Amaré

16 short prayers to pray together

Prayers for couples

Praying as a couple feels a little awkward at first. One of you does not know what to say, the other is not sure whether to close their eyes, and the silence feels long. It happens to almost every couple, and almost every couple finds that after a few weeks it becomes the calmest moment of the day.

These prayers were written to help you start. They are short, grouped by situation, and you can read them as they are or use them as a starting point to pray in your own words. They work for dating, engaged and married couples, Catholic and Protestant alike.

On this page

Short prayers for every day

For ordinary days, which is most of them. Each one takes a minute and can be said holding hands before you leave or before you sleep.

This is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

In the morning

Lord, thank you for this new day and for the gift of each other. Before the rush begins, we give you what is ahead: the work, the conversations and everything we do not know yet. Help us treat each other with patience today, listen well, and still be a team when the day is done. Amen.

At night

Father, here we are at the end of the day. Thank you for the good things we lived, even if they were few, and forgive us for the words we should not have said and the ones we left unsaid. If anything is still unresolved between us, help us not to go to sleep angry. Guard our rest and renew our strength for tomorrow. Amen.

One line for busy days

Lord, keep us today, and wherever each of us is, keep us together in you. Amen.

Send it as a text in the middle of the day, or whisper it when one of you walks out the door.

Prayers for our marriage

For newlyweds and for couples with many years behind them. The first is for praying together; the other two are for praying for each other.

And though one may be overpowered, two can resist. Moreover, a cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12

A prayer for our marriage

Lord, you brought us together and we want you to stay at the center of our marriage. Teach us to love each other the way you love us: patiently, keeping no record of wrongs, never giving up. When one of us is tired, let the other hold them up. When we do not understand each other, give us the humility to listen before we answer. Guard our faithfulness, our tenderness and our promises. May it be plain in our home that you live here. Amen.

A prayer for my husband

Father, I bring my husband to you. You know what he carries, what worries him and what he does not tell me. Give him strength for his work and peace of mind. Protect him on the road and in every decision. Make him wise, steady and tender, and help me be a companion to him and not one more weight. Thank you for his life. Amen.

A prayer for my wife

Father, I bring my wife to you. Thank you for her life, for her love and for all she gives that nobody sees. Look after her health, her heart and her dreams. When she is tired, give her rest; when she is afraid, give her your peace. Teach me to truly listen to her, to honor her with my words and to serve her gladly. Amen.

Prayers for dating and engaged couples

Dating is worth praying over too. These fit couples who are just starting and couples who already have a wedding date.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy. 1 Corinthians 13:4

A prayer for dating couples

Lord, thank you for letting our paths cross. We want our relationship to please you. Teach us to get to know each other without rushing, to respect each other and to guard each other’s hearts. Give us wisdom to see what you see and courage to speak the truth. If this relationship is from you, make it strong, and in everything, let your will be done. Amen.

For my boyfriend or girlfriend

Father, today I pray for the person I love. Bless their studies or their work, their family and their faith. Keep them from harm and draw them closer to you every day. Help me love them well: without controlling them, without asking of them what only you can give, and with the same patience you have with me. Amen.

Before the wedding

Lord, we are about to make promises for a lifetime. You know it excites us and that sometimes it scares us. Prepare our hearts more than the celebration. Help us leave behind what we need to leave and build a home on you. May our vows be sincere, and may your grace help us keep them every day. Amen.

Prayers for hard times

For after a fight, for a marriage in crisis or for a season apart. If there is violence or fear at home, prayer goes with you but does not replace asking for help: reach out to a pastor or priest you trust, or to a professional.

Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

After a fight

Lord, we argued and we are both hurt. We do not want pride to have the last word. Calm what we feel, help us ask for forgiveness without excuses and forgive without keeping score. Remind us that we are not enemies, that we are on the same side. Teach us to talk about what happened with respect and to begin again. Amen.

A prayer to restore our marriage

Father, our marriage is tired and sometimes we do not know how to go on. We bring you what broke: the trust, the harsh words, the silence. You make all things new; make something new in us. Heal the wounds we do not know how to heal, soften what has hardened, and give us the humility to look for help if we need it. We do not ask that everything be easy, only that we never let go of your hand or of each other’s. Amen.

When we are apart

Lord, today we are separated by miles, schedules or circumstances. You are with both of us at the same time, and that comforts us. Look after the one I love where they are, keep them company when they feel alone, and keep alive what holds us together. Let the distance teach us to value each other and to trust, and bring us soon to pray together in the same place. Amen.

Prayers of gratitude

Giving thanks together changes the mood of a home. You do not need a big reason; naming three small things from the day is enough.

Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Thank you for us

Father, today we are not here to ask. We are here to thank you: for bringing us together, for every day you have given us side by side, for what we have learned in the easy times and the hard ones. Thank you for the laughter, for forgiveness and for your patience with us. Everything good between us comes from you. Amen.

On an anniversary

Lord, today we remember the day we started this journey. Thank you for your faithfulness, which was greater than ours. Thank you for what we have built and for what we have forgiven each other. We give you the year ahead: keep us united, in love and close to you. Amen.

Prayers for the family

To bless your home and everyone in it, whether you have children yet or not.

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD! Joshua 24:15

For our family

Lord, bless this house and everyone who lives in it. May we speak kindly here, apologize quickly and pray without embarrassment. Protect us from what pulls us apart: tiredness, screens, hurry and harsh words. Give us bread on the table, peace at night and joy in simple things. We and our house want to serve you. Amen.

For our children

Father, we give our children to you. You love them even more than we do. Watch over them when we are not near, guide their choices and help them truly know you. Give us patience to raise them, wisdom to correct them and time to enjoy them. May they see in our marriage a reflection of your love. Amen.

How to pray together as a couple

For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:20
  1. Pick a set time. Bedtime or breakfast work well because they are already part of the day. Five minutes is enough.
  2. Start with a written prayer, like the ones on this page, read aloud by one of you. It is easier than improvising, especially at first.
  3. Each of you thanks God for one thing and asks for one thing, in your own words. One sentence will do.
  4. Pray for each other by name. Hearing your partner pray for you by name brings you closer than any speech.
  5. If one of you feels shy praying out loud, start in silence, holding hands, and let the other close with an amen. Confidence comes with practice.

Looking for verses too? Here are the 43 Bible verses for couples we use in the app, each with a question to talk about.

Amaré

Pray together every day, without having to plan it.

Amaré sends you a verse and a question every morning. Each of you answers on your own phone, the answers open once you have both answered, and then you pray for each other with one tap.

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Questions people ask

How do I pray for my relationship?

Honestly and consistently. Tell God what is really going on, thank him for the good, ask for what is missing and pray for your partner by name. If you can, do it together for a few minutes a day; if your partner is not ready yet, start on your own.

What is the most powerful prayer for a marriage?

There is no formula that works better than another. The Bible invites us to bring our requests to God with prayer and thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6), not to repeat exact words. The prayer that changes a relationship is usually the simple one prayed every day, humbly and willing to change yourself.

Which psalm is about love and marriage?

Psalm 127 reminds us that unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain, and Psalm 128 blesses the table and family of the one who fears God. Beyond the Psalms, the Song of Songs is devoted entirely to the love between two people.

Can we pray together if one of us has less faith?

Yes. Praying as a couple is not a test. The one who is more used to it can pray aloud while the other joins in silence. What matters is that neither of you feels pressured.

Are these prayers for Catholics or Protestants?

Both. They are addressed to God and rooted in the Bible, without wording specific to one church, so any Christian couple can pray them.

Prayers written for Amaré. Bible text from the Berean Standard Bible, public domain.