A Prayer for Our Nation and Righteousness

As a new administration begins, we take a moment to pray for our nation and righteousness.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We come before You with humble hearts, acknowledging that You are the source of all righteousness and justice. As the psalmist says, “Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path” (Ps 119:105), and we take great comfort in knowing that Your ways are perfect, pure, and true.

We lift up our nation to You today, remembering the words from Proverbs 14:34: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Lord, we know that it is only through righteousness – Your righteousness – that a nation can stand firm and be exalted. We ask for Your mercy on our land. We pray that righteousness would prevail in the hearts of our leaders, our communities, and Your people. May Your truth shape the decisions made in our government, and may integrity and justice mark every policy and action taken.

But, Father, we also confess that sin is a reproach to any people, and we acknowledge that our nation, like all nations, is marred by sin. We confess the ways in which we have turned from Your ways, pursuing our own desires and forsaking Your righteousness. We ask for forgiveness for the ways we have allowed sin to take root in our hearts, in our lives, and, when through us, in our culture.

Lord, we pray for repentance – both personally and corporately. We ask that You would bring conviction of sin to the hearts of those who govern, those who lead, and those who are governed. May we turn to You in humility, acknowledging that only You can heal and restore us. We pray that You would remove the reproach of sin and replace it with the beauty of righteousness through the work of Christ in our lives.

Help us, Lord, to be faithful witnesses of Your righteousness in our own lives. Let us be salt and light in the world, living in a way that draws others to Your truth and grace. May Your people through local churches be a beacon of hope in the midst of darkness, pointing people to the only true source of righteousness – Jesus Christ, who alone can save and redeem.

We pray that You would also give us and our leaders wisdom. Please provide them wisdom to live and govern in ways that best helps those over whom they govern. Further, please help us to respond in wisdom to their governing, and, in wisdom, to know how to influence them for the sake of righteousness.

We trust in Your sovereignty, knowing that You are able to bring about the transformation we need, both individually and as a nation. We pray that in Your mercy, You would exalt our land through righteousness, and may Your name be glorified in all things.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

(copied)