Back to school prayers are a great way to lift up our worries, anxieties, and concerns to God at the beginning of the school year and throughout the rest of the year.
There is power in prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
And Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
The Bible tells us to pray. God wants us to lift up all of our worries, our concerns, and our anxieties to him. He wants us to remember all the things that we have to be thankful for, and to give thanks even in the challenging times.
Prayer keeps our hearts and our minds focused on God. It can ease anxiety as we lift our concerns up to God and he shoulders some of our burden along with us.
These back to school prayers are all based on Scripture and include Bible verses that you can pray over your children. Pray for confidence, for bravery and protection. Pray for your child to seek God first and to keep good company.
- a prayer for a new day (Psalm 118:24)
- a prayer to love others (Mark 12:31)
- a prayer for bravery (Joshua 1:9)
- a prayer for worries and anxiety (1 Peter 5:7)
- a prayer to make wise choices (James 1:5)
- a prayer for friends (Proverbs 27:17)
- a prayer for goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance (2 Peter 1:5-8)
- a prayer to love God (Matthew 22:37)
- a prayer for provision (Philippians 4:19)
- a prayer for protection (Psalm 28:7)
- a prayer for confidence (Philippians 4:13)
- a prayer to avoid peer pressure (Romans 12:2)
- a prayer for teachers (Proverbs 22:6)
- a prayer to seek God first (Matthew 6:33)
- a prayer for a humble heart (1 Peter 5:6)
- a prayer for integrity (Proverbs 10:9)
- a prayer to trust God (Proverbs 3:5-6)
- a prayer for rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
Do you homeschool? Be sure to check out these Prayers for Wisdom to Pray Over Your Homeschool Room.
Back to School Prayers
Pray these back to school prayers over your children as school begins and year round.
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24
God, thank you for this new day. Thank you for all the blessings and challenges that it will bring. Please grant us all the courage, wisdom, and love that we will need to follow you today. Amen.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Mark 12:31
Lord, help [child’s name] to love their neighbor as themselves. Help them to show love to friends, classmates, teachers, and everyone they meet at school. Help them to treat others as they would want to be treated, those that they like and even those that they do not like. May their love be contagious and uplifting at their school. Amen.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
God, please help [child’s name] to be strong and courageous today. Help them to face any obstacles and challenges with bravery, knowing that you are there with them wherever they go. Amen.
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7
God, we know that you want the best for us, and that you promise to restore and redeem even the broken bits of life. Help [child’s name] to give all their worries and anxiety over to you, and to trust that you will love and care for them. Amen.
“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.” – James 1:5
Lord, please grant [child’s name] the wisdom that they need to get through today. Help them to make wise choices and to always do what they know is best. Amen.
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17
God, please bring good friends into [child’s name]’s life. Help them to find those people who will bring out the best in each other. Help them to choose friends who know you, or who want to know you, and friends who will build them up, challenge them, and support them. Amen.
“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” – 2 Peter 1:5-8
God, please help [child’s name] grow in goodness, in knowledge, in self-control, in perseverance, in goodliness, and in love. May they grow into the person that you intended them to be, reaching their full potential and shining your light in the world for all to see. Amen.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” – Matthew 22:37
God, please help [child’s name] to love you with all their heart, all their soul, and all their mind. Help them to seek you first and build a relationship with you that carries them through today and the rest of their lives.
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19
Lord, we know that you meet all our needs. Grant [child’s name] all that they need today. Help them to distinguish needs from wants. And help them to be satisfied in your love and in your provision. Amen.
Download these prayers for school as Prayer Cards here:
Download Back to School Prayers for Girls
Download Back to School Prayers for Boys
Download Back to School Prayers Gender-Neutral/Multiple Children
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.” – Psalm 28:7
God, protect [child’s name] today. Protect them from harm and from harsh words. Help them to trust you and to turn to you when they need help. Amen.
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13
God, grant [child’s name] confidence today in all that they do. Help them to trust that they are smart and capable. Help them to realize that even in mistakes and failure there is growth and opportunity. Amen.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12:2
Lord, please help [child’s name] resist peer pressure. Help them to make good choices. Help them to recognize what is your will and what is the pattern of this world. Help them resist greed, self-interest, and the temptation to judge others. May they always help those in need and seek you first. Amen.
“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” – Proverbs 22:6
God, please be with [child’s name]’s teachers today. Give them the strength, wisdom, and patience that they need to teach and care for those in their classroom. Help them to lead their students in the right direction and to establish a firm foundation on which to build. Amen.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33
God, help [child’s name] to seek you first. In a world that seeks comfort, security, and pleasure above all else, help them to seek first your kingdom and to know that your provision will follow. Amen.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” – 1 Peter 5:6
God, in a world obsessed with image and self-promotion, help [child’s name] to have a humble heart. Help them to think first of others and to lift others up. May they always know that they are loved no matter what their accomplishments, appearance, or social status. Amen.
“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever takes crooked paths will be found out.” – Proverbs 10:9
Lord, help [child’s name] to walk with integrity. Help them to choose wisely when faced with decisions, and to act with honesty, transparency, commitment, and kindness. Amen.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
God, may [child’s name] learn to trust you with all their heart. May they always know that you are in control and that you are working everything for our good, even when it doesn’t seem that way from our perspective. May they walk with you and submit to you today and for all their lives.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30
God, please grant [child’s name] rest. May they never feel lost and overwhelmed. May they know that you are always there to help carry whatever burden the world places on their shoulders. May they walk tall and find rest when they are weary and burdened. Amen.
Thank you for this resource. I am excited to place this in the hands of teachers for the upcoming school year. I pray it blesses and equips them as they begin to serve others.
I’m really glad you like it, Charity. I also hope it blesses and equips your teachers.
Love this. Saving to use in my time with the Lord. Thank you. Visiting you from the anchored truth link up.
Thanks Lauren! 🙂
Just discovered you and out upon the waters, so glad and these back to school prayers are wonderful.
Thanks Kimberlee. 🙂
Really interesting post!
Thank you so needed this