“You intended to harm me,” Joseph told the brothers who had sold him into slavery, years after the fact, “but God intended it for good.” He didn’t pretend what they did wasn’t real or wasn’t wrong. He named it plainly, and then chose a different response than the one they deserved.
These thirty verses are for that same kind of hurt, real harm caused by someone else, named honestly rather than minimized. If the struggle feels more internal than caused by another person, a prayer for struggling speaks to that instead.
Pray these honestly, naming what actually happened before praying toward whatever comes next.
Prayer for Hurt
1. Genesis 50:20 (KJV)
“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”
Prayer: What was meant to harm me, let You use for good, the way You did for Joseph.
Let this hurt not be wasted, even though it was never right.
2. Psalms 41:9 (KJV)
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
Prayer: Even someone I trusted has turned against me. Let You be the one I still trust.
Let this betrayal not make me unable to trust anyone else, or You.
3. Psalms 55:12-14 (KJV)
“For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.”
Prayer: If it were an enemy, I could bear it, but it was my friend. Let You meet me in this specific pain.
Let this particular kind of hurt, from someone close, be met with real comfort.
4. Psalms 34:18 (KJV)
“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
Prayer: You are close to the brokenhearted, and You save those crushed in spirit.
Let nearness be real right now, not just a comforting idea.
5. Psalms 147:3 (KJV)
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Prayer: You heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds.
Let this binding up be thorough, reaching this specific wound.
6. Isaiah 61:1-3 (KJV)
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
Prayer: Bind up my broken heart, and give me beauty instead of ashes.
Let this exchange be real, even if it takes time to feel it.
7. Psalms 6:2-3 (KJV)
“Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?”
Prayer: Be merciful to me, for I am faint, my soul is greatly troubled.
Let mercy reach me exactly where this hurt has settled.
8. Psalms 69:20 (KJV)
“Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”
Prayer: This has broken my heart, and I looked for sympathy but found none. Let You be my comforter now.
Let me not stay stuck looking for comfort in places it won’t come.
9. Job 19:2 (KJV)
“How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?”
Prayer: How long will this torment me, crushing me with words? Let this weight lift.
Let words spoken against me lose their power over time.
10. Psalms 38:5-6 (KJV)
“My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.”
Prayer: This wound festers, and I’m bowed down with mourning. Let healing begin.
Let this wound not fester longer than it has to.
11. Matthew 5:44 (KJV)
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”
Prayer: Let me love the person who hurt me, and pray for them, as hard as that is right now.
Let this be genuine, in Your time, not forced before I’m ready.
12. Luke 6:27-28 (KJV)
“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”
Prayer: Let me bless rather than curse, even someone who mistreated me.
Let this actually soften something in me, not just be an exercise.
13. Romans 12:19 (KJV)
“Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.”
Prayer: Let me leave room for Your justice, not take revenge myself.
Let me trust You to handle what I can’t fairly judge myself.
14. Colossians 3:13 (KJV)
“Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
Prayer: Let me bear with them and forgive, as You forgave me.
Let this forgiveness be real, not just words said to move on.
15. Ephesians 4:31-32 (KJV)
“Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Prayer: Let me get rid of bitterness and rage, and be kind and compassionate instead.
Let bitterness not take root and outlast the original hurt.
16. 1 Peter 2:23 (KJV)
“Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:”
Prayer: Like You, when insulted, let me not retaliate, but entrust myself to the One who judges justly.
Let this trust be real, not just resignation.
17. Psalms 30:2 (KJV)
“O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.”
Prayer: I called to You for help, and You healed me.
Let calling out and healing happen close together this time.
18. Psalms 40:1-2 (KJV)
“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”
Prayer: I waited patiently, and You lifted me out of the mud and mire.
Let waiting end in real, solid ground under my feet.
19. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV)
“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
Prayer: You are the God of all comfort, who comforts me in this hurt.
Let comfort actually reach me, not just circle around me.
20. Psalms 27:10 (KJV)
“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.”
Prayer: Even if people close to me forsake me, You will receive me.
Let this promise steady me when people I trusted let me down.
21. Hebrews 4:15-16 (KJV)
“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Prayer: You are able to empathize with this hurt, let me approach You with confidence.
Let confidence come from being genuinely understood.
22. Isaiah 53:3-5 (KJV)
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
Prayer: You were despised and rejected, familiar with suffering. Let me remember You understand this.
Let this understanding be a real comfort, not just a doctrine.
23. Psalms 56:8 (KJV)
“Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”
Prayer: Record my lament, list my tears in Your scroll.
Let me trust nothing about this hurt goes unnoticed by You.
24. Romans 8:28 (KJV)
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”
Prayer: Let me trust that You work all things together for good for those who love You.
Let this promise hold even when I can’t see how yet.
25. Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Prayer: Let me bring this to You instead of carrying it alone, and let peace guard my heart and mind.
Let peace be stronger than the hurt I’m carrying.
26. Psalms 30:5 (KJV)
“For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Prayer: Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
Let this morning bring at least a little of that joy back.
27. Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)
“It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
Prayer: Your mercies are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness.
Let today be a fresh start, not a continuation of yesterday’s pain.
28. 1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)
“Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
Prayer: I’m casting this whole hurt onto You, because You genuinely care what I’m carrying.
Let casting it be a real release, not just words.
29. Psalms 34:19 (KJV)
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
Prayer: Many are the afflictions I face, but You deliver me from them all.
Let deliverance reach even this specific hurt.
30. 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 me and keep me, make Your face shine on me, and give me peace in this hurt.
Let this old blessing carry me toward healing.
Conclusion
Joseph’s brothers never apologized before he offered them anything. He forgave first, and named what they did honestly, without pretending it hadn’t happened or that it hadn’t hurt. Real healing from being hurt by someone else tends to go through that same honesty, not around it.
Name specifically what happened and how it hurt, in your own words, before praying toward forgiveness.
For the person who caused this hurt specifically, a prayer for enemies is worth praying when you’re ready.