Prayers Before Reading The Bible

1) Prayer To Be Guided Into All Truth

Lord, it was You Who caused all Holy Scripture to be written for our learning. Teach me
today in the power of Your Holy Spirit, the truths that You would have me learn.

Lord, I know that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out
of the mouth of God. Feed me on Your Word I pray, and make me hungry for the living
Manna that came down from heaven, the heavenly Bread of Life and true and living
Water, Who alone can bring us into our eternal inheritance. 

May the Spirit of all Truth open my mind today as I read and study Your Word. May I be
willing to be led into all truth and to be taught what is the will of the Father in my life. And
give me a willing heart and the opportunity to share with others the pearls of truth You
would teach me today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

2) Prayer For Deeper Understanding Of God’s Word

Heavenly Father, Who through the power of the Holy Spirit caused all holy scripture to
be written for our learning, we pray that we would diligently study Your Word, read,
mark, learn and inwardly digest all that You have graciously provided for us, so that we
may come to a knowledge of salvation and Your will for our lives.

Open the eyes of our understanding and prepare our hearts by the power of Your Spirit,
that we may receive Your Word with much joy, and may we leave tonight having a
deeper understanding of Who You are.

May we like Job, wonder at Your glory and majesty as we unfold the precious truths that
are contained within its pages, and may we say like him, "I have heard of You with my
ears but now You opened my eyes to spiritual truths and understanding that I never had
before." This we ask in the precious name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, Amen.

3) Prayer For The Light Of The Gospel Of Truth

Heavenly Father, shine the pure light of Your Word of truth into our hearts today and
open the eyes of our minds to comprehend the nuggets of truth that are contained
within this precious passage of Scripture.

Thank You for Your Word. Your Word is truth and life and health and light. It is
nourishment for our souls and refreshment to our spirits, and Lord, we desire to study
Your Word through the guidance of Your Holy Spirit, so that we grow in grace and
spiritually mature in the faith, as we press on toward the goal of our high calling, striving
to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.
As we study Your Word, may Your name be exalted and lifted up, for You alone are
worthy of praise and worship, for You alone are holy and good, gracious and of great
mercy. Open our eyes to see Your truth. Open our ears to hear Your voice. Open our
hearts to receive what You have for each one of us, and open our lips to speak only that
which glorifies Your name. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

4) Prayer Before Studying The Bible

Dear Lord, thank You for Your written Word and the mighty truths it contains. We pray
that in the power of Your Holy Spirit, You would open our hearts and minds to the truths
that You wish us to see.

Prepare our hearts and open our minds we pray, and give us a teachable spirit that is
receptive to all that You would have us learn today. Open our ears to hear Your voice
speaking to us and remove any preconceived biases that we may have developed in
this particular passage of scripture.

Guide us into all truth and prevent our own internal voices from speaking out of turn or
drowning out the still small voice to Your Holy Spirit. And should we stray from the truth
of this passage, we would ask that we would not retain any error but rather that we
would remember the truth. May we grow in grace and in a knowledge of the Lord Jesus
today. Feed our hearts, by faith, with thanksgiving we pray. In Jesus' name, Amen.

5) That God’s Word Is Opened Up To Our Hearts

Lord, we ask that You would prepare our hearts as we engage in the study of Your
Word. Open our hearts and minds to the mysteries and truths that are hidden within its
pages, and may we discover a clarity of understanding within Your Word that was
hitherto hidden from us.

Give us unity of the spirit and a desire to learn new truths, as we open up Your Word.
May we have a willingness to learn from the Great Teacher. May Your Holy Spirit guide
us into all truth and expand our understanding of Your Word in a real and living way. In
Jesus' name, Amen.

6) A Prayer Before Bible Study

Loving Lord and Heavenly Father, how I thank You for The holy Scriptures and the truth
within its pages. Thank You for the opportunity to spend time in Your Word and I pray
that You would prepare my heart for this time of Bible study.
 
Help me to set my mind on things above and not on earthly things. Keep away all that
would distract me from Your Word and develop in me a teachable spirit and ears that
listen to Your still small voice, and I pray that the eyes of my heart would be open to see
all that You want to teach me.
 
I pray that I may study to show myself approved unto God. Give me insight and
understanding as I read and reflect on Your Word, and may I mature in the faith, grow in
grace and come to a deeper knowledge of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through
this time of Bible study. This I ask in Jesus' name, Amen.

7) Prayer For Bible Knowledge

Loving Lord, I desire to learn more of You and have a heart and mind that is focused
upon Jesus. I long to grow in grace and in a knowledge of Him, and so I pray that You
would develop in me a deep desire to diligently study Your Word and learn to apply the
truths and principles within my own life, to Your praise and glory.
 
But Father, I don’t just want to have a head knowledge of biblical statistics, but a heart
knowledge of biblical truth and godly love. I want to live my life in a way that is pleasing
to You, and be used by You as a witness to Your grace and goodness, as a living
sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto You.
 
Help me to read and retain all that I learn from Your Word, and may I learn to live like
the Lord Jesus, in total dependence upon You, to Your praise and glory. This I ask in
Jesus' name, Amen.

8) Prayer For Attaining More Knowledge

Heavenly Father, how precious to know that You are our God. Lord, I just want to know
You more and to love You better. It is the yearning of my heart to know more of You and
to grow closer to You with every passing day.
 
As I read Your Word and study the Scriptures, I pray that You would help me to embrace
all that You would teach me and I ask that You would develop in me a teachable spirit,
which is quick to hear Your voice speaking to me and ready and willing to respond to the
gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit in my heart.
 
It says in Your Word that Your people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, and Lord, I
pray that You would help me to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest all that You would
teach me in the Scriptures, for I want to be able to give an answer for the hope that is in
me, and I desire to share the truth of the glorious gospel of grace with all I meet. Into
Your hands I give my life, and pray that I may live each day to Your praise and glory. In
Jesus' name, Amen.

9) Prayer To Retain Biblical Knowledge

Dear Heavenly Father, I love Your Word and I thank You for the wisdom and
understanding that You have graciously given me.
 
I love reading the Bible and learning of You. It thrills me to talk of Jesus with others, and
discuss the gospel of grace, but I often find that I cant recall biblical truths that I have
been taught and scriptural references that I have read.
 
Lord, I pray that You would help me to retain, remember and recall the biblical
knowledge that I have, and be able to recall the lovely truths of Your Word that I have
been shown. Help me to recall scripture verses and retain biblical truths, and teach me
more of Your love and grace. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

10) For A Discerning Heart

Loving Father God, I pray that I will accept the truth of Your Word, that I will turn my ear
to listen intently to Your words of wisdom, and that I will open my heart to understand all
you say in Your Word, for I know that to treasure Your Word in my heart is indeed
wisdom, and to love and fear the Lord is the gateway to discernment.

Grant me discernment in my heart I pray, and increase my knowledge and

understanding that may I come to know You more and love You better.

Guard my heart I pray, so that I may follow in Your truth all the days of my life, for it is
my heart's desire to know You. I ask this in Jesus' name, Amen.

11) Prayer To Have The Scriptures Illuminated

How we praise and thank You for the holy Scriptures which You have caused to be
written for our learning. Thank You for Your written Word, which reveals to us the living
Word of God, in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You that in Him has been
revealed all wisdom and grace, all knowledge and understanding, all truth and hope, all
life and light. And thank You Father, that in Him You have spoken to us, Your children.

Father, we now pray that you would illumine our minds more and more as we look to
Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Open our eyes to see wondrous things in
Your Word of truth. Open our ears to hear Your still small voice speaking to us the
Words of life. And open our minds and cleanse our thoughts so that Your Holy Spirit
may guide us into all truth. May we be increasingly willing to submit to His gentle
promptings, so that He may guide us into Your way of peace. In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen.

12) Prayer For Scriptural Illumination

Loving Father, we know that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that
proceeds from Your mouth, every truth that is recorded in the written Word of God, all
Scriptures which You have graciously given to us for our learning, and for which we
praise and thank You.

Give us hearts that hunger for Your Word, ears that are quick to hear and hearts of
understanding so that we may grow in grace and in a knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Illumine our minds with all that You would have us learn, and guide us into all
truth, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we pray.

Feed us with Your truth and nourish us with the food that came down from heaven, our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who is our living Bread and heavenly Manna. Thank You that in Him
are the words of eternal life, for in Him is found light and life, hope and joy, and the
perfect peace that only comes from You. Open our hearts and illuminate our minds to
know and understand You more and love You better, as day by day we feed on the Lord
Jesus Christ in our hearts, with thanksgiving. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

13) To Be Receptive To All God Would Teach Us*

Loving Lord, how we thank You for the Scripture which You caused to be written for our
learning. It is food and nourishment for our soul, a light to guide and protect our path
and life and health to all Who love Your name.

We pray that in the power of the Holy Spirit, You would open our hearts and our minds
to all that is written in Your Word of grace. Guide us into all truth, and may our ears be
ever open to hear Your still small voice. May our eyes be ever watchful for the lessons
that You would have us learn and may our hearts be ever receptive to all that You would
teach us.

Thank You Lord, that by Your Word and Spirit, You have given us all we need in order to
live a life that is godly and well-pleasing to Your sight. Open our eyes day by day to see
wondrous things in Your precious Word. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

14) Prayer To Understand The Word Of God

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending the Lord Jesus to be my Saviour and for dying
for me on the cross and paying the price for my sins. Thank You for giving us the Word
of God that so beautifully opens up Your plan of redemption for mankind, and thank You
for sending the Holy Spirit to live in me and to lead and guide me into all truth.

I pray Lord, that You would give me a deeper understanding of Your Word, Your plan for
Israel and Your plan for the Church. I pray that as I read and study the scriptures, that
my heart would be flooded with Your light, so that I can understand all that You would
teach me. I pray that my understanding would cause me to live in a way that is
honouring to You, and that I would draw closer to You with every passing day.

Father, I pray that You would open the eyes of my heart as I read, study and meditate
on Your Word, so that I may see You more clearly and love you more dearly. In Jesus'
name I pray, Amen.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-Understanding#954

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-illumination#719
Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-illumination#719

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-illumination#1130

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-Discernment#273

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-Knowledge#1631

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-Knowledge#1631

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-Knowledge#1631

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-for-Focus#1549

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Prayers-before-reading-the-Bible