Paul closed his second letter to the Corinthians with a line that’s been said at the end of church services for nearly two thousand years since: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” A benediction, not just a goodbye, sending people out carrying something.
These thirty verses are for that same purpose, closing a service the way it opened, in real prayer, not just an announcement that it’s over.
Speak these over the congregation as they head back out the doors.
Closing Prayer for Worship
1. 2 Corinthians 13:14 (KJV)
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.”
Prayer: Let the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with everyone here.
Let this ancient blessing send this room out carrying something real.
2. Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Prayer: Bless this congregation and keep them, make Your face shine on them, and give them peace this week.
Let this old blessing follow them out the door and into their week.
3. Jude 1:24-25 (KJV)
“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
Prayer: You are able to keep us from stumbling, and present us blameless before Your glory. Let that be true this week.
Let this promise cover us long after we’ve left this room.
4. Romans 15:13 (KJV)
“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”
Prayer: Fill this whole room with joy and peace as we trust You, so we overflow with hope.
Let hope be the overflow this congregation carries out today.
5. Hebrews 13:20-21 (KJV)
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Prayer: God of peace, equip us with everything good for doing Your will this week.
Let this week be shaped by what was said and sung here today.
6. Philippians 4:7 (KJV)
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Prayer: Let peace that transcends understanding guard every heart and mind in this room as they leave.
Let this peace hold steady through whatever the week actually brings.
7. Romans 16:25 (KJV)
“Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,”
Prayer: You are able to establish us according to the gospel we’ve heard today. Let it take root, not just be heard and forgotten.
Let establishment happen this week, not just a temporary lift.
8. Psalms 121:8 (KJV)
“The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
Prayer: Watch over our coming and going, from this room back into ordinary life, both now and forevermore.
Let watching cover us the moment we step outside these doors.
9. Ephesians 3:20-21 (KJV)
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
Prayer: You are able to do immeasurably more than we asked or imagined in this service, according to Your power at work in us.
Let today hold more than we knew to hope for walking in.
10. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (KJV)
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”
Prayer: God of peace, sanctify us through and through, and keep us blameless until You come.
Let this sanctifying work continue past today’s service.
11. Psalms 90:17 (KJV)
“And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.”
Prayer: Let Your favor rest on us, and establish the work of our hands this week.
Let this week’s work carry the weight of today’s worship.
12. 2 Thessalonians 3:16 (KJV)
“Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.”
Prayer: Lord of peace, give this whole room peace at all times and in every way, not just here on Sunday.
Let peace be constant through the week ahead, not just felt in this room.
13. Colossians 3:15 (KJV)
“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”
Prayer: Let the peace of Christ rule in every heart here, and let us be thankful as we go.
Let peace go with us further than the parking lot.
14. Psalms 29:11 (KJV)
“The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”
Prayer: Give strength to Your people, Lord, and bless us with peace as we leave here.
Let this blessing land exactly where each person needs it this week.
15. Romans 15:5-6 (KJV)
“Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Prayer: Give us a spirit of unity as we go, so with one voice we glorify You, together and apart.
Let unity here hold even once we’ve scattered back to our own weeks.
16. Psalms 67:1-2 (KJV)
“God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.”
Prayer: Be gracious to us and bless us, and let Your ways be known through us this week.
Let this congregation carry Your ways into ordinary Monday life.
17. Deuteronomy 31:6 (KJV)
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Prayer: Let us be strong and courageous, not afraid, for You go with us out of this room and into the week.
Let courage go with everyone here, not just stay behind in this building.
18. Psalms 121:7-8 (KJV)
“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.”
Prayer: Keep us from all harm, watch over our lives, this week and always.
Let watching cover every day between now and when we gather again.
19. Philippians 1:6 (KJV)
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
Prayer: You began a good work in this congregation today. Carry it on to completion, in each life represented here.
Let today’s work continue quietly through the week.
20. 1 Peter 5:10-11 (KJV)
“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Prayer: God of all grace, restore, support, strengthen, and establish us as we go.
Let restoration be as thorough as this promise describes.
21. Psalms 115:14-15 (KJV)
“The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.”
Prayer: May You increase us more and more, us and our children, blessed by You, Maker of heaven and earth.
Let this blessing reach the next generation too, not just this room today.
22. Micah 6:8 (KJV)
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
Prayer: Let us act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You this week, not just today.
Let this simple summary shape ordinary decisions this week.
23. Colossians 1:9-10 (KJV)
“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
Prayer: Fill us with the knowledge of Your will, so we live lives worthy of You, bearing fruit in every good work.
Let today’s worship translate into this week’s fruit.
24. Psalms 96:1-3 (KJV)
“O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.”
Prayer: Let us sing a new song, declaring Your glory among the nations, not just within these walls.
Let worship here spill out into how we live in public this week.
25. Ephesians 6:23-24 (KJV)
“Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.”
Prayer: Peace and love with faith be with everyone here, and grace to all who love You.
Let grace be the last thing on everyone’s mind as they leave.
26. Titus 2:11-13 (KJV)
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”
Prayer: Your grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives.
Let grace teach this congregation something practical this week.
27. Revelation 1:5-6 (KJV)
“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Prayer: To You be glory and dominion forever and ever, the same praise we’ve offered together today.
Let this praise still be true tomorrow, not just while we’re gathered.
28. Jude 1:2 (KJV)
“Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.”
Prayer: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to everyone here, more than we walked in with.
Let multiplication, not just maintenance, be what happens this week.
29. Psalms 134:3 (KJV)
“The LORD that made heaven and earth bless thee out of Zion.”
Prayer: May the Lord bless us from Zion, He who made heaven and earth.
Let this final blessing be the last word spoken over this room today.
30. Numbers 6:26 (KJV)
“The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Prayer: Turn Your face toward each person here, and give them peace as they walk out these doors.
Let this be the sentence everyone carries into the parking lot.
Conclusion
That old benediction was never meant to just signal the service was over. It was meant to send people out carrying grace, love, and fellowship with them into an ordinary Monday.
End with one of these spoken slowly, not rushed through as people are already reaching for their keys.
For the start of the service, an opening prayer for Bible study pairs well as a bookend to this one.