When someone you love is nearing the end of life, words can feel impossible. A prayer for a dying person gives you something simple to hold onto, a way to offer comfort, peace, and love when little else can be done.
These powerful prayers for a dying person, paired with Bible verses, are short and gentle. Say them aloud at the bedside, silently in the hallway, or together as a family.
What Are Prayers for a Dying Person?
Prayers for the dying are short, trusting words that commend a person into God’s care, ask for peace and relief from fear and pain, and offer strength to the family keeping watch.
These prayers often move through three themes: comfort in the present, peace about what lies ahead, and support for those who stay. Traditions differ, so use the words that fit the person’s faith, and lean on a pastor, priest, rabbi, or hospice chaplain if you can.
Bible Verses for a Dying Person
Bible Verses on Comfort, Peace, and Hope
Psalm 23:4 says, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.” Psalm 34:18 promises, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.”
John 14:27 offers, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” Revelation 21:4 says, “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
Scripture is quoted from the King James Version (KJV).
A Short Prayer for a Dying Person
“Lord, hold this dear soul in Your loving arms. Take away fear and pain, fill these hours with Your peace, and lead them safely home into Your eternal rest. Amen.”
Prayers for a Dying Person with Bible Verses
Prayer 1: Short Prayer for a Peaceful Death
“Gentle Shepherd, walk with them through this valley. Let every breath be calm, and keep fear far from this room.”
This prayer echoes Psalm 23:4, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me.”
Action Item: Say this prayer softly at the bedside.
Prayer 2: Prayer for Someone Dying of Cancer
“Lord, You see every ache this illness has brought. Ease their pain, steady their heart, and hold them close.”
This prayer rests on Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.”
Action Item: Say this prayer after a hard treatment day or when pain flares.
Prayer 3: Catholic Prayer for the Dying
“Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend this soul. Lord Jesus, receive their spirit.”
This traditional prayer follows Luke 23:46, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
Action Item: Pray alongside a priest or chaplain, leaving gentle moments of silence between lines.
Prayer 4: Prayer for Someone Dying in Hospital
“God of comfort, be present in this hospital room. Guide every nurse and doctor, and wrap Your peace around this bed.”
This prayer draws on Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee.”
Action Item: Say this prayer quietly when visiting hours end.
Prayer 5: Short Prayer for the Dead
“Lord, receive the one we have lost into Your mercy. Let them rest in Your light and Your peace.”
This prayer reflects Revelation 14:13, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.”
Action Item: Say this prayer when you first hear the news of a death.
Prayer 6: Catholic Prayer for the Soul to Rest in Peace
“May the soul of our loved one, and the souls of all the faithful departed, rest in peace through the mercy of God. Amen.”
This prayer asks for the peace Jesus promises in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you.”
Action Item: Say this prayer at the end of a rosary or when offering a Mass intention.
Prayer 7: Prayer for a Hospice Patient and Family
“Lord, bless this hospice patient with rest and dignity. Bless the family keeping watch and the caregivers who serve with love.”
This prayer leans on Matthew 11:28, “I will give you rest.”
Action Item: Say this prayer with the hospice team or during the quiet hours of the night.
Prayer 8: Prayer for the Family of a Dying Person
“Father, give this family strength for the days ahead. Help them say what needs to be said, and hold them through every tear.”
This prayer rests on Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Action Item: Pray together before a hospital or hospice visit.
Prayer 9: Final Prayer for a Dying Person
“Lord Jesus, as the final hour draws near, receive Your child with love and welcome them home.”
This prayer echoes 2 Corinthians 5:8, “absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
Action Item: Say this prayer when the end seems close.
Prayer 10: First of the Three Little Prayers
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul.”
This is the first of the three short Catholic prayers traditionally said for the dying, and it reflects Psalm 31:5, “Into thine hand I commit my spirit.”
Action Item: Repeat it slowly with the dying person, one line at a time.
Prayer 11: Second of the Three Little Prayers
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony.”
This prayer asks for help at the hardest moment, in the spirit of Psalm 121:2, “My help cometh from the Lord.”
Action Item: Say this prayer when pain or distress feels heavy.
Prayer 12: Third of the Three Little Prayers
“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.”
This prayer closes the set with a request for peace, echoing Psalm 4:8, “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep.”
Action Item: Say this prayer as the last words of the evening.
Prayer 13: Jewish Prayer for a Dying Person
“Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
In Jewish tradition, the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) is traditionally said near the end of life, often alongside a prayer of confession.
Action Item: Ask a rabbi or chaplain how the family can honor the person’s wishes.
Prayer 14: Psalm 23 Prayer
“Lord, You are my shepherd, I lack nothing. Lead me beside still waters and walk with me all the way home.”
This prayer is based on Psalm 23:1, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Action Item: Read Psalm 23 aloud, slowly, at the bedside.
Prayer 15: Prayer for Freedom From Fear
“Father, take away the fear of dying. Give them courage and a quiet heart.”
This prayer draws on 2 Timothy 1:7, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear.”
Action Item: Say this prayer when anxiety rises at night.
Prayer 16: Prayer for Forgiveness and Reconciliation
“Lord, forgive what needs forgiving and heal what is broken. Let peace fill these last days.”
This prayer rests on 1 John 1:9, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.”
Action Item: Say this prayer before a difficult, healing conversation.
Prayer 17: Prayer for Comfort and Relief From Pain
“Merciful God, ease every pain. Wipe away their tears and give them rest.”
This prayer reflects Revelation 21:4, “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.”
Action Item: Say this prayer when medication is adjusted or pain is hard to manage.
Prayer 18: Prayer for the Hope of Heaven
“Father, thank You for the home You are preparing. Fill their heart with the hope of heaven.”
This prayer draws on John 14:2, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.”
Action Item: Say this prayer when they ask what comes next.
Prayer 19: Eternal Rest Prayer
“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.”
This traditional prayer for the departed holds onto John 11:25, “I am the resurrection, and the life.”
Action Item: Say this prayer after a funeral or on an anniversary of their death.
Prayer 20: Closing Prayer for a Dying Person
“Lord, we place our loved one in Your hands. Nothing can separate them from Your love. Amen.”
This closing prayer rests on Romans 8:39, nothing shall “separate us from the love of God.”
Action Item: Say this prayer as you leave the room for the night.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How to say a prayer for someone who is dying?
Speak softly and keep it short, using simple words, a favorite psalm, or the Our Father. Match the person’s own faith, and leave gentle silence between lines.
What are the three little prayers for the dying?
In Catholic tradition they are: “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul,” “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony,” and “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you.”
What is a good final prayer for a dying person?
“Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46) is widely used, often followed by “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
How to pray for someone who has died?
Catholic and Orthodox traditions often pray “Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord,” while many Protestant traditions give thanks for the person’s life and pray for comfort for those grieving.
Sophia Bennett is the founder, author, and content researcher behind StGertrudePrayer.com. She shares meaningful prayers, heartfelt wishes, and inspiring blessings to help readers strengthen faith, find encouragement, and celebrate life’s special moments with spiritual guidance and hope.