Lord Jesus Christ,
thou who didst weep at the grave of Lazarus
and art acquainted with grief:
Receive my sorrow into thy keeping.
I do not ask that thou take it away,
but that thou be present in it.
Let me know that thou art near,
even when I cannot feel thee.
Hold me when I have no strength to hold on.
Bring me, in thy time and by thy mercy,
through this valley and into thy light;
for thou art the resurrection and the life,
and in thee alone is my hope.
Amen.
ECUMENICAL TRADITIONAL; ECUMENICAL
A Prayer in Sorrow
Also known as Prayer in Grief · Prayer in Time of Loss · Prayer When Grieving
About this prayer
Grief and sorrow are addressed throughout Christian scripture and liturgical tradition. The Psalms of lament (Psalms 22, 42, 88, and others) give voice to raw grief before God without requiring it to be resolved into praise. The Christian tradition of prayer in sorrow holds together the reality of pain and the hope of God's presence and eventual comfort. Jesus himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35) and cried out from the cross in the words of Psalm 22. The prayer given here is suited to any experience of deep sorrow: bereavement, loss, disappointment, or suffering without apparent cause. It does not deny the pain but brings it before God.
When it's said
This prayer is used in private devotion in times of grief, loss, or sorrow. It may also be used by a pastor or counselor praying with someone in distress, and in bereavement services. It is suited to the moment when words are hard to find and the expectation of feeling God's presence seems too much to ask.
Notes on the text
The phrase 'acquainted with grief' is from Isaiah 53:3, one of the Servant Songs that Christian tradition applies to Christ. The petition 'I do not ask that thou take it away, but that thou be present in it' reflects the Christian understanding that God's presence in suffering is more fundamental than the removal of suffering. 'The resurrection and the life' is from John 11:25.
Source
Original ecumenical prayer in the tradition of Christian lament. Public domain.
Last reviewed: May 2026 against primary source.