5 Prayers for Your Marriage

I am very thankful for my marriage to my wife, Sarah. Our marriage is a true gift from God. It’s not always been easy, and we’ve gone through some difficult times together. Yet, two decades on, I still can’t believe this amazing person married me. 

When God brought Adam and Eve together, they were both naked and felt no shame (Genesis 2:25). That’s good, because as time goes by, married couples see each other naked in more ways than one. There is an unique intimacy in marriage that uncovers husband and wife in body and soul, opening them up to one another in a context of immense vulnerability. Such a spiritually powerful connection needs to be guarded in prayer. 

Below are five prayers to bless your marriage. Every marriage is different, and married couples may be in different places than other couples (or even with each other). These prayers are not written to address specific issues in marriages; instead, they go straight to the heart of marriage, trusting God to walk with us through all those differences and places. 

Thank God for his gift of marriage

The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”...So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man (Genesis 2:18, 21-22).

“Haven’t you read,” [Jesus] replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate” (Matthew 19:4-6).

Creator God, thank you for your gift of marriage, given at the very beginning. You made us two to be one; you made us for you and for each other. May we treasure this wonderful gift in all seasons and in the joys and sorrows of this life. Give us grace and strength to hold each other close, fulfilling our wedding promises to one another until the day Christ returns or you call one or both of us home to you. This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Thank God for his love and the love you have for each other

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:4-8). 

Loving God, thank you for your perfect love for us. Your love is perfect, always kind, never proud, and beautifully selfless. Your love never fails, but sometimes ours does. May your Holy Spirit teach us to love one another as you love us. Show us how to love each other even when we’re not so patient or kind, or when we get angry with each other. Help us throw away any records of the wrongs we’re tempted to keep when our love fails. Give us love that protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 14:13). In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Pray for God’s leading and direction in your married life      

I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples (John 15:5-8).

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21).

Dear Lord, in our marriage, help us be one branch growing together off of you, the vine. May we be jointly and mutually submitted to you and one another, putting you and each other before ourselves. Let our relationship be marked by kindness, patience, and forgiveness, showing everyone who sees us that we are your disciples. Thank you in the name of your Son Jesus Christ, Amen.

Prayer for unity, selflessness, and forgiveness in your marriage

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others (Philippians 2:1-4).

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

Holy Father, through your Holy Spirit, give us the same love, and unite us as one in spirit and mind. Empower us each, as husband and wife, to put the other’s needs before our own. Help us communicate with each other with clarity and grace. Where we disagree or have conflict between us, remind us that it was you who united us in marriage, and not to let resentment and unforgiveness fester into contempt. Just as you have forgiven us our sins, give us grace to forgive each other when we hurt each other. Help us recognize when we may need wisdom beyond ourselves, whether from a trusted couple, a caring pastor, or a marriage counselor. Unite us in Christ so that we may love you with all our heart, soul, and strength and each other as ourselves. In Christ’s mighty name, Amen. 

Pray for God’s protection of your marriage and intimacy 

Eat, friends, and drink; drink your fill of love (Song of Songs 5:1).

Each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband…Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control (1 Corinthians 7:2 and 5).

Loving God, thank you for the gift of spiritual, emotional, and physical intimacy in marriage. May we treasure that intimacy close between us, taking great joy and comfort in it, yet never take it for granted. Help us overcome barriers to our intimacy. Give us the strength to resist any temptation to seek affection or fulfillment from anyone else, or to become impassioned by anything outside our relationship. Bless our love for each other in all the days of our lives together. In your loving name, Amen.

May we pray for you? Share a prayer request with us here. We invite you to check out our free ebook, “How Do I Pray?” We also encourage you to explore the prayer resources on our website.