Writing the Bible: 52 Scriptures to Write in Your Prayer Journal

When it comes to starting a prayer journal, many think it’s only about keeping track of prayer requests. Yet one of my favorite ways to use a prayer journal is for writing the Bible and writing Scripture word for word.  There’s something special about writing out Bible verses and having God’s Word at my fingertips whenever I need it.

Below I’m sharing my favorite list of 52 Scriptures to write in your prayer journal and how to use them. Be sure to grab the free printable at the end to start Scripture writing in your own prayer journal today!

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How Writing the Bible Impacts Your Spiritual Growth

If you’re not familiar with Scripture writing, you may not know how this spiritual discipline can impact your spiritual growth in a profound way. Personally, it was the gateway to a deeper Bible study and a more meaningful prayer life. (That’s why I am so passionate about it!)

How writing the Bible impacts your life:

• It helps you slow down and read the verse(s) carefully (instead of blazing through a passage and then closing the Bible)
• Writing helps you be more aware of the words in the text and more likely to investigate it further through a simple Bible study method
• It helps you know God’s Word and recognize His truth from the lies of the enemy
• You’ll create a collection of Scripture that you can easily rely on in times of trouble and stress
• It helps you remember God’s promises and rely on God’s strength in all seasons of life
• Plus, it’s a great way to renew your mind with biblical truth and keep you rooted in faith

How to Write Scripture in Your Prayer Journal

Scripture writing doesn’t have to be fancy, despite the pictures you may see on social media! And at times, writing the Bible may take on different formats, depending on how much time you have or what’s going on in your life, including:

• Writing out the verse(s) you read during your quiet time with God. Simply write a portion or the entire passage you read. (Grab our free Bible reading plans to help you know what to read in the Bible).
• Write the verse(s) and then use a simple Bible study method to help you understand and make sense of the verse.
• Color code the verse you wrote (I love highlighters for this!) to help you unpack the verse and try to go deeper with its meaning
• Try the Verse Mapping Bible study method to understand the Bible in a fresh way.
• Turn the verse into a simple Bible journal design or prayer doodle
• Write Scripture to help you memorize the verse and then as a reference to review in the memorization process
• Keep a list of God’s promises and commands. I love to quickly review what God promises to do and then remind myself (for the millionth time) what God requires of me.
• Pray the Scripture and/or write a prayer of your own based on the verse.

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52 Bible Verses to Write in Your Prayer Journal

As you start writing Scripture, this list of Bible verses is a powerful place to start! These verses will help you draw near to God and stand firm on God’s promises, even when life feels uncertain.

Plus, there’s a variety of ways you can use these verses in your prayer journal.

• Choose one verse a week to write and use it to meditate on God’s Word throughout the day.
• Commit to Scripture memorization and start with this list. If you’re ambitious, try memorizing one verse a week for the year.
• Choose a theme for each month, based on these Scriptures. For example, do a topical Bible study of each group of verses and get the big picture on what God is saying about this topic.
• Pray the Scripture over your life or the life of a friend and family member. Or take it a step further and write a Scripture prayer of your own.

Bible Verses for Anxiety

• Having cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares about you. – 1 Peter 5:7
• Say to those with anxious hearts, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The retribution of God will come, But He will save you.” – Isaiah 35:4
• ‘Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.- John 14:27
• Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. – Philippians 4:6-7

Scriptures for Spiritual Growth

• When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. – Psalm 56:3
• “And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive it all.” – Matthew 21:22
• For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also did; but the word they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united with those who listened with faith. – Hebrews 4:2
• “I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him anything just because he is his friend, yet because his shamelessness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.; – Luke 11:8-10

Scriptures for Motherhood

• Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he grows older he will not abandon it.. – Proverbs 22:6
• I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. – 3 John 1:4
• “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”. – Isaiah 66:13
• And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart., – Luke 2:51

Scriptures About Prayer

• And, in like manner also, the Spirit doth help our weaknesses; for, what we may pray for, as it behoveth us, we have not known, but the Spirit himself doth make intercession for us with groanings unutterable, – Romans 8:26
• “Please, Lord, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and please make Your servant successful today and grant him mercy before this man.” Now I was the cupbearer to the king.. – Nehemiah 1:11
• “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. – Matthew 6:9-13
• The eyes of all look to You, And You give them their food in due time. – Psalm 145:15

Scriptures for Anger

• One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And one who rules his spirit, than one who captures a city. – Proverbs 16:32
• After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. – Mark 3:5
• Do not be eager in your spirit to be angry, For anger resides in the heart of fools. – Ecclesiastes 7:9
• BE ANGRY, AND YET DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger, – Ephesians 4:26

Scriptures for Grief

• So that He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety. – Job 5:11
• For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. – Romans 8:18
• The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:18
• “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” . – Matthew 5:4

Scriptures for Giving

• Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. – 2 Corinthians 9:7
• “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure- pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” – Luke 6:38
• Do not withhold good from those whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it. – Proverbs 3:27
• “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your charitable giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. – Matthew 6:3-4

Scriptures When You Need Hope

• Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.” – Mark 10:27
• ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD,’ plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’ – Jeremiah 29:11
• Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1
• Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13

Scriptures for Temptation

• ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ – Matthew 6:13
• “Keep watching and praying, so that you will not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Mark 14:38
• Now when He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you do not come into temptation.” – Luke 22:40
• No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13

Scriptures About Love

• “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
• Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, – Ephesians 5:25
• We love, because He first loved us. – 1 John 4:19
• All that you do must be done in love. – 1 Corinthians 16:14

Scriptures About Forgiveness

• Do not judge, and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon, and you will be pardoned. – Luke 6:37
• “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you for your offenses. – Mark 11:25
• In addition to all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. – Colossians 3:14
• “For if you forgive other people for their offenses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” – Matthew 6:14

Scriptures for Depression

• ‘Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. – Matthew 11:28
• “And the LORD is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not desert you or abandon you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed.” – Deuteronomy 31:8
• ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ – Isaiah 41:10
• For the music director. A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD: And He reached down to me and heard my cry. – Psalm 40:1

Scriptures for Joy

• I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. The Sovereign Lord will show his justice to the nations of the world. Everyone will praise him! His righteousness will be like a garden in early spring, with plants springing up everywhere. – Isaiah 61: 10-11
•  But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!- Galatians 5: 22-23
• The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. – Psalm 28:7
• Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!- Psalm 34:8

It’s your turn to write Scripture!

Now it’s your turn to put these Bible verses to good use in your own prayer journal!

Download the complete set of 52 Scriptures for Your Prayer Journal here, print them off, and start implementing these journal tips. You can do it!

Need some help starting a prayer journal? Try these ideas:

Why is Prayer Journaling and How to Start a Daily Journaling Habit?

How to Start a Prayer Journal You Love

Best Prayer Journal Sections

As you start writing the Bible for yourself, may this list of encouraging Scriptures draw you near to the heart of God and press into the strength of God no matter what you face. May these verses encourage you to start writing Scripture in your daily quiet time as a powerful way to deepen your relationship with God.