Additional Short Phrases to Pray in Accordance with God's Will

The Psalter provides a treasury of short petitions that align with God's revealed will, many of which can be prayed verbatim or adapted for personal use. "Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions" ^[1] exemplifies the pattern: the psalmist grounds his request not in personal merit but in God's character and covenant faithfulness. This structure—appealing to God's own nature and promises—recurs throughout Scripture as the foundation for prayer that accords with divine will.

Petitions Rooted in God's Character

Several psalmic phrases anchor their requests in God's attributes. "I sought your favor with my whole heart. Be merciful to me according to your word" ^[2] demonstrates the principle that prayers aligned with God's revealed word carry inherent confidence. The phrase "according to your word" appears repeatedly in Psalm 119, signaling that the petitioner seeks nothing beyond what God has already promised ^{[2, 4]}. Similarly, "Let my supplication come before you. Deliver me according to your word" ^[4] frames deliverance not as a demand but as an appeal to God's own commitments. These petitions teach that praying in accordance with God's will means praying in accordance with his self-revelation—his character, his promises, and his purposes as disclosed in Scripture.

The topical index of prayers under affliction catalogs specific biblical petitions: "That God would consider our trouble," "For the presence and support of God," "That the Holy Spirit may not be withdrawn," "For divine comfort," "For mitigation of troubles," "For deliverance," "For pardon and deliverance from sin," "That we may be turned to God," and "For divine teaching and direction" ^[3]. Each category reflects a dimension of God's will already expressed in Scripture—his desire to comfort the afflicted, his readiness to forgive the penitent, his commitment to guide those who seek him.

Prayers for Spiritual Growth and Obedience

Petitions for conformity to God's commandments appear frequently in the Psalter. "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments" ^[13] requests not merely knowledge but enablement—the grace to walk in obedience. One Reformed commentator notes that this prayer seeks God to "work in me both to will and to do; give both ability and a willing mind to walk therein; by granting fresh supplies of grace, and more spiritual strength" ^[13]. The petition acknowledges human inability and divine sovereignty in sanctification, making it inherently aligned with God's will to conform believers to Christ's image.

Another petition combines longing with a request for spiritual vitality: "Behold, I have longed after thy precepts; quicken me in thy righteousness" ^[14]. The commentary tradition interprets "quicken me in thy righteousness" as a prayer for renewed life "in the way of righteousness, according to the word of righteousness, the Gospel, and with the righteousness of Christ revealed in it" ^[14]. This reading connects the Old Testament petition to New Testament theology, suggesting that prayers for spiritual quickening align with God's will to impart life through Christ's righteousness.

Seeking God's Presence and Kingdom

The act of seeking God himself constitutes prayer in accordance with his will, since Scripture commands such seeking. The topical entry on seeking God lists multiple dimensions: seeking his name, his word, his face, his strength, his commandments, his precepts, his kingdom, his righteousness, and Christ himself ^[9]. Each category reflects a biblical imperative, making prayers that express these desires inherently aligned with divine will. "His kingdom" and "his righteousness" appear as explicit objects of seeking in Jesus' teaching ^[9], establishing that prayers for the advancement of God's kingdom and the manifestation of his righteousness conform to his purposes.

Public prayer receives particular attention in the topical tradition, with the promise that God "promises to hear" and "promises to bless" in corporate worship ^[5]. Christ's presence sanctifies such gatherings, and he "promises answers" to united prayer ^[5]. The instruction that prayer "should not be made in an unknown language" ^[5] reflects the principle that prayer must be intelligible to the community, aligning with God's will for edification.

Praying Through Christ

Access to God in prayer comes "by Christ" and "by the Holy Spirit" ^[6]. This theological framework shapes how believers pray in accordance with God's will. Prayer is to be offered "through Christ" ^[7], establishing that alignment with God's will includes approaching the Father through the Son's mediation. The New Testament pattern shows Jesus himself submitting to the Father's will in prayer: when facing the cross, he prayed, "the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" ^[10]. This submission to the Father's will, even in suffering, models prayer that aligns with divine purposes rather than human preference.

The principle extends to the content of prayer. Those whose lives are "in harmony with Jesus" may ask for anything because "their prayers are controlled by his word" ^[15]. The controlling influence of Christ's word ensures that petitions remain within the bounds of God's revealed will. When prayers arise from abiding in Christ and his words abiding in the believer, they naturally align with divine purposes and "bring glory to God" ^[15].

Prayers for Glorifying God

Petitions that seek God's glory inherently accord with his will, since glorifying God constitutes a biblical command ^[8]. The topical entry lists multiple grounds for glorifying God: his holiness, mercy and truth, faithfulness, wondrous works, judgments, deliverance, and grace to others ^[8]. Prayers that acknowledge these attributes and seek their manifestation align with God's purpose to display his glory. The entry notes that glorifying God is "accomplished by relying on his promises" and "praising him" ^[8], suggesting that prayers expressing trust in God's promises and offering praise participate in his will.

One rabbinic interpretation of "May the Lord agree with me" glosses the phrase as "May He agree with my requests" ^[11], capturing the desire that one's petitions align with divine approval. This concern for alignment appears throughout the biblical prayer tradition, where petitioners ground their requests in God's character, appeal to his promises, and submit to his purposes. The reformers recognized this principle, noting that prayers using words "which God himself has put in your mouths" carry particular potency, since they reflect God's own revealed will ^[12].

Sources

Psalms “Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness. According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions. -- Psalms 51:1”
Psalms “I sought your favor with my whole heart. Be merciful to me according to your word. -- Psalms 119:58”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Affliction, Prayer Under — Exhortation to -- Jas 5:13. That God would consider our trouble -- 2Ki 19:16; Ne 9:32; Ps 9:13; La 5:1. For the presence and support of God -- Ps 10:1; 102:2. That the Holy Spirit may not be withdrawn -- Ps 51:11. For divine comfort -- Ps 4:6; 119:76. For mitigation of troubles -- Ps 39:12,13. For deliverance -- Ps 25:17,22; 39:10; Isa 64:9-12; Jer 17:14. For pardon and deliverance from sin -- Ps 39:8; 51:1; 79:8. That we may be turned to God -- Ps 80:7; 85:4-6; Jer 31:18. For divine teaching and direction -- Job 34:32; Ps 27:11; 143:10. Fo”
Psalms “Let my supplication come before you. Deliver me according to your word. -- Psalms 119:170”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer, Public — Acceptable to God -- Isa 56:7. God promises to hear -- 2Ch 7:14,16. God promises to bless in -- Ex 20:24. Christ Sanctifies by his presence. -- Mt 18:20. Attended. -- Mt 12:9; Lu 4:16. Promises answers to. -- Mt 18:19. Instituted form of -- Lu 11:2. Should not be made in an unknown language -- 1Co 14:14-16. Saints delight in -- Ps 42:4; 122:1. Exhortation to -- Heb 10:25. Urge others to join in -- Ps 95:6; Zec 8:21. Exemplified Joshua. -- Jos 7:6-9. David. -- 1Ch 29:10-19. Solomon. -- 2Ch 6:1-42. Jehoshaphat. -- 2Ch 20:5-13. Jeshua. -- Ne 9:1-38. Jew”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Access to God — Is of God -- Ps 65:4. Is by Christ -- Joh 10:7, 9; 14:6; Ro 5:2; Eph 2:13; 3:12; Heb 7:9, 25; 10:19; 1Pe 3:18. Is by the Holy Spirit -- Eph 2:18. Obtained through faith -- Ac 14:27; Ro 5:2; Eph 3:12; Heb 11:6. Follows upon reconciliation to God -- Col 1:21,22. In Prayer -- See Prayer. De 4:7; Mt 6:6; 1Pe 1:17. In his temple -- Ps 15:1; 27:4; 43:3; 65:4. To obtain mercy and grace -- Heb 4:16. A privilege of saints -- De 4:7; Ps 15:1; 23:6; 24:3,4. Saints have, with confidence -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16; 10:19,20. Vouchsafed to repenting sinners -- See Repen”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Glorifying God — Commanded -- 1Ch 16:28; Ps 22:23; Isa 42:12. Due to him -- 1Ch 16:29. For his Holiness. -- Ps 99:9; Re 15:4. Mercy and truth. -- Ps 115:1; Ro 15:9. Faithfulness and truth. -- Isa 25:1. Wondrous works. -- Mt 15:31; Ac 4:21. Judgments. -- Isa 25:3; Eze 28:22; Re 14:7. Deliverance. -- Ps 50:15. Grace to others. -- Ac 11:18; 2Co 9:13; Ga 1:24. Obligation of saints to -- 1Co 6:20. Is acceptable through Christ -- Php 1:11; 1Pe 4:11. Christ, an example of -- Joh 17:4. Accomplished by Relying on his promises. -- Ro 4:20. Praising him. -- Ps 50:23. Doing all ”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Seeking God — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7. Includes seeking His Name. -- Ps 83:16. His word. -- Isa 34:16. His face. -- Ps 27:8; 105:4. His strength. -- 1Ch 16:11; Ps 105:4. His commandments. -- 1Ch 28:8; Mal 2:7. His precepts. -- Ps 119:45,94. His kingdom. -- Mt 6:33; Lu 12:31. His righteousness. -- Mt 6:33. Christ. -- Mal 3:1; Lu 2:15,16. Honour which comes from him. -- Joh 5:44. Justification by Christ. -- Ga 2:16,17. The city which God has prepared. -- Heb 11:10,16; 13:14. By prayer -- Job 8:5; Da 9:3. In his house -- De 12:5; Ps 27:4. Should be Immediate. -- H”
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “John 18:11 cross-references: Psalms 75:8, Ezekiel 23:31, Matthew 20:22, Matthew 26:39, Matthew 26:42, Mark 10:38, Mark 14:35, Luke 12:30, Luke 22:42, John 11:41, John 12:27, John 15:10, John 17:24, John 18:36, John 20:17, Romans 8:15, 2 Corinthians 6:7, 2 Corinthians 10:4, Ephesians 6:11, Hebrews 12:2, Hebrews 12:5”
Sefaria (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki) on Psalms 138:8: May the Lord agree with me May He agree with my requests.”
Hosea (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hosea 14:2: Take with you words - And you may be assured that you pray aright, when you use the words which God himself has put in your mouths. On this very ground there is a potency in the Lord's Prayer, when offered up believingly, beyond what can be found in any human composition. And it may be presumed that it was this consideration that induced our reformers to introduce it so frequently in the public liturgy. See the order of God's directions here: - 1. Hearing these merciful invitations, believe them to be true. 2. Cast aside your idols; and return to God as your Maker, ”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:33: Make me to go in the path of thy commandments,.... Lead, guide, direct me in the path, and use me to it; work in me both to will and to do; give both ability and a willing mind to walk therein; by granting fresh supplies of grace, and more spiritual strength; by drawing with the cords of love, and by putting in him the good spirit of grace, to cause to walk in the statutes of the Lord, and keep his judgments and do them, Eze 36:27; for therein do I delight; in the law of God, after the inward man; in the commandments of Christ, which are not grievous; in wisdom's ”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:38: Behold, I have longed after thy precepts,.... After a greater degree of knowledge of them, and an opportunity of hearing them explained and enforced, and of yielding obedience to them; see Psa 119:7; quicken me in thy righteousness: in the way of righteousness, according to the word of righteousness, the Gospel, and with the righteousness of Christ revealed in it; and which is unto life, and quickens and comforts the heart, and from whence abundance of peace and joy flows.”
John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 15:7: 15:7 Those whose lives are in harmony with Jesus may ask for anything because their prayers are controlled by his word. Their prayers will be answered and bring glory to God (14:10-13).”

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