Funeral prayers are an important part of honoring the deceased and offering comfort to their family and friends. Whether you’re looking for a prayer to say at a funeral service, a prayer to say at the graveside, or a comforting prayer for a grieving family, the following 30 funeral prayers will provide you with the words and guidance you need. From traditional Bible verses to modern funeral prayers, these words of comfort will bring strength and peace to those who are mourning the loss of a loved one.
30 Important Funeral Prayers
Many funeral ceremonies begin with a prayer, and it’s one of the most important parts of the program. If you are asked to give the opening prayer at someone’s funeral, it can be both an honour and a huge responsibility. Most importantly, you want to make sure that your prayer honours the person who has died and pays tribute to their life in a meaningful way—while still being meaningful and relatable to the rest of the guests who will hear it.
If you’ve been asked to give the opening prayer at a funeral, but don’t know what to say, this article provides some great examples that can help you craft the perfect opening prayer that will touch the hearts of all who hear it and befitting of this sad time in everyone’s life.
Good Opening Prayers For Funerals
Celebration of Life Prayer
God, we gather today to celebrate the life of our departed loved one. We celebrate a life of love and integrity and grace, a life that was a legacy to those left behind. May this not be a day of mourning, but a day of celebration for a life that touched us all. We celebrate the memories we will always have. Bless this gathering today, Abba Father, and we give thanks to you for the life we have in you. Amen.
Prayer for Transition to the Next Life
Lord, we come together in joy and in sorrow. We mourn our loss, yet we rejoice that our loved one will not experience pain or sickness or sorrow ever again. We thank you for our loved one’s transition to a new and better life. We ask for your comfort to descend over our loved one’s family. May your love shine on them and may they know the mercy and grace that only you can give. Bless them with a sense of your goodness and give them peace. Amen.
Prayer for Courage
God, as we mourn the loss of our loved one, [name], we ask you to cover his/her family with your wings of love. Give them courage so that they can stand before us and share the fond memories they have of their beloved. Father, it has been such a big blow to them as a family, but you are their strength and strong tower. We know that you love them so much and that you will take care of their needs. Lord, fill the gap that has been left in their hearts and give them the courage to face each day without him. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Prayer for Salvation
Gracious God, you are the one who saves. You sent your Son to die for our sins so that we can be freed from the penalty of sin. We thank you that our departed loved one is now in your presence. We rejoice for one more soul that has been safely transported to eternal glory. We pray for anyone here who needs the assurance of salvation and eternal life. Let your Spirit show them the way to salvation. Let them accept Christ’s free gift of salvation through faith in His sacrifice alone. Let this be the message of hope that resounds throughout this funeral service today. Amen.
The Deep Love of Jesus Prayer
God, we thank you for your deep, immeasurable love. We thank you that your love covers us in its fullness, leading us homeward to our glorious rest above. Bless this assembly, precious Lord, and may you be honoured as we celebrate a life that glorified you. Bless those who have suffered this great loss, and may they find comfort in your arms of love. And now, dear Savior, may our loved one reach heaven’s glories and see you face to face. Amen.
Commitment Prayer
Our Father in heaven, we open this service acknowledging your presence in our midst. Nothing is hidden from you, O Lord. You know each and every person who has gathered at this funeral service today. I commit every person in this room. Let Your Spirit move in our midst and bring peace. Direct our thoughts to you. We release all feelings of sorrow, pain, longing, and even doubt. We commit our life to your hand, and we commit our departed loved one to you. We give him to your care as we also entrust every soul in this room into your capable hands. Amen.
Unconditional Love Prayer
God, we are gathered here today as friends and family of our loved ones who departed from this world recently and came into your presence. Lord, it is not easy for us to stand here and eulogize our beloved, but we know that [name] is now together with You in heaven. As we honour our loved one, let the unconditional love that you showered upon [name] during his/her life fill this service. Help us to learn how to love others unconditionally like our beloved did when he/she was with us on earth. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Prayer for Great Thanks
The God who sees, we thank you for the life of [name of deceased]. It is painful to gather for this reason. But in the midst of pain, we give great thanks. You have gifted us with the friendship and love of our departed one. And as we hold this funeral service, we remember all the good times we’ve spent with him/her. We recount all blessings we’ve received through his/her life. We thank you, O Lord, for all the wonderful ways you’ve used our departed loved one in the life of every person here. We commit this time of remembrance to you. Amen.
Comforting Prayer
Lord, we thank you for enabling us to gather here today so that we can celebrate a life well-lived. As we start this funeral service, we ask for the presence of the Holy Spirit in this place. May he bring comfort to every one of us so that we can be able to mourn as believers. Holy Spirit, take full control and help us to do this as unto God and not as unto ourselves. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Prayer for Strengthening
Dear God, we open this funeral service with a sincere plea for your strengthening. Each and everyone here is dealing with the loss of this dearly beloved. Some are weakened by pain and grief. Others are struggling through sleep deprivation or mental stress. Use the strong to encourage and support the weak in our midst. Above all, be our shelter today. As family and friends come up to share their thoughts about our departed one for the last time, help them stand strong. Support them with your grace. Amen.
Praise to Christ Our Passover
God, we praise you for providing a way of escape from the penalty for our sins. We give adoration to Christ our Passover, who was sacrificed for us. We rejoice that death and hell have no power over us who put our trust in you. And now, we gather to remember the life of our loved one, who even now is experiencing eternal life with you. Bless this service, we pray, and may you be magnified today, just as you were by the life of this saint whom we mourn. Amen.
Prayer for Joy
Father God, we open this funeral service with sorrow, yet sincere rejoicing. Our departed loved one is now free. He/she is in a better place. That is a truth we can have joy for. As we speak with one another, sing, listen to your Word and hear eulogies, focus our mind on your goodness. And direct our thoughts to fond memories of our departed friend and family member. Let people speak of the ways our loved one has impacted their lives. And let us rejoice over every testimony, knowing that his/her life was a life well-lived. Amen.
Healing Prayer
Jesus, let your presence manifest in this place. As we gather here to mourn our beloved, [name], may you bring healing into our hearts. Be our alpha and omega in this funeral service. Let the things we share about our beloved [name] bring joy and healing in our hearts. We know it will be hard for anyone to fill the gap that has been left in our hearts. But we also know that in days, weeks, months, and years to come, you will heal us, and what we will be left with are the fond memories of the times we shared with [name]. We thank you for giving us a chance to spend time with [name] while he/she was on earth. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
We Live to the Lord’s Prayer
Father, remind us as we gather for this memorial that none of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself. We are yours, whether we are living in this life, or whether we have passed into the life beyond. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for they rest from their labour. You give and you take away. Blessed be your name, our Creator and our Sustainer. Amen.
Peace of Mind Prayer
Dear Father, there is a season and time for everything in this world. Today you have granted us a chance to celebrate the life of our loved one, and we want to say thank you. Even though we are finding it hard to accept what has happened, we know that everything works out together for good. Father, give us the peace that surpasses all understanding as we start this funeral program. Give us the strength to share the beautiful moments that we shared with [name], our beloved departed. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Thanksgiving for the Resurrection
God of all grace, we lift up thanksgiving for the provision of your Son, Jesus, our Savior. Truly, Christ has indeed been raised from the dead as the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. As in Adam, all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive. We thank you for the hope that our dear one belongs to you and will be resurrected when you return in glory. And now, as we celebrate the life of our loved one, we celebrate the immortality that is our confident expectation. Amen.
Prayer to the Lamb
O Lord, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, we thank you for taking away the sins of the world. Have mercy on us today, and mercy on our loved one who has passed from this life into the next. Holy Lamb, who sits at the right hand of the Father, hear our prayer. Receive our dear one into the glory of your presence to enjoy rest until that final day when you return to judge the living and the dead. Amen.
Your Presence Prayer
Lord, today is a tough day for us. Accepting the fact that in the next few minutes we are going to be saying our farewell to [name] is so difficult. But we choose to worship you and celebrate the life of [name], whom you have called back into your presence. Fill this funeral service with your presence. Let your light shine upon our hearts, so that we may be able to give our last respects lovingly. Let your grace be upon each individual that is in this place. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Prayer to Be Numbered with the Saints
God of all grace, we thank you for giving your Son, Jesus, to overcome death. We rejoice that you have opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. We have been blessed by the life of our loved one who has served you faithfully, and who has been redeemed by your precious blood. Receive our loved one now, to be numbered with the saints in glory everlasting. May all who are gathered here know you intimately, as our loved one did. Amen.
Praise That Death Is Under His Feet
Merciful Lord, we gather in this time of bereavement, giving thanks that the last enemy to be destroyed is death. We praise you that death is under your feet. You have conquered death, and in you, we also are victors. We weep now, but we rejoice that our loved one is in your presence and that we will not be parted forever. We look forward to that final day when you return in glory, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, and we shall all meet you in the sky. Amen.
Take Control Prayer
Lord, we bless your name forever. We are gathered in this funeral service to celebrate the life of [name], who has gone to be with you. It is through your goodness that we are here to share the memories of the departed soul, [name]. Though he/she is not with us physically, we rejoice knowing that we will see [name] when we join you in your house, Lord. We commit this service into your hands. Take control of everything that will happen in this place, Lord. We pray this believing in Jesus, our Lord, and Savior. Amen.
Thanksgiving for Being Raised Imperishable
Lord, as we celebrate our loved one’s life, we give thanks for the resurrection of the dead. Even though life now is fleeting, we will be raised imperishable. We will be raised in glory. We will be raised in power. We will abandon our mortal bodies for immortal spiritual bodies. And we know that our dear friend is now resting in your presence. We are grateful that after a life of love for you and others, our beloved is asleep in you and will be raised again. Amen.
Divine Strength Prayer
God, we bless your holy name forever. As we gather in this place to pay our last respects to our departed soul, [name], we ask you to come into our midst. Fill us with divine strength, so that we may be able to honour the life of our family member, [name]. Let your grace be upon us today that we may be able to support one another. Wrap your arms around us through this painful period and let your joy be our strength. In Jesus’ name, we believe and pray. Amen.
Praise for Immortality
Father, we thank you for the mystery that is our confident expectation. We thank you that in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, we will all be changed. We thank you that our temporary bodies will be clothed with eternal, immortal, glorified bodies. May we find comfort in this promise, even as we grieve the passing of our beloved from this life. May anyone here who does not know you take hold of this promise and find redemption in Christ. Amen.
Prayer for Hope
Lord, we gather in unity today to mourn the death of our friend, [name]. We loved him/her so much, but you loved him/her more and have brought him/her into your presence. Father, we are here to celebrate someone that we cherished. Our hearts are full of hope that we will see [name] again when we go home to you. [Name] was your faithful servant and served you diligently. May he/she find love and peace in your presence, and enjoy your glory. We love and adore you, Lord. In Jesus’ name, we believe and pray. Amen.
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Thankfulness for Time and Strength Prayer
Lord, I am so thankful for the times you gave us to share with our family member, [name], who is now resting in your glory. Thank you for giving us the strength to gather in this place for a service in honour of him/her. Let the light our loved one illuminated in our lives shine throughout the service. We pray for everyone that is here that doesn’t know you. May the memories we share about our loved one, and the word that will be preached, touch their hearts so that they may come to know that you are the one true God. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Death Has Been Swallowed in Victory Prayer
O Lord, the lifter of our heads, as we mourn the passing of our dear one, we remember that death has been swallowed up in victory. We remember that death has lost its sting. We thank you, God, for giving us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Help us remember to be steadfast and immovable in our faith, not fearing death, but rejoicing in our victory. Help us remember that our labour in the Lord is not in vain. Amen.
Blessed Assurance Prayer
God of all comfort, we remember the blessed assurance that our dear departed one knew. Our loved one walked with you while in this life, enjoying a taste of eternal communion with you. Our loved one was born of your Spirit and washed in your blood, and this same experience can be ours. Even in this world, as we walk with you, we can have those visions of rapture, those echoes of mercy, those whispers of love. And we have the blessed assurance of enjoying these blessings in their fulness when we are in your presence. Amen.
Homegoing Prayer
Father, hear our prayers for your servant. We ask that you receive our loved one into your kingdom, to experience joyful fellowship with the saints that have gone before. Truly this earth is not our home, we are just passing through. We look forward to our eternal home where all tears are wiped away and sorrow and death are no more. We look forward to being reunited with our loved one. We watch and wait for that blessed day, filled with your goodness and lost in your love. Amen.
Inheritance of the Saints Prayer
Almighty God, we give thanks to you, our Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. We are ever grateful that you have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your beloved Son, Jesus. We thank you for our redemption and the forgiveness of sins. And now we thank you that even in our tears of sorrow we rejoice that our loved one is with you in glory. Amen.
Other Prayers for Funerals
Eternal God and Father
Eternal God and Father,
we praise you that you have made people
to share life together
and to reflect your glory in the world.
We thank you now for [Name],
for all that we saw of your goodness and love in his/her life
and for all that he/she means to each one of us.
As we too journey towards death
may we do so in the company of Jesus,
who came to share our life
that we might share the life of eternity.
To him be glory with you and the Holy Spirit
forever and ever. Amen
In Weakness or in Strength
Lord, in weakness or in strength
we bear your image.
We pray for those we love
who now live in a land of shadows,
where the light of memory is dimmed,
where the familiar lies unknown,
where the beloved become as strangers.
Hold them in your everlasting arms,
and grant to those who care
a strength to serve,
a patience to persevere,
a love to last
and a peace that passes human understanding.
Hold us in your everlasting arms,
today and for all eternity;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered: Accept our prayers on behalf of thy servant [name], and grant him/her an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of thy saints; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
Mourning Prayer
Father of all mercies and God of all consolation,
you pursue us with untiring love
and dispel the shadow of death
with the bright dawn of life.
Give courage to this family in their loss and sorrow.
Be their refuge and strength, O Lord,
reassure them of your continuing love
and lift them from the depths of grief
into the peace and light of your presence.
Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
by dying has destroyed our death,
and by rising, restored our life.
Your Holy Spirit, our comforter,
speaks for us in groans too deep for words.
Come alongside your people,
remind them of your eternal presence
and give them your comfort and strength.
Amen
Prayer for Funeral
God our Father,
we thank you that you have made each of us
in your own image,
and given us gifts and talents with which to serve you.
We thank you for [name],
the years we shared with him/her,
the good we saw in him/her,
the love we received from him/her.
Now give us strength and courage
to leave him/her in your care,
confident in your promise of eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
Creator of All
Lord God, creator of all,
you have made us creatures of this earth
but have also promised us a share in life eternal:
receive our thanks and praise
that, through the passion and death of Christ,
your child [name] , our brother/sister,
whom we commend into your hands today,
shares with your saints in the joy of heaven,
where there is neither sorrow nor pain
but life everlasting. Alleluia.
Amen
Short Funeral Prayers
You may decide that you want your reading or eulogy to be short and fairly straightforward. A few words or sentences that gets to the point. Simplicity is often a good choice for something so tragic. It also makes it a lot easier for you to read. These prayers are brief but still express your feelings in a few but very powerful words.
Purity of Spirit
Compassionate God,
Grant clear and certain rest upon our dearly departed. May the purity of Your spirit be like a light unto our angel. Amen
An Irish blessing
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sunshine warm upon your face.
May the rains fall upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.
Prayer for a Loved One
Dear Lord,
We are so grateful that you have made us all in your own image, giving us gifts and talents with which to serve you.
Thank you for [loved one’s name] life, and all the years we shared with him/her. We lift him/her to you today, in honour of the good we saw in him/her and the love we felt from him/her.
Please give us the strength to leave him/her in your care, in the knowledge of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Amen
Hail Mary prayer
Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus
Holy Mary, mother of God
Pray for us sinners
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen
May you Walk in Sunshine
May you always walk in sunshine,
and God’s around you flow.
For the happiness you gave us,
No one will ever know.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you did not go alone.
A part of us went with you
The day God called you home.
A million times we needed you
A million times we cried.
If love could only have saved you
You would’ve never died.
The Lord be with you and may you rest in peace.
Amen
Prayer for the Deceased
Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
May the souls of the faithful departed
through the mercy of God rest in peace.
Amen
Funeral Prayer for a Family
O God, you do not willingly grieve or afflict your children.
Look with pity on the suffering of this family in their loss.
Sustain them in their anguish;
and into the darkness of their grief
bring the light of your love;
through Jesus we pray.
Amen
Uplifting Funeral Prayers
Occasionally funerals are places that celebrate the life of the deceased, and can actually be full of joy and happiness. You can reminisce and look back on all the happy memories of the departed, rather than focusing on the pain from their loss. If you want a reading or prayer to reflect this then these happy funeral prayers are perfect and help to remember the good that person brought to the lives of all who knew them.
Honour the Memories
Dear Lord,
Grant us strength in our sorrow, and comfort in the time we had with our loved one. Mourning passes and life goes on. Different, yet still sweet. We will honour the memories and find joy in knowing that Your eternal care is ever-closer to the one we love. Amen
Eternity is a Restful Place
Dear Lord,
We remember our loved one whose memory is a comforting embrace to us today.
A life fulfilled, no longer caught up in the earthly struggle.
Eternity is a restful place.
Joy is theirs.
We pray that until the day comes and we are joined in the great beyond, that there will only be gladness in the memories we hold dear of this deserving soul.
Amen
Hope for Mourners
Dear God,
We know the hardest part was standing vigil, waiting for the end of life, together, yet so alone.
Now, our loved one is at peace.
Relieved from the duties of a mortal existence.
Yet, never missing our love, affection, and admiration which never dies.
Be with this precious soul in the ascension to heaven.
Be with us in our time of sorrow.
Give strength to all who mourn and hope for a new future.
Amen
Memorial Prayer of Thanks
Lord, we thank you for giving us the life of [name].
Today, we do not mourn but celebrate all they achieved and the legacy they leave behind.
We will remain ever grateful for being blessed with their presence and the light they shone into so many lives and hearts.
We will treasure them and all they stood for, cherishing the memories we have that shall never fade.
Amen
Funeral Prayers for Mom
Losing your mother is unbelievably tough. So finding the ideal prayer or verse for a funeral reading becomes so important. Hopefully, the prayers provided will help with make a eulogy all the more special and let you commemorate her passing in the most fitting way.
Rest in Paradise Mom
Living God, although my tears are flowing, I feel blessed that when my mother took her last breath, she entered heaven’s gates.
I miss her dearly, but I cling to your promise of salvation for those who place their faith in You.
May she rest in Paradise until that final day when you return, and we are caught up into the clouds with you.
Help me to honour her memory by living a life of selfless love and service.
Amen
Christian Prayer for Mom
Heavenly Father, at this moment, nothing seems to be able to help the loss I feel after my mother’s passing.
My heart is broken and my spirit mourns.
All I know is that your grace is sufficient and there is comfort knowing she is with you in heaven. Amen
Gratitude for Mother
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of my mother. Thank you for the many years I enjoyed with her. I treasure every moment I had with her and praise you that she was there for me in the good and the bad times.
She now rests with you and I know we will be reunited together one day in the future.
Please comfort me in my pain and grief, and help me find peace and strength.
Amen
Funeral Prayers for Dad
Just like the loss of a mother, losing your father is utterly tragic. Hopefully the prayers found here will allow for a truly special way to make your funeral eulogy express how much you loved and will miss your dad.
Your Mercy prayer
Lord, the pain of losing my father is deep.
I learnt so much from him and his presence. I thank you for releasing him from his earthly body and the pain that so afflicted him. I know he is with you now, and I commend his soul to you and ask you to grant him eternal peace.
Amen
Rest from Labors prayer
Dear Lord, I am grateful to know that through Jesus and his sacrifice, death is merely the beginning, not the end. Please give my father the rest from his labours.
I pray that his life will be an inspiration to the living and that he rests peacefully in your kingdom.
Amen
prayer For Brother
Our Lord, today we remember the life [name], and give thanks for all he brought to our lives.
His legacy will live on long after he has departed and is a testament to the mange was.
We are broken and lost without him but grateful for all the time we had.
He will forever be apart of us, living on in our hearts for eternity.
Amen
Lord,
We pray for hope and strength to get through the grief that grips us.
We have lost our brother and our friend, taken into your hands and safe in your love.
May he be blessed and welcomed with open arms and feel your love for all eternity.
Amen
Prayer For Sister
Dear Lord,
Today we remember our beloved sister.
She leaves us with countless treasured memories, that we will hold onto for eternity.
We pray that our souls we will be joined together again in heaven one day
Amen
Loved Her
Father, we entrust our sister to your mercy.
You loved her greatly in this life:
now that she is freed from all its cares,
give her happiness and peace forever.
Welcome her now into paradise where there will be no more sorrow, no more weeping or pain, but only peace and joy with Jesus your Son, and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.
Amen
Prayer For Grandmother
Touching the World
Dear God,
Please sit with us here in this emotional darkness. Help us to remember. Let’s remember the natural peace her presence gave. Help us remember the grace of her heart, the generosity of her spirit, the sincerity of her kindness. Help us remember all the ways You touched the world through her goodness.
Amen
Father in heaven, we praise your name
for all who have finished this life loving and trusting you,
for the example of their lives,
the life and grace you gave them,
and the peace in which they rest.
We praise you today for your servant [name]
and for all that you did through her.
Meet us in our sadness
and fill our hearts with praise and thanksgiving,
for the sake of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
Amen
Prayer For Grandfather
Dear Lord,
We remember all the good our grandfather did. His warmth, generosity and kind spirit shall be a lasting testament to the wonderful person he was.
We were blessed with his presence and now we ask for your everlasting love to surround and embrace him.
Amen
For a Friend
Prayer for the Death of a Loved One
Lord,
I feel like my entire life has lost its meaning. My heart is broken. In my time of doubt and pain, remind me of your sufficient grace. I need you, I need your strength to guide me. I pour out my grief to you in the hope that my suffering end, and your love will conquer.
Amen
Dear Lord,
Today I ask you to help [friend’s name]. I ask you to be with them while they struggle in the darkness of grief. May he/she recognise joy in the memories, hope in your love, and peace in the pain. May you walk beside him/her in his/her journey to recovery, filling the void and emptiness with your presence.
Amen
For Loss of a Child prayer
O God, whose beloved Son did take little children into his arms and bless them: Give us grace, we beseech thee, to entrust this child [name] to thy never-failing care and love, and bring us all to thy heavenly kingdom; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen
God of all mystery, whose ways are beyond understanding,
lead us, who grieve at this untimely death,
to a new and deeper faith in your love,
which brought your only Son Jesus
through death into resurrection life.
We make our prayer in Jesus’ name.
Amen
Lord,
Assure us that [child’s name] is safe in your eternal love. Help us understand our sorrow, and strengthen us with hope. We pray that we overcome this sadness, in the confidence that [child’s name] is in a better place with you.
May Jesus Christ welcome him/her into his arms and bless him/her abundantly.
Amen
Bible Verses as Prayers
The Lord is My Shepherd – Psalm 23
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures;
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul;
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies;
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
John 14:1-3
Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you
that I go and prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Psalm 121
I will lift mine eyes unto the hills
from whence cometh my help.
My help cometh from the Lord,
which made heaven and earth.
He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:
he that keepeth thee
will not slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is thy keeper:
the Lord is thy shade upon thy hand.
The sun shall not smite thee by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil;
He shall preserve thy soul.
The Lord shall preserve thy going out
and thy coming in from this time forth,
and even forevermore.
Psalm 46:1-7
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, and the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Non Religious Funeral Prayers
For those who prefer a non religious reading then these prayers don’t mention God or anything particularly religious but still
Epitaph On A Friend
An honest man here lies at rest,The friend of man, the friend of truth,The friend of age, and guide of youth:Few hearts like his, with virtue warm’d,Few heads with knowledge so inform’d;If there’s another world, he lives in bliss;If there is none, he made the best of this.
Robert Burns
Non-Religious Funeral Blessing
Be free, be strong, be proud of who you have been, know that you will be mourned and missed, that no one can replace you, that you have loved and are beloved.
Move beyond form, flowing like water, feeding on sunlight and moonlight, radiant as the stars in the night sky.
Pass the gates, enter the dark without fear, returning to the womb of life to steep in the cauldron of rebirth.
Rest, heal, grow young again.
Be blessed.
From Ode on Intimations of Immortality
What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now forever taken from my sight
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind.
William Wordsworth
Conclusion:
Though you should use your own, personal words for a prayer at a funeral, there are certain common themes and words that can help put your mind on track. Though you may feel nervous or uncomfortable with doing something like speaking at a funeral service, using these standard phrases will help you find your footing. Make sure that what you write is authentic and comes from your heart.
