How could I describe the state of my heart this election season? It changes frequently, but mostly, I’ve shifted between feelings of grief, skepticism, deep concern, distress, academic vigilance, and surrender. I could explain my concerns at length—and I am very willing to, to defend my convictions with all of the grace, poise, data, fair-mindedness, and uncompromising faith I have to offer. But at the end of each day, my heart has to be drawn back to the same truth: God’s kingdom is not of this earth. It is transcendent, eternal, unshakeable, and my hope is fixed to it. I must continue to abhor evil and cling to what is good. And I also must determine in my heart to pursue the faithful work God has called me to, regardless of who He chooses to put in a position of power. I must know that it is God’s intention for His children to thrive, however oppressive the regime or seemingly hopeless the circumstance, because His grace transcends both. He will enable me, through the empowering of His Holy Spirit, to continue in His grace.
However, I do believe that God calls us to offer up fervent prayers with a fixed focus on behalf of the nation. We need to know the times we’re living in, and we need to be able to pray accordingly. These 15 Scriptures have alternatively helped me to know how to pray for our nation, how to cry out to God in times of national emergency, how to cling to His promises of deliverance, and from whence to draw solace, comfort, and hope. I invite you to make these prayers your own, and to intercede in fervent prayer on behalf of our nation. I hope you will find encouragement as you cling, with all your strength, to God’s promises. And I can assure you, if your hope and your life is hidden in Christ, your outcome is glorious, and assured for all eternity.
A prayer for God to restore the nation:
“Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request and prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes. And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, ‘O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and your judgments… O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day… To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him… O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain, because for our sins and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.” –Daniel 9:3-5, 8-10, 16-19
An example of unwavering faith in the midst of political pressure:
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before His God, as was his custom since early days.” –Daniel 6:10
A reminder that God intends for us to thrive, regardless of who is in a position of leadership over us:
“So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.” –Daniel 6:28
A promise to cling to:
“[I]f My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” -2 Chronicles 7:14
Assurance that God’s will always prevails:
“There are many plans in a man’s heart. Nevertheless the Lord’s counsel—that will stand.” –Proverbs 19:21
A reminder that God intervenes and can change the will and desires of our leaders:
“The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” –Proverbs 21:1
Encouragement to get up, try again, and be of use in our generation as we pursue the good work that God has called us to:
“And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business.” –Daniel 8:27
A reminder that Christ’s kingdom is eternal, transcendent, and not of this world:
“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would not have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” -John 18:36
A passionate plea for God’s forgiveness in a time of national emergency:
“Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, For we have been brought very low: Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins.” -Psalm 79:8-9
A warning of the true war we face and commandment to suit up daily for spiritual battle:
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness.” –Ephesians 6:12
A prayer to frustrate political conspiracy:
“Do not keep silent, O God! Do not hold Your peace, And do not be still, O God! For behold, Your enemies make a tumult; And those who hate You have lifted up their head. They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, and consulted together against Your sheltered ones… Let them be confounded and dismayed forever… That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord, Are the Most High over the earth.” –Psalm 83:1-3, 17-18
A reminder that God can help us through trials and hardships that not one of us could survive through our own strength:
“From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleepless often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.” – 2 Corinthians 11:24-28
A commandment to be subject to governing authorities:
“Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work.” –Titus 3:1
A reason for rejoicing: there will never be an end to Christ’s peace or His government:
“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. And of the increase of His government and His peace there will be no end.” –Isaiah 9:6-7
A reminder that God is Sovereign, His counsel stands forever, and He has endless power and ability to frustrate any human plans. We are not delivered by human strength but by His saving grace, enabling power, and faithful provisions:
“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen for His own inheritance… No king is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its own strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.” –Psalm 33:10-12, 16-19
For further reading:
Psalms of national lament (these are written, explains Dr. Charles Stanley, “to tell God of a pressing national emergency and to ask for His intervention.”):
Psalm 44, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 90, 123
