This is a short prayer before traveling, written for the hours before you leave home, whether you are heading across town, boarding a long flight, or driving a route you have taken a hundred times. Pray it at the door, in the car before you turn the key, or on the platform while you wait. You can read it aloud exactly as written or use it as a starting point and put your own worries into the words.
Short Prayer Before Traveling
Lord, you are already where I am going. Before I step out, I give you this trip: the roads, the sky, the other drivers, the pilots and mechanics, the strangers sharing my seat. Watch over the vehicle I am in and over the hands that steer it. Keep my attention sharp and my reactions quick, and if I am tired or rushed, slow me down before I hurry into harm.
I also bring you the people I am leaving and the people I am going to see. Keep my family safe while I am gone, and let them know they are on my mind. Give me patience with delays, kindness toward anyone who is short with me, and the good sense to ask for help when I need it. If the plans change, help me to stay calm and to trust that you are still in charge of the day.
Thank you for the journey and for every mile of it. Bring me home safely, and meet me in the ordinary moments along the way. Amen.
A Shorter Version to Pray in a Moment
Father, I am on my way, and I do not know what the next hours will bring. Keep me safe on the road and in the air, steady my hands and my mind, and watch over the people I love at home. Bring me where I need to go and bring me back again. Amen.
Scriptures to Pray Alongside
Psalm 121:7-8
7 The LORD will keep you from all evil. He will keep your soul. 8 The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in, from this time forward, and forever more.
(WEB)
Read this slowly before you leave, and let it remind you that your going out and coming in are both held by God. Pray the promise back to him and name the specific trip you are about to take.
Psalm 91:11
For he will put his angels in charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.
(WEB)
Let this verse shape your prayer for protection on the road or in the air. Thank God for the angels he sends, and ask him to guard your path in ways you cannot see.
Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and don’t lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
(WEB)
Use this verse when your plans feel uncertain or the route is unfamiliar. Ask God to direct each turn, each connection, and each decision you make while you are away.
Isaiah 41:10
Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
(WEB)
Pray this when fear rises at the thought of a long drive, an early flight, or a strange city. Remind yourself that God’s presence goes with you, and ask him to give you courage in the moment you need it.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them; for the LORD your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.”
(WEB)
Take this verse with you as a settled word for the trip. Ask God to make you strong and unafraid as you travel, and to remind you of his nearness when you feel alone in a crowd or a long wait.
How to Pray This Prayer
Try praying the full prayer in the car before you start the engine, or while you are sitting in the seat of the plane before takeoff. Keep your hands busy with something simple, like buckling your seatbelt, holding your bag, or resting your palms on the wheel, so the words have a physical place to land. If the trip is long, you can return to the shorter version at each stop.
You might also ask someone at home to pray the prayer with you over the phone, or to pray it for you while you are gone. Many people find it helpful to write the trip’s date and destination on the top of the page and to add the names of the people you will meet. Keep the prayer in your bag or on your phone so you can read it again on the return journey and give thanks that you arrived safely.
A Blessing to Close
May the Lord go before you and beside you and behind you on every road you travel. May he keep your going out and your coming in, guard your body and your heart, and bring you home to the people who are waiting for you.
