Names of God prayer: how to pray using the names of God

A names of God prayer is simply a prayer that calls God by one of the names He has given in the Bible, and then asks Him to be that to you today. If you are afraid, you pray to the LORD who is peace. If you feel lost, you pray to the Shepherd. This page shows how people in the Bible prayed that way, how to choose a name that fits what you are going through, and a simple seven-day plan with short prayers you can say in your own words.

Why a name helps when you do not know what to say

Many people freeze when they try to pray. Their minds go blank, or they repeat the same few lines every night. A name of God gives you a handle to hold. It reminds you who is listening before you say anything about yourself.

In the Bible, a name is more than a label. The Hebrew word for name, shem, is tied to a person's character and reputation. So when David wrote this, he was saying that people who know what God is like find it easier to trust Him:

And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Psalm 9:10

Jesus taught the same thing. The very first request in the Lord's Prayer is about God's name:

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matthew 6:9

Hallowed means treated as holy. Before asking for bread or forgiveness, Jesus put God's name first.

Four people in the Bible who prayed by name

You do not have to guess how this works. The Old Testament is full of people who called on a name that matched their trouble.

• Hannah, who could not have children. Year after year she went to Shiloh with her family and came home with empty arms. One year she prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore (1 Samuel 1:10), and she began with O LORD of hosts, the God who commands the armies of heaven. Later she said For this child I prayed (1 Samuel 1:27). Her son was Samuel.
• Hezekiah, facing an invading army. The king of Assyria sent a letter full of threats. Hezekiah took it to the temple and spread it before the LORD (2 Kings 19:14). Then he prayed to O LORD God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims (2 Kings 19:15), the God who rules every kingdom on earth.
• Jehoshaphat, outnumbered. When a huge alliance marched against Judah, the king was afraid, so he called the whole nation to seek God. He prayed to the LORD God of our fathers (2 Chronicles 20:6) and ended with one of the most honest lines in the Bible: neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee (2 Chronicles 20:12).
• David, on the run. David prayed by name constantly. In one psalm he simply said, Save me, O God, by thy name (Psalm 54:1).

Notice that none of them used a long speech. They named who God is, told Him the problem plainly, and waited for Him.

Pick the name that fits what you face

There is no wrong name to pray. But one will often fit your day better than the rest. Here is a quick guide.

A simple pattern you can use with any name

If you like having a shape to follow, try these four steps. They work with every one of the names, and they take only a few minutes.

1. Call Him by the name. Start with the name itself: Shepherd, Most High, God who sees. Say it slowly. You are reminding yourself who you are talking to.
2. Remember the story. Think for a moment about the person who first used the name. Abraham on the mountain. Hagar at the spring. Gideon hiding in the winepress. God was faithful to them in a real place on a real day.
3. Ask plainly. Tell God exactly what you need. You do not have to dress it up. Jehoshaphat said he did not know what to do, and that was a prayer.
4. Trust and thank. End by thanking Him for being who the name says He is, even before you see the answer. Then go on with your day and watch for how He moves.

That is all. Some days the whole prayer will be one sentence. That still counts.

For a fuller list of the names and what each one means, see the names of God and their meanings. For sickness in particular, there is a separate page of names of God for healing.

Tips that make praying the names easier

• Read the story first. A name means more when you know where it came from. Jehovah-jireh hits differently once you have read Genesis 22.
• Keep it real. God is not grading your words. Hannah prayed so quietly that only her lips moved. Jehoshaphat admitted he had no plan.
• Do not turn the names into a magic chant. Jesus warned against vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7), meaning empty words said over and over to be heard. A name is a person to talk to, not a password.
• Pray with someone. A parent and child, two friends or a small group can each pick a name and pray it for one another.
• Write down what happens. Keep a short note of what you prayed and when. Weeks later, you will be glad you can look back.

When you are ready for more than seven days

Once the week is done, you can keep going one name at a time. The Bible gives no official count of God's names. The book 70 Names of God chose seventy, which is enough for ten weeks of a name a day, or more than a year at one name a week. The full list of all seventy is on the names of God in the Bible page, and the LORD's compound names are gathered on the Jehovah names of God page.

Every chapter in the book 70 Names of God ends with a prayer written for that name, after the story, the Hebrew and Greek, and the hard questions. Reading the chapter and then praying its prayer is a good way to make a name your own. And if you would like a reminder you can wear, the 70 Names of God shirt carries Proverbs 18:10:

The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Proverbs 18:10