4 Prayers in Honor of Police Officers

Lord, we don’t know why you have implanted in the hearts of brave men and women to choose a profession that requires them to walk into danger and put their own life on the line to stop lawlessness and crime. You’ve given them a willingness to enforce the law to protect the communities where they serve. Are they fearless? Unintimidated? Thrill seekers? Or do they truly love their neighbor more than themselves, and want to do their part in justice for all?

Only you know for sure Lord what motivates them, but we do know they need a band of angels surrounding them with a hedge of protection. Lord, they face evil and the tough parts of life every day. They see the worst of people and people at their worst. Their work tools are weapons.

I pray Lord for their safety as they walk up to a car or house or unknown situation never knowing what danger awaits them. If they know you Lord, remind them to say their own prayer of protection and ask you to intervene against any foe. Perhaps something like David prayed, “I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me!” (Psalm 1:7 NLT).

And when they emerge safe and victorious, Father, as David did when he was rescued from Saul, give them a heart to give you the glory. If they don’t know you as their Savior, become real to these officers. Let them know you took the bullet for them. Amen.

Psalm 5:11
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. 

2 Samuel 22:1-4 NLT
David sang this song to the Lord on the day the Lord rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. He sang: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.”

2 Samuel 22:31 NLT
“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.”

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Lord, police officers’ days are filled with uncertainties and unknowns as they make quick and often life-changing or life-threatening decisions. Help them to be wise and invoke all their training and experience before moving or speaking. When they have the opportunity to investigate a situation before taking action and engaging, give them patience not to rush to judgment or anger.

If they discern a quick decision or movement is required, direct them to move swiftly but safely. If they need to wait for backup or ask for help, don’t let them be prideful or rash, but consider the best outcome for everyone involved.

For those who have a relationship with you, remind them that when in doubt you’re always there for them, “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” (James 1:5 NLT)

Guide them with their conscience and their code of conduct. Help them remember the protocol and give them the courage to do the next right thing for the best outcome.

When they need to take orders from their chain of command, give them humble but steady hearts and guard their words.

Give them compassion when they determine there is no ill intent but also a keen awareness for deception. Remind them that they may not have all the evidence to make a final decision. Help them to see the good in people, and don’t let their hearts become hardened and calloused by the challenging situations they encounter daily. Amen.

Psalm 119:125
I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.

Colossians 1:9 NLT
So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.

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Father you’ve so graciously given two families to every police officer: their personal or extended family and their professional family. 

To their personal families, please give strength to endure the demanding schedule of a police officer. Provide understanding and flexibility for the times when their officer isn’t available for special occasions because police officers’ shifts can be anytime day or night seven days a week, even on holidays, weekends, and birthdays. It’s disappointing when their officer has to work and they want him or her home.

Instill the family with compassion to not take it personally when he or she doesn’t want to talk about their work and give the family intuition to know when their officer needs the space to decompress when returning home.

May the family never minimize the significance of a police officer’s work. Let home be a place of solace when he or she returns safely but perhaps scarred by what they’ve seen and experienced.

Lord, it takes a special kind of love and patience to live with police officers. Remind the family members to pray for their officer daily and to let him or her know they’re prayed over, appreciated, and loved. 

Help family members to be alert and responsive when their officer is showing signs of stress, overwork, and trauma; and encourage them to seek help. Likewise, Father, surround the family with those who will notice the tenuous relationships that can develop within the family members.

Father, these precious and brave families make sacrifices few understand. Fill their homes with love, peace, joy, grace, and closeness because they support a police officer even at their own sacrifice.

Lord, every officer also has a close work-family bond. They’re a team who have each other’s backs and depend on one another for support, encouragement, skill, and camaraderie in facing the challenges of the job.

Lord, bring unity and synergy to these men and women as they guard each other’s lives while working together to keep the streets of their communities safe and free of crime.

Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Psalm 122:8
For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.”

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Father, to those who’ve been there, nothing compares to the heart-wrenching screams of “Officer down!” Except perhaps the torment of a family opening the door to see two fellow officers of their officer standing with grim faces and tears welling in their eyes as the family falls to its knees crying, “No, God, please no!

Or maybe you hear them wailing, “Why God, how could you do this when they were only trying to protect our community?” And even, “Lord where were you when they were dying?”

Lord, how does anyone comfort this family? Like Jeremiah, they wail, “My grief is beyond healing; my heart is broken” (Jeremiah 18:18 NLT). There are no human answers to satisfy or soothe their agonizing wounds of grief, anger, and sorrow.

Only you can Lord. Psalm 147:3 assures us that “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” And Psalm 34:18 NLT confirms, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.”

We beg of you to surround them with love. Bring others to their side who have experienced their pain and understand the deep ache in their heart and will pray with and for them. Keep away those who patronize and tell them everything will be all right, because for this family, it will never be all right again.

Father, you know the fellow officers who mourn with the family, especially those who were with the fallen officer. Remove from them the repeated nightmares of asking themselves what they could have done differently or why wasn’t it them in the coffin.

Lord you know, that the death of their fellow officer will always haunt them and the memory will never fade. Father guide them to the help they need to recover from what they’ve seen and don’t let it cause division among the unit or place any in danger with fear and hesitancy.

Guide them in keeping their focus on work when they’re on duty and help guard their minds from the “what-ifs” when they try to sleep at night. Help them rest and renew their resolve to do their job to the best of their ability.

Father, we know you mourn with both these families. Give them whatever they each need in their lives. Walk beside them Father. Draw them into your embrace and fill them with a peace that passes all understanding. For those who don’t know you, open their eyes to seek you, the only source of relief from their anguish. Let them feel your presence grieving with them. Your tears. Your hugs. Your love. Amen.

Proverbs 14:13 NLT
Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains.

Psalm 68:4-5
Sing to God, sing in praise of his name, extol him who rides on the clouds, rejoice before him—his name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.

We Honor Our Police Officers with Respect and Appreciation

Use respectful words when talking about and to police officers. Thank them for their service. Pray when you see police officers patrolling or a police car on the road.

Don’t simply pray for yourself that they don’t pull you over, but pray because you don’t know what awaits them the next time they do make a traffic stop. When you hear a siren, pray.

We never know when we, or our loved ones, might be the life they’re rushing to save.

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