This is a simple prayer before traveling, written for the moment before you leave home, whether you are driving to work, boarding a plane, or heading out on a long trip with family. You can pray it aloud exactly as written, or read it once and then speak in your own words. Pray it in the driveway, at the front door with your keys in hand, or quietly in the seat before the engine starts.
Simple Prayer Before Traveling
Lord, thank you for this day and for the road or the sky ahead of us. Before we go, we give you the places we are headed and the people we will meet there. Go before us and clear the way. Keep our hands steady on the wheel and our eyes sharp for the other drivers, the pedestrians, and the small things that can turn into large ones. Calm any fear in us, and help us to trust you more than we trust our own plans.
We also ask you to watch over the people we are leaving behind. Be with the ones who will wait for us, and with the ones who cannot come with us at all. Give us patience with delays and kindness toward strangers who are tired too. If the trip brings us to unfamiliar places, let us notice your presence there. Bring us home safely, and let us arrive grateful. Amen.
A Shorter Version to Pray in a Moment
Father, we are about to leave, and we place this trip in your hands. Guard us on the way, keep the people we love safe while we are gone, and give us wisdom for every decision we face along the road. Make us alert and patient, and bring us back to the people who are waiting for us. Thank you for going with us. Amen.
Scriptures to Pray Alongside
Psalm 121:8
The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
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This verse covers the whole journey, from the moment you leave to the moment you return. Pray it slowly, naming the particular trip you are taking, and let it remind you that God’s care is not limited to the start or the finish.
Psalm 91:11
For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
(WEB)
Use this verse to pray for protection over the people traveling with you and the people you will meet. Read it as a promise of God’s attention, and ask him to keep you aware of his nearness on the road.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
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Before a trip, it is easy to focus on plans and timetables. Pray these verses to surrender your route, your schedule, and any worry about what might go wrong, asking God to guide each turn.
Isaiah 41:10
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
(WEB)
This verse speaks to fear, which often rises before a journey. Pray it aloud when you feel anxious about the drive, the flight, or the place you are going, and let God’s promise of strength settle your heart.
Psalm 139:9-10
9 If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me.
(WEB)
Pray this passage when you are going somewhere far from home. It reminds you that God is present in every place you reach, including ones you have never seen, and that his hand is there to lead you.
How to Pray This Prayer
Choose a moment just before you leave, when you have your bags packed or your car is loaded, and you are still standing in one place. Keep your hands busy with something simple, such as holding your keys, tightening a seatbelt, or resting a hand on the dashboard. Let the physical action become a reminder that you are handing the trip over to God, not just wishing for a good outcome.
If you are traveling with others, invite them to pray with you or take turns reading a line each. Children can repeat the short version after you. Asking someone at home to pray for you while you are away is also a meaningful practice, so that the journey is carried by more than one person.
A Blessing to Close
May the Lord go before you, behind you, and beside you on every mile. May he keep your going out and your coming in, and may you arrive with a thankful heart and a safe return.
