41 Funeral Prayers: Moving Scripture for Services and Readings (2024)

When attending or arranging a funeral there are many things you have to think about. For those planning a funeral it can be overwhelming.

Amongst all the planning and arranging you have to pick things like the prayers to use at the service and any readings that will take place. Finding those can be tough.

But also if you’re someone who is going to be giving a reading it can be very stressful too. There is pressure on you to deliver a moving and thoughtful reading, or find the most appropriate scripture that truly represent the deceased.

So if you’re struggling with finding the perfect prayer for a funeral try these touching and heartfelt prayers that are sure to be a memorable way to say goodbye to a loved one.

Table of Contents
Prayers for Funerals Short Prayers Uplifting Prayers Prayers for Mom Prayers for Dad Prayers for Brother Prayers for Sister Prayers for Grandmother Prayers for Grandfather Prayers for a Friend Prayers for Loss of a Child Bible Verses as Prayers Non Religious Prayers

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
for ever and ever.

Amen

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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

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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 for ever.

Amen

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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

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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

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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

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READ MORE: Funeral Poems: 45 Beautiful Readings for Memorial Services

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

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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.

SEE MORE: Irish Blessings for Funerals

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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

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Hail Mary

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

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.

Honor the Memories

Dear Lord,
Grant us strength in our sorrow, comfort in the time we had with our loved one. Mourning passes and life goes on. Different, yet still sweet. We will honor the memories and find joy in knowing that Your eternal care is ever-closer to the one we love.

Amen

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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

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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

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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

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READ MORE: What to Write as Funeral Flower Card Messages

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 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 honor her memory by living a life of selfless love and service.

Amen

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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

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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

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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

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 grant him eternal peace.

Amen

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Rest from Labors

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 labors.
I pray that his life will be an inspiration to the living and that he rests peacefully in your kingdom.

Amen

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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

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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

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For Sister

Remembered

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

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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 for ever.
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 for ever and ever.

Amen

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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For Loss of a Child

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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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 for evermore.

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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, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

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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

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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.

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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

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We hope these funeral prayers will have helped you find the perfect words for a reading at the service.