Prayer Before Reading the Bible

Prayer Before Reading the Bible

Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your Word, a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Open my heart and mind as I read, so that I may understand Your truth, receive Your guidance, and be strengthened in faith. Help me apply Your wisdom in my daily life, and grant me discernment to see Your presence in all things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Praying before reading the Bible is a practice deeply rooted in Christian tradition, serving to prepare the heart and mind to receive and understand God's Word. This spiritual discipline acknowledges the divine origin and transformative power of the Scriptures, seeking divine guidance for interpretation and application.

The primary purpose of such prayers is to seek wisdom, discernment, and understanding from God, recognizing that the Bible is not merely a human text but a divinely inspired message. Believers often pray for clarity to grasp the teachings, for their hearts to be open to correction, and for the Holy Spirit to illuminate the text, enabling them to apply its truths to their lives.

Reasons for Praying Before Reading Scripture

Several key reasons underscore the importance of prayer before engaging with the Bible:

Seeking Wisdom and Discernment: The Bible itself encourages asking God for wisdom, promising that it will be given generously. This wisdom is crucial for interpreting complex passages, understanding God's intentions, and avoiding misinterpretations. As St. John Chrysostom's prayer suggests, it helps open the "eyes of the heart" to hear and understand God's Word.

Acknowledging Divine Inspiration: Christians believe the Bible is "God-breathed" (2 Timothy 3:16-17), meaning it is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Praying before reading acknowledges this divine authorship and invites the same Spirit to guide the reader. This relational approach allows for a deeper engagement with the "Author of the Bible".

Preparing the Heart: The Bible is often compared to a "double-edged sword" (Hebrews 4:12), capable of cutting to the heart and changing lives. Prayer helps to cultivate a receptive and humble heart, making it "fruitful soil for the Word of God to take root". It helps readers approach the text with reverence and seriousness, rather than as just any other book.

Overcoming Human Limitations: Readers bring their own backgrounds, worldviews, and biases to the text, which can sometimes hinder understanding. Prayer asks God to expand knowledge and help discern His voice amidst personal perspectives. It ensures reliance on God's understanding rather than one's own.

Desiring Transformation and Obedience: Beyond mere intellectual understanding, prayer before reading Scripture often includes a plea for the ability to live out its teachings. It's a request for God to implant fear of His commandments, leading to a spiritual manner of living and doing what is pleasing to Him. St. Augustine's prayer, for instance, seeks not only to cherish what is written but to do it.

Examples of Prayers

Various prayers exist for this purpose, often reflecting similar themes:

Orthodox Prayer: "Illumine our hearts, O Master Who lowest mankind, with the pure light of Thy divine knowledge. Open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Thy gospel teachings. Implant also in us the fear of Thy blessed commandments, that trampling down all carnal desires, we may enter upon a spiritual manner of living, both thinking and doing such things as are well-pleasing unto Thee."

St. John Chrysostom's Prayer: "O Lord Jesus Christ, open the eyes of my heart that I may hear your Word, and understand and do your will... Speak unto me the hidden and secret things of your wisdom."

Contemporary Prayer: "Lord, I need wisdom as I read your Word. You promise us in James 1:5 that we only have to ask for wisdom to receive it. Lord, please give me your wisdom now as I approach your word. Help me discern the truth of this text. Help me not rely on my own understanding."

St. Augustine's Prayer: "Let your Scriptures be my chaste delight… O Lord, perfect me and reveal those pages to me!… May the inner secrets of your words be laid open to me when I knock."

These prayers collectively emphasize the need for divine assistance to truly engage with and benefit from God's Word, transforming it from mere text into a living, life-changing encounter

OTHER PRAYER: "O Jesus Christ, our Master, you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Grant that we learn the supereminent knowledge of your charity in the spirit of Saint Paul the Apostle and of the Catholic Church. Send your Spirit to teach us and remind us of what you preached. Jesus Master, Way, Truth, and Life, have mercy on us. Amen."