Prayer points with Scriptures · 19 points
Prayer Points for the Month of August
These prayer points for the month of August are for individuals, families, prayer meetings and churches as summer ends and a new school year begins. They pray for students from kindergarten to high school, college students leaving home, teachers, school staff and leaders, and parents settling into new routines. Use them at a back-to-school blessing, around the kitchen table the night before the first day, or on your own through the month. Every point comes with its verse.
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (BSB)
Pray one section a week, or one point each school morning. On the Sunday before classes start, invite students, teachers and staff forward and pray the matching sections over them. At a midweek prayer meeting, take turns reading the verses, pray each prayer together, then name the schools, teachers and students in your church. Parents can pray one point with their children in the car.
Students
1Knowledge that begins with God
LORD, the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. As students open new books this year, let them learn with reverence for You, curiosity about Your world, and the humility to keep learning when it is hard.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Proverbs 1:7 (BSB)2Courage instead of fear
God, You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-control. For every student with a knot in the stomach about the first day, a new school or a hard class, replace that fear with Your power and peace.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.
2 Timothy 1:7 (BSB) · Pray this verse →3A friend like Jonathan
Lord, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together in friendship. Give every child at least one true friend this year, and make our children the kind of friends who notice the one sitting alone at lunch.
After David had finished speaking with Saul, the souls of Jonathan and David were knit together, and Jonathan loved him as himself.
1 Samuel 18:1 (BSB)4Minds filled with what is good
Father, guard our students’ minds from what is cruel, impure and false on their phones and in their hallways. Fill their thoughts with whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
Philippians 4:8 (BSB)5No one to fear
LORD, You are the light and salvation of every child who trusts in You; whom shall they fear? Protect students who are bullied, left out or mocked for their faith. Be their stronghold, and send adults who notice and help.
Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—whom shall I dread?
Psalm 27:1 (BSB) · Pray this verse →
College students and young adults
6Rooted and built up in Him
Lord Jesus, as college freshmen move into dorms, keep them walking in You just as they received You. Root them and build them up in the faith they were taught, overflowing with thankfulness instead of drifting with the crowd.
Therefore, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him, established in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7 (BSB)7Planted in a church home
LORD, those planted in Your house flourish in the courts of our God. Lead every college student and young adult who moves this month to a Bible-teaching church in the first few weeks, and help that church welcome them warmly.
Planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
Psalm 92:13 (BSB)8Peace for the homesick
Lord, You keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because they trust in You. Comfort homesick students in the first lonely weeks, and steady their minds on You when everything around them is new.
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
Isaiah 26:3 (BSB) · Pray this verse →
Teachers
9A word for the weary
Lord GOD, You gave Your Servant a disciple’s tongue to sustain the weary with a word, and You woke Him morning by morning. Wake our teachers each morning with fresh strength, and give them the right word for the tired child in the back row.
The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of discipleship, to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.
Isaiah 50:4 (BSB)10Patient with everyone
Father, give teachers grace to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak and be patient with everyone. When a class is hard and the year is long, renew their love for their students.
And we urge you, brothers, to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (BSB)11Salt in the classroom
Lord Jesus, You call Your followers the salt of the earth. Let Christian teachers, coaches and professors bring Your goodness into their schools through excellent work, fairness and quiet kindness, and keep their faith from losing its savor.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
Matthew 5:13 (BSB)12Words that please God
O LORD, our Rock and our Redeemer, may the words of every teacher’s mouth and the meditation of their hearts be pleasing in Your sight this year: in the classroom, in emails to parents and in the staff room.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 (BSB) · Pray this verse →
School staff, leaders and safety
13Serving the Lord Christ
Lord Christ, bless the bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers, nurses, aides and office staff whose work keeps schools running. Let them know they are working for You, not only for their supervisors, and that You see what others overlook.
Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, as for the Lord and not for men, because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24 (BSB) · Pray this verse →14A refuge in trouble
God, You are our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble. Protect our schools from violence, accidents and harm. Give wisdom to those who keep children safe, and be near to any school that faces a crisis this year.
For the choirmaster. Of the sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A song. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble.
Psalm 46:1 (BSB) · Pray this verse →15Wise counsel for school leaders
Lord, for lack of guidance a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance. Give principals, superintendents and school boards wisdom, integrity and good advisers as they make decisions that affect thousands of children.
For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.
Proverbs 11:14 (BSB)
Parents and new routines
16Rising early to pray
Lord Jesus, even in the busiest days of Your ministry You rose early, while it was still dark, to pray in a solitary place. As school-year schedules take over, help parents guard a few minutes with You before the lunches and the carpool.
Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a solitary place to pray.
Mark 1:35 (BSB) · Pray this verse →17Satisfied in the morning
LORD, satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion. Calm the morning rush in our homes, and let our children leave for school having heard a kind word and a short prayer, not only reminders and hurry.
Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
Psalm 90:14 (BSB) · Pray this verse →18Telling our children what we have seen
God, help us parents not forget what our own eyes have seen of Your faithfulness, and help us teach it to our children and grandchildren. Give us natural moments this school year to tell them what You have done.
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.
Deuteronomy 4:9 (BSB)19Training a child in the way to go
Father, as we help our children with homework, friendships and choices, help us train them in the way they should go. We will do what we can, and we trust You with their hearts, which only You can change.
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 (BSB)
A closing prayer
Father, we commit this school year to You: every student, from the nervous kindergartner to the college freshman far from home; every teacher, coach and staff member; every principal and every parent. Give wisdom, protection and friendships that point to Jesus. Calm our anxious mornings, and teach our children to know and love You. Do not let fear lead us; uphold us with Your righteous right hand. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Pray with a voice
Short prayers with a voice to pray along with, each drawn from one passage.
Questions
How can our church pray for back to school?
Many churches hold a back-to-school blessing on the Sunday before classes start, inviting students, teachers, staff and parents forward for prayer. Read a verse such as Isaiah 41:10, pray for each group in turn, and send families home with a short prayer for the first morning. The sections on this page follow that same order.
What is a good prayer for a child before school?
Keep it short enough for the car or the front door: thank God for your child, ask Him for courage, wisdom and a kind friend, and ask Him to help your child be kind to others. A verse such as Isaiah 41:10 or 2 Timothy 1:7 can be prayed in a single sentence.
What Bible verses are good for back to school?
For students: Isaiah 41:10, 2 Timothy 1:7, Proverbs 1:7, Philippians 4:8 and Psalm 27:1. For college students: Colossians 2:6-7 and Isaiah 26:3. For teachers: Isaiah 50:4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:14. For school staff and safety: Colossians 3:23-24 and Psalm 46:1.
More prayer points
Every verse on this page is quoted word for word from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which its publishers dedicated to the public domain. Copy, print and share these prayer points freely with your church.