A prayer of supplication is a prayer that humbly and earnestly asks God for help, guidance, or a request. It is a form of petitionary prayer where the person praying expresses their dependence on God and asks Him to provide or do something according to His will. Supplication prayers recognize God’s power and mercy while admitting one’s own limitations and needs.
Here are some key things the Bible teaches about prayers of supplication:
Prayers of supplication are directed to God
Supplication prayers are addressed directly to God, who is the all-powerful creator and sustainer of the universe (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 104:24-30). As Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” We are completely dependent on Him for everything, and so it is right to humbly ask God for help or a request.
Examples of supplication prayers in the Bible
There are many examples in Scripture of people offering heartfelt prayers of supplication to God:
- Moses interceding for the Israelites after they worshipped the golden calf (Exodus 32:11-13)
- Hannah praying for a child (1 Samuel 1:10-11)
- David pleading for forgiveness after his sin with Bathsheba (Psalm 51)
- Jesus praying in Gethsemane before His crucifixion (Matthew 26:39)
- Paul asking for a thorn in his flesh to be removed (2 Corinthians 12:8)
These demonstrate bringing honest requests to God while submitting to His sovereign will.
Supplication prayers recognize human inability and God’s power
Prayers of supplication start from a place of humility and dependence on God. Those praying acknowledge their own limitations and inability to accomplish what only God can do. Like when Moses says to God, “O Lord, I am not eloquent…but I am slow of speech and of tongue” (Exodus 4:10), or when David prays “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love” (Psalm 51:1).
Supplication prayers also recognize God’s complete power and ability to act. As Jeremiah 32:17 records, “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” Bringing requests to an all-powerful, sovereign God who rules over all things is a act of faith in His capabilities.
God invites His people to come to Him with supplication prayers
The Bible contains many invitations from God for His people to bring their requests and needs to Him in prayer. For example:
- “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)
- “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15)
- “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” (James 5:13)
God desires His children to come to Him as a good Father when we are in need. He invites our supplications as an act of dependence and faith.
God responds to prayers of supplication according to His will
A key aspect of supplication prayer is recognizing that God will respond according to His perfect will and timing. 1 John 5:14 says, “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” So we must pray submissively like Jesus did in Luke 22:42, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”
God may respond to supplication prayers in different ways:
- Granting the specific request (1 Samuel 1:19-20, Luke 22:43)
- Answering in a different timing or way than expected (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
- Using the situation to refine and strengthen our faith in Him (James 1:2-4)
But we can trust God’s perfect responses, believing that “for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28).
Supplication is a characteristic of true worship and intimacy with God
Pouring out earnest requests to God should flow naturally from a heart of worship. The Psalms, which are full of adoration and praise, contain many passionate prayers of supplication as well. For example, Psalm 142:1-2 says:
With my voice I cry out to the LORD;
with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD.
I pour out my complaint before him;
I tell my trouble before him.
As we draw close to God, we will naturally share our heart’s concerns and trust Him to help us in our weaknesses. Paul says “continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). Prayers of supplication are part of an intimate, dependent walk with God.
Jesus Christ intercedes for believers with prayers of supplication
An amazing blessing for believers is that Jesus Christ Himself intercedes for them before the Father with prayers of supplication. As Hebrews 7:25 says, “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” And Romans 8:34 states, “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
Because of Christ’s finished work on the cross, believers can come directly to the throne of grace to “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus understandingly intercedes for His people as one who experienced temptation and suffering yet never sinned. We can have confidence that the Savior’s prayers for us are perfect and effective.
How to pray prayers of supplication
Here are some principles from Scripture on how to pray effective, God-honoring prayers of supplication:
- Humble yourself and come in faith, recognizing your dependence and God’s complete sufficiency (1 Peter 5:6-7).
- Ask earnestly out of your need, being honest with God (Psalm 142:1-2, Philippians 4:6).
- Present your request specifically, as Hannah and others did (1 Samuel 1:11).
- Give thanks to God, praising Him for His sovereignty, goodness and past answers (Philippians 4:6).
- Submit your will to God’s greater plan and wisdom, seeking His kingdom first (Luke 22:42, Matthew 6:33).
- If appropriate, ask others to pray with you about your request (Matthew 18:19-20).
- Believe God’s promises and wait expectantly for His perfect response (Mark 11:24).
As we bring our petitions and needs to our gracious God, we can have confidence that “if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14). He invites us to come with bold prayers of supplication as His beloved children.
Examples of prayers of supplication
Here are some sample prayers of supplication to God:
Father God, I come to You today in need of wisdom and direction. I have a big decision before me and I acknowledge that I don’t know the best path. Please guide my thinking and make Your will clear to me. Give me discernment to understand Your leading. I know that You desire what is best for me and I pray for Your wisdom and clarity in this decision. Thank You that I can trust You to direct my steps according to Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lord, I humbly bring my financial needs before You today. Money has been tight recently and I have bills that are past due. Father, I look to You as my provider and sustainer. Please show me if there are areas where I need to adjust my spending. Supply my financial needs, I pray. Give me peace and confidence that You know my situation and will care for me. Thank You that You own everything and hold my future in Your hands. I trust You to meet my needs according to Your riches in glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Father, I come to You today with a request for healing from illness. My body is weak and I am looking to You as the Divine Healer and Great Physician. Please touch my body and heal me completely from sickness. Give wisdom to my doctors. Provide the right treatment plan. Restore my health so that I may serve and honor You fully. Yet I submit to Your perfect will in this. Accomplish Your purposes in my life and refine my faith through this trial. I praise You as the God who heals and redeems. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
These examples show the elements of humility, faith, honesty, specificity, submission to God’s will, and trust that characterize genuine prayers of supplication.
God calls His people to persistently pray prayers of supplication
Because of our ongoing dependence on God, He calls us to bring our petitions and requests consistently to Him in supplication. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 instructs believers to “pray without ceasing.” Luke 18 records the parable of the persistent widow, concluding in verse 7, “And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night?”
We are to keep bringing our needs and desires to God in prayer, even repeatedly, trusting His perfect timing and responses. “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). Hebrews 4:16 notes we can “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” As we persist in prayer, we will grow in believing God’s promises and relying on His provision.
So in summary, prayer of supplication is:
- Humbly and earnestly asking God for help, guidance or a request
- Comes from a place of need and dependence on God
- Involves honest, specific requests
- Seeks God’s will over one’s own
- Relies on God’s power to accomplish what we cannot
God invites His people to come to Him often with supplication prayers, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. As we make our requests known to God and trust His responses, He uses our supplications to deepen our intimacy with Him and conformity to His perfect will.