand, ready to give and ready to receive, knowing that You are my source. Let my tithing be an act of war against the fear that I will run out, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

We cannot live generously while we believe there will never be enough, and this prayer helps us take hold of the promise of Philippians 4:19, that "my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

## Prayer for the Tithe to Bless the Church

Our tithe is a seed sown in our local church, and in this prayer we ask God to use it to build His kingdom, support our pastors and bless the community.

> Almighty God, as I give this tithe, I pray with purpose for its impact. This is not just money, but fuel for ministry. I ask that you would take this offering, multiply it, and use it for Your glory through the work of my church. Bless my pastors and all the leaders of this church. Provide for their needs, give them wisdom, and protect them from discouragement. Let these funds empower them to preach the Gospel without hindrance and to lead Your people well. I pray that this tithe would help keep the lights on, support missions, create programs that heal the broken, and reach the lost in our community. May every dollar be used effectively to make disciples and to be a light in our city. Let our church be known for its love, its service, and its generosity, all made possible by the faithful giving of Your people. Use my small part to accomplish great things for Your Kingdom, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

When we pray over our tithe, we remember what it is for, and our giving is joined to the mission of the church, as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:9: "For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building."

## Prayer for Consistency in Tithing

Tithing can come easily when things are going well and be harder when money is tight, so this prayer asks God for the strength and faithfulness to keep giving through every season of life, good or bad.

> Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer, I desire to be a person of consistency and integrity. I want my faithfulness in tithing to reflect Your constant faithfulness to me. Forgive me for the times my giving has been inconsistent, rising and falling with my circumstances or my emotions. Grant me a steadfast spirit. When my income is high, keep me humble and faithful to give. When my income is low, give me the faith to trust You and tithe anyway. Help me establish a habit of obedience that is not easily shaken by fear, doubt, or unexpected challenges. Let my commitment to giving be a stable anchor in my spiritual life. I don’t want to be a fair-weather giver; I want to be an all-weather worshiper. Help me to honor you consistently with my tithe, demonstrating my unwavering trust in You, my unchanging God, no matter the season I am in, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Giving steadily, month after month, builds character and shows a mature faith rooted in a God who does not change, for "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8).

## Prayer to See Tithing as Worship

When we tithe we are doing more than moving money; we are worshipping. This prayer lifts our eyes from our bank account to God's throne, so that we see our giving as a way to show Him our love and adoration.

> Holy God, I come before You and confess that I sometimes view tithing as a simple transaction, a bill to be paid to the church. Forgive me for this limited view. Elevate my perspective and help me to see my giving for what it truly is: an act of pure worship. Just as I worship You with song, with prayer, and with service, I want to worship You with my resources. Let the moment I set aside my tithe be a sacred moment of adoration. Let it be my heart’s cry that says, "You are worthy! You are worthy of my trust, my obedience, and my very best." May my offering rise to You as a fragrant aroma, a sacrifice of praise from a heart that loves You completely. Let this act of worship draw me closer to You, aligning my heart with Yours. May this be more than just writing a check or a digital transfer; may it be me bowing my heart before You in reverence, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Seen as worship, the tithe is a holy offering brought to a holy God, as David prayed in 1 Chronicles 29:14, "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand."

## Prayer for a Willing and Obedient Spirit

Sometimes the spirit is willing and the flesh is weak. In this prayer we ask God honestly to bring our will into line with His and to give us a heart that knows it should give and also wants to obey.

> Lord, my Shepherd, You know my heart. You see the internal battle that sometimes takes place when it's time to tithe. There is a part of me that wants to obey You completely, but there is also a part that hesitates, doubts, and resists. I ask You today to create in me a clean heart and a willing spirit. Overcome my stubbornness with Your gentle grace. Soften any part of me that has become hardened by greed or selfishness. I don't want to obey You out of a sense of reluctant duty; I want to obey You because I love You and trust Your commands are for my good. Make my will one with Yours. Let the desire of my heart be to please you in all things, including my finances. Help my obedience to be quick, willing, and complete, so that my life is a true reflection of a child who loves their Father and gladly follows His ways, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

A willing heart is God's gift, and in this prayer we ask the Holy Spirit to work in us so that we follow the path of obedience gladly, because, as Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love me, keep my commands."

## Prayer to Release Control of Our Resources

We often act as if we were the "owners" of our money and possessions. In this prayer we surrender them, acknowledging that God owns everything and placing it all back under His authority.

> Sovereign Lord, I come before You today and acknowledge a simple but profound truth: everything I have is Yours. My money, my home, my talents, and my time are not truly mine. They are resources You have graciously entrusted to me as a manager, not an owner. I confess that I have often lived as if I am in complete control. I make my own plans and clench my fists tightly around "my" possessions. Today, I open my hands. I release my claim of ownership and joyfully return control to You, where it has always belonged. This tithe is a symbol of that surrender. It is me saying, "It's all Yours, God." Help me to live every day with this surrendered mindset. Guide me in how to use Your resources for Your purposes. Let go of my pride and my illusion of control, and fill me with the peace that comes from resting in Your sovereign care, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Letting go of control is a step toward freedom, with our money and in our spirit. Once we see ourselves as managers rather than owners, tithing is simply giving back to the Owner what is His, as Psalm 24:1 says: "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."

## Prayer for God's Blessings to Flow Through Our Giving

God promises to open the "windows of heaven" for those who are faithful in tithing. In this prayer we do not demand riches; we ask Him to pour His blessings into our lives, and through our lives to others.

> Father of Blessings, I bring my tithe to You in obedience to Your Word. I stand on Your promise in Malachi to open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I don’t come with a heart of selfish gain, but with faith in Your faithfulness. I ask that you would bless my finances, but more than that, bless my life. Pour out Your spiritual blessings of peace, joy, and closeness to You. Protect my family, grant us health, and give us favor in our work and community. Let Your blessing be a testimony to others of Your goodness and Your power. More than anything, Lord, make me a channel of Your blessing. As You bless me, let blessing flow through me to others. Use my life and my resources to be an answer to someone else's prayer. Let my obedience to You result in a harvest of righteousness that brings glory to Your name, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

This is the promise the prayer rests on, from Malachi 3:10: “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse... Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’”

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## Related reading

- [Bible verses about tithing](https://christianpure.com/learn/bible-verses-about-tithing/)
- [Prayers for a generous heart](https://christianpure.com/learn/generosity-loving-heart-prayers/)
- [Prayers for financial stability](https://christianpure.com/learn/prayers-for-financial-stability/)

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