Prayers for Peace

First celebrated in 1982, The International Day of Peace is a United Nations-sanctioned observance on September 21 is dedicated to world peace, specifically the absence of war and violence.

Click here for Prayers for Peace in the Middle East

Prayers

Lead Us

Lord,
Lead us from death to life,
From falsehood to truth.
Lead us from despair to hope,
from fear to trust.
Let peace fill our hearts, our world and our universe.
Let us dream together, pray together and work together,
To build one world of peace and justice for all.

Author unknown
- it is thought to be either an adaptation of a Hindu prayer or of a hymn. The first time that it was known to be publicly spoken was by Mother Teresa in 1981.

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Prayer for the Decade of Nonviolence

I bow to the sacred in all creation.
May my sprit fill the world with beauty and wonder.
May my mind seek truth with humility and openness.
May my heart forgive without limit.
May my love for friend, enemy, and outcast be without measure.
May my needs be few and my living simple.
May my actions bear witness to the suffering of others.
May my hands never harm a living being.
May my steps stay on the journey of justice.
May my tongue speak for those who are poor without fear of the powerful.
May my prayers rise with patient discontent until no child is hungry.
May my life's work be a passion for peace and nonviolence.
May my soul rejoice in the present moment.
May my imagination overcome death and despair with new possibility.
And may I risk reputation, comfort, and security to bring this hope to the children.

Mary Lou Kownacki, OSB

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A Prayer for Peace

We are moulded, each one of us,
in the image of God,
and within our souls there is a fingerprint
none can erase.
We pray for those who have no regard
for anyone but self,
who put no value on human life.
For nations and individuals who abuse and kill.
We are not called to be judge or jury,
but we are called to be agents of change,
and if the butterfly that flaps its wings
should be our attitude to others
then so be it, Lord,
and may the hurricane this generates
somewhere within the world
reach into the hearts and souls of those
for whom we pray, and reveal to them
how precious are those
for whom they have no love,
and how precious are they
who now bring tears to the eyes of God.

- John Birch

As found on: https://www.faithandworship.com/prayers_peace.htm

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A Prayer for World Peace, 1978

We pray for the power to be gentle;
the strength to be forgiving;
the patience to be understanding;
and the endurance to accept the consequences
of holding on to what we believe to be right.

May we put our trust in the power of good to overcome evil
and the power of love to overcome hatred.

We pray for the vision to see and the faith to believe
in a world emancipated from violence,
a new world where fear shall no longer lead men or women to commit injustice,
nor selfishness make them bring suffering to others.

Help us to devote our whole life and thought and energy
to the task of making peace,
praying always for the inspiration and the power
to fulfill the destiny for which we and all men and women were created.

- Author Unknown, Offered by Beth Amyot

Prayer for Serenity

O God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference;
living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardships as a pathway to peace;
taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
trusting that You will make all things right if I surrender to Your will;
so that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with You forever in the next.

- Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

For Courage to Do Justice

O Lord, open my eyes that I may see the needs of others
Open my ears that I may hear their cries;
Open my heart so that they need not be without succor;
Let me not be afraid to defend the weak because of the anger of the strong,
Nor afraid to defend the poor because of the anger of the rich.
Show me where love and hope and faith are needed,
And use me to bring them to those places.
And so open my eyes and my ears
That I may this coming day be able to do some work of peace for thee.

- Alan Paton, South Africa, United Methodist Hymnal #456

Prayer for Peace in the Middle East

God of mercy and compassion,
of grace and reconciliation,
pour your power upon all your children in the Middle East:
Jews, Muslims and Christians,
Palestinians and Israelis.
Let hatred be turned into love, fear to trust, despair to hope,
oppression to freedom, occupation to liberation,
that violent encounters may be replaced by loving embraces,
and peace and justice could be experienced by all.

- Reverend Said Ailabouni

Prayer for a World Where Hope Seems Dim

Dear God, the world seems so dark and foreboding.
Where are the signs of hope?
What are you calling us to do?
Wars, uprisings, displacements, hunger, poverty, and disease continue to claim victims by the millions around the world each year.
Our ears do not want to hear their stories and our eyes do not want to see their plight because the suffering and destruction is so massive and cruel.
In our hearts and minds there is a desire to help somehow, but the crisis seem so overwhelming that we shake our heads in dismay and we wonder what the point is for us even to attempt to be witnesses for healing and hope in this hellish morass.
We beg with the song writer to open our eyes that we may see glimpses of truth you have for us.
Help us to follow the path of Jesus, the Suffering Servant. Give us the courage to be willing to walk the path of depression and pain with the victims of injustice here at home as well as abroad.
Help us to seek ways to light candles of hope, however small, through our words, our deeds, and our prayers, to encourage our sisters and brothers to hold onto the faith in spite of the pain and suffering they are facing.
And help those of us who are among the fortunate ones, who have enough bread to eat, good health, and who live in relative peace, to open our heart to learn from our sisters and brothers who are living lives of grace and forgiveness in the horrid circumstances which surround them. O God, help us to light one candle rather than to curse the darkness.
We pray this in the name of Jesus, who knows what being a light in this dark world is all about.

- Larry Kehler, Mennonite Central Committee, Canada, 2009

Buddhist Prayer for Peace

May all beings everywhere plagued with sufferings of body and mind quickly be freed from their illnesses.

May those frightened cease to be afraid, and may those bound be free.

May the powerless find power, and may people think of befriending one another.

May those who find themselves in trackless, fearful wildernesses--the children, the aged, the unprotected--be guarded by beneficent celestials, and may they swiftly attain Buddhahood.

- Author Unknown

Baha'i Prayer for Peace

Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity.
Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech.
Be a lamp unto those who walk in darkness, and a home to the stranger.
Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring.
Be a breath of life to the body of humankind, a dew to the soil of the human heart, and a fruit upon the tree of humility.

- Baha'u'llah

Christian Prayer for Peace

Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be known as the Children of God.
But I say to you that hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
To those who strike you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from those who take away your cloak, do not withhold your coat as well.
Give to everyone who begs from you, and of those who take away your goods, do not ask for them again.
And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

- Author Unknown

Hindu Prayers for Peace

Oh God, lead us from the unreal to the Real.
Oh God, lead us from darkness to light.
Oh God, lead us from death to immortality. Shanti, Shanti, Shanti unto all.
Oh Lord God almighty, may there be peace in celestial regions.
May there be peace on earth.
May the waters be appeasing.
May herbs be wholesome, and may trees and plants bring peace to all.
May all beneficent beings bring peace to us.
May thy Vedic Law propagate peace all through the world.
May all things be a source of peace to us.
And may thy peace itself, bestow peace on all, and may that peace come to me also.

- Author Unknown

Jainist Prayer for Peace

Peace and Universal Love is the essence of the Gospel preached by all the Enlightened Ones.
The Lord has preached that equanimity is the Dharma.
Forgive do I creatures all, and let all creatures forgive me.
Unto all have I amity, and unto none enmity. Know that violence is the root cause of all miseries in the world.
Violence, in fact, is the knot of bondage.
"Do not injure any living being."
This is the eternal, perennial, and unalterable way of spiritual life.
A weapon howsoever powerful it may be, can always be superseded by a superior one; but no weapon can, however, be superior to non-violence and love.

- Author Unknown

Jewish Prayer for Peace

Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, that we may walk the paths of the Most High.
And we shall beat our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into pruning hooks.
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation- neither shall they learn war any more. And none shall be afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of Hosts has spoken.

- Author Unknown

Muslim Prayer for Peace

In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful. Praise be to the Lord of the Universe who has created us and made us into tribes and nations, that we may know each other, not that we may despise each other.
If the enemy incline towards peace, do thou also incline towards peace, and trust in God, for the Lord is the one that heareth and knoweth all things.
And the servants of God, Most Gracious are those who walk on the Earth in humility, and when we address them, we say "PEACE."

- Author Unknown

Native African Prayer for Peace

Almighty God,
the Great Thumb we cannot
evade to tie any knot,
the Roaring Thunder that splits mighty trees,
the all-seeing Lord up on high who sees even
the footprints of an antelope on a rock mass here on Earth.
You are the one who does not hesitate to respond to our call.
You are the cornerstone of peace.

- Author Unknown

Native American Prayer for Peace

O Great Spirit of our Ancestors, I raise my pipe to you.
To your messengers the four winds, and to Mother Earth who provides for your children.
Give us the wisdom to teach our children to love, to respect, and to be kind to each other so that they may grow with peace in mind.
Let us learn to share all the good things you provide for us on this Earth.

- Author Unknown

Shinto Prayer for Peace

Although the people living across the ocean surrounding us,
I believe, are all our brothers and sisters.
Why are there constant troubles in this world?
Why do winds and waves rise in the ocean surrounding us?
I only earnestly wish that the wind will soon puff away all the clouds which are hanging over the tops of the mountains.

- Author Unknown

Sikh Prayers for Peace

God adjudges us according to our deeds, not the coat that we wear: that Truth is above everything, but higher still is truthful living.
Know that we attain God when we love, and only that victory endures in consequence of which no one is defeated.

- Author Unknown

Sufi Prayer for Peace

O Almighty Sun, whose light clears away all clouds,
We take refuge in you.
Guide of all people, God of all deities, Lord of all angels,
We pray you to dispel the mists of illusion from the hearts of the nations
And lift their lives by your all-sufficient power,
Your ever shining light, your everlasting life,
Your heavenly joy and your perfect peace.

- Author Unknown

Zoroastrian Prayer for Peace

We pray to God to eradicate all the misery in the world:
that understanding triumph over ignorance,
that generosity triumph over indifference,
that trust triumph over contempt,
and that truth triumph over falsehood.

- Author Unknown

Micah 4:1-5

In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. Peoples shall stream to it, and many nations shall come and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that God may teach us God's ways and that we may walk in God's paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. God shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.

- Author Unknown

Baha'i Prayer for Humanity

O Thou kind Lord! Thou hast created all humanity from the same stock. Thou hast decreed that all shall belong to the same household.

In Thy Holy Presence they are all Thy servants, and all are sheltered beneath Thy Tabernacle; all have gathered together at Thy Table of Bounty; all are illumined through the light of Thy Providence.

O God! Thou art kind to all. Thou hast provided for all, dost shelter all, conferrest life upon all. Thou hast endowed each and all with talents and faculties, and all are submerged in the Ocean of Thy Mercy.

O Thou kind Lord! Unite all. Let the religions agree and make the nations one, so that they may see each other as one family and the whole earth as one home. May they all live together in perfect harmony.

O God! Raise aloft the banner of the oneness of humanity.

O God! Establish the Most Great Peace. Cement Thou, O God, our hearts together.

O Thou kind God! Gladden our hearts through the fragrance of Thy love. Brighten our eyes through the Light of Thy Guidance. Delight our ears with the melody of Thy Word, and shelter us all in the Stronghold of Thy Providence.

Thou are the Mighty and Powerful. Thou are the Forgiving and Thou art the One Who overlooketh the shortcomings of all humanity.

- Abu'l-Baha

We Are One With You

O God, we are one with you. You have made us one with you.
You have taught us that if we are open to one another, you dwell in us.
Help us to preserve this openness and to fight for it with all our hearts. Help us to realize that there can be no understanding where there is mutual rejection.

O God, in accepting one another wholeheartedly, fully, completely, we accept you, and we thank you, and we adore you, and we love you with our whole being, because our being is your being, our spirit is rooted in your spirit. Fill us then with love, and let us be bound together with love as we go our diverse ways, united in this one spirit which makes you present in the world, and which makes you witness to the ultimate reality that is love. Love has overcome. Love is victorious.

- Thomas Merton (1915-1968)

Peace Prayer of St. Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace;
Where there is hated, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, harmony;
Where there is error, truth;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, Grant that I may no so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying hat we are born into eternal life.

- Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi

Prayer for Peace

O God, Creator of the universe, who extends your paternal concern over every creature and guides the events of history to goals of salvation, we acknowledge your Fatherly love when you break the resistance of mankind and, in a world torn by strife and discord, you make us ready for reconciliation. Renew for us the wonders of your MERCY; send forth your Spirit hat He may work in the intimacy of our hearts, that enemies may begin to dialogue, that adversaries may shake hands and peoples may encounter one another in harmony. May all commit themselves to the sincere search for true peace which will extinguish all arguments, for charity which overcomes hatred, for pardon which disarms revenge.

- Pope John Paul II

Prayer for Justice and Peace

Eternal Father, You created us in Your own image and likeness, but sin has warped the minds of men and throughout the world there is much injustice and much carelessness of the rights of other people and personal responsibility.

Lord when You are excluded from the hearts and consciences of men, the inevitable result is that people suffer and Lord, there is much injustice and corruption taking place in our world today, not only in the lives of individuals but also in the corridors of power and the council rooms of many nations.

We pray Lord that You will right all the wrongs that are taking place in our world and vindicate those that are being treated unjustly. Keep us Father from trying to take matters into our own hands for vengeance is your and You will repay - but Lord in your grace and mercy we pray that you would give justice and peace to all those that have been cruelly and unfairly treated by their fellow man and may injustice and carelessness that they have had to endure be the means to draw them into Your saving arms of grace - we ask this in the precious name of the Lord, Jesus.

- Author Unknown

Litany of Peace

One God, so many people are in pain.

All Teach us the way to peace.

One When people around us don't agree and think differently,

All Teach us to listen and try to understand.

One When we see people getting hurt,

All Teach us to speak up.

One When we see people treated poorly because of their skin color, or language, or religious belief,

All Teach us to be an example of love and acceptance.

One When we see war and conflict,

All Teach us how to make a difference and seek peace.

One When we see pain,

All Teach us to bring healing,

One When we feel confused and afraid,

All Remind us to talk to our friends, our family and to you.

One In our lives, our neighborhoods and the world,

All Teach us to pray and teach us the way of peace.

- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

A Prayer for Peace

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection;
outdo one another in showing honor.Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them.Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly, do not claim to be wiser than you are.Do not repay anyone evil for evil; but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.If possible, on your part, live at peace with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”Rather, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

- Romans 12:9-21

God of Peace

Finally, sisters and brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable,
whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,
if there is any excellence and if there is anything worth of praise,
think about these things.

Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard
and seen. Then the God of peace will be with you.

- Paul's Letter to the Phillipians 4:8-9

Everlasting Peace

O God! O our master! You are eternal life and everlasting peace by Your essence and attributes. The everlasting peace is from You and it returns to you. O our Sustainer! Grant us the life of true peace and usher us into the abode of peace. O Glorious and Bounteous One! You are blessed and sublime.

- Author Unknown

A Hindu Peace Prayer

I desire neither earthly kingdom, nor even freedom from birth and death.

I desire only the deliverance from grief of all those afflicted by misery.

Oh Lord, lead us from the unreal to the real; from darkness to light; from death to immortality.

May there be peace in celestial regions.

May there be peace on earth.

May the waters be appeasing.

May herbs be wholesome and may trees and plants brings peace to all.

May al beneficent brings peace to us. May your wisdom spread peace all through the world.

May all things be a source of peace to all and to me. Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

- M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence

Before Us

We lift our gazes notTo what stands between us,But what stands before us.We close the divide,Because we know to putOur future first, we must firstPut our differences aside

Poem by Amanda Gorman

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Prayers for Peace

Prayers

See Also

Lead Us

Prayer for the Decade of Nonviolence

A Prayer for Peace

A Prayer for World Peace, 1978

Prayer for Serenity

For Courage to Do Justice

Prayer for Peace in the Middle East

Prayer for a World Where Hope Seems Dim

Buddhist Prayer for Peace

Baha'i Prayer for Peace

Christian Prayer for Peace

Hindu Prayers for Peace

Jainist Prayer for Peace

Jewish Prayer for Peace

Muslim Prayer for Peace

Native African Prayer for Peace

Native American Prayer for Peace

Shinto Prayer for Peace

Sikh Prayers for Peace

Sufi Prayer for Peace

Zoroastrian Prayer for Peace

Micah 4:1-5

Baha'i Prayer for Humanity

We Are One With You

Peace Prayer of St. Francis

Prayer for Peace

Prayer for Justice and Peace

Litany of Peace

A Prayer for Peace

God of Peace

Everlasting Peace

A Hindu Peace Prayer

Before Us