27 Bible Verses about Prayer, Doubts About

Moses returned unto the LORD and said, "LORD wherefore dealest thou cruelly with this people: and wherefore hast thou sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath fared foul with this folk, and yet thou hast not delivered thy people at all."

And Abram answered, "LORD Jehovah, what wilt thou give me? I go childless, and the cater of mine house, this Eliezer of Damascus, hath a son." And Abram said, "See, to me hast thou given no seed: lo, a lad born in my house shall be mine heir!"

And Joshua said, "Ah, Lord Jehovah, wherefore hast thou brought this people over Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? Would to God we had adventured and dwelt on the other side Jordan. Oh Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies? Moreover, the Canaanites, and all the inhabiters of the land shall hear of it, and shall come about us and destroy the name of us out of the world. And then what wilt thou do unto thy mighty name?"

And Moses said unto the LORD, "Wherefore dealest thou so cruelly with thy servant? Wherefore do I not find favour in thy sight, seeing that thou puttest the weight of this people upon me? Have I conceived all this people, or have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, 'Carry them in thy bosom, as a nurse beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers?' Where should I have flesh to give unto all this people? For they weep unto me saying, 'Give us flesh that we may eat.'read more.
I am not able to bear all this people alone, for it is too heavy for me. Wherefore, if thou deal thus with me; kill me, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thy sight: and let me not see my wretchedness."

And he went a day's journey into the wilderness, and when he was come sat down under a Juniper tree, and desired for his soul, that he might die, and said, "It is now enough, O LORD, take my soul; for I am not better than my fathers."

"O LORD," said I then, "thou knowest all things. Therefore remember me, and visit me, deliver me from my persecutors: Receive not my cause in thy long wrath; yet thou knowest, that for thy sake I suffer rebuke. When I had found thy words, I ate them up greedily: they have made my heart joyful and glad, for I call upon thy name, O LORD God of Hosts. I dwell not among the council of scorners, neither is my delight therein: but I dwell only in the fear of thy hand, for thou hast filled me with bitterness.read more.
Shall my heaviness endure forever? Are my plagues then so great, that they may never be healed? Wilt thou be as a water that faileth, and cannot continue?"

O LORD, thou makest me weak, but thou refreshest me, and makest me strong again. All the day long am I despised, and laughed to scorn of every man: because I have now preached long against malicious Tyranny, and showed them of destruction. For the which cause they cast the word of the LORD in my teeth, and take me ever to the worst. Wherefore, I thought from henceforth not to speak of him, nor to preach anymore in his name. But the word of the LORD was a very burning fire in my heart and in my bones, which when I would have stopped, I might not.

Therefore Jonah was sore discontent and angry. And he prayed unto the LORD and said, "O LORD, was not this my saying when I was yet in my country? And therefore I hasted rather to flee to Tarshish: for I knew well enough that thou wast a merciful god, full of compassion long before thou be angry, and of great mercy and repentest when thou art come to take punishment. Now therefore take my life from me, for I had better die than live."

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli Eli lama sabacthani?" That is to say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabacthani," which is, if it be interpreted, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

{To the Chanter, upon Aijeleth of the dawning, a Psalm of David} My God, my God: why hast thou forsaken me, and art so far from my health and from the words of my complaint?

and will say unto God: O do not condemn me; but show me the cause, wherefore thou contendest so with me. Thinkest thou it well done, to oppress me, to cast me off - being a work of thine hands - and to maintain the counsel of the ungodly? Hast thou fleshly eyes then, or doest thou look as a man looketh?read more.
Are thy days as the days of man, and thy years as man's years, that thou makest such inquisition for my wickedness, and searchest out my sin? Whereas, notwithstanding, thou knowest that I am no wicked person, and that there is no man able to deliver me out of thine hand. "Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me altogether round about. Wilt thou then destroy me suddenly? O remember, I beseech thee, how that thou madest me of the mould of the earth, and shalt bring me into dust again. Hast thou not turned me, as it were milk: and turned me to cruddes like cheese? Thou hast covered me with skin and flesh, and joined me together with bones and sinews. Thou hast granted me life, and done me good: and the diligent heed that thou tookest upon me hath preserved my spirit. Though thou hidest these things in thine heart, yet am I sure that thou rememberest them all. "If I did sin, thou haddest an eye unto me, and shalt not declare me innocent because of mine offense. If I have done wickedly, woe is me therefore. If I have done righteously, yet dare I not lift up my head; so full am I of confusion, and see mine own misery. Thou huntest me out, being in heaviness, as it were a lion, and troublest me out of measure. Thou bringest fresh witnesses against me, and thy wrath increasest thou upon me; very many are the plagues that I am in. Wherefore hast thou brought me out of my mother's womb? O that I had perished, and that no eye had seen me. If they had carried me to my grave as soon as I was born, then should I be now, as though I had never been. Shall not my short life come so soon to an end? O hold thee from me, let me alone, that I may ease myself a little before I go thither, from whence I shall not turn again. Namely, to that land of darkness and shadow of death: yea, into a land as dark as darkness itself, and into the shadow of death where is none order; but light there is as darkness."

Nevertheless, grant me two things, and then will I not hide myself from thee. Withdraw thine hand from me, and let not the fearful dread of thee make me afraid. And then send for me to the law, that I may answer for myself: or else, let me speak, and give thou the answer.read more.
"How great are my misdeeds and sins? Let me know my transgressions and offenses. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? Wilt thou be so cruel and extreme unto a flying leaf, and follow upon dry stubble? For thou layest sharply to my charge, and punisheth me, for the sins of my youth. Thou hast put my foot in the stocks: thou lookest narrowly unto all my paths, and markest the steps of my feet.

Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of divers miseries. He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He flyeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one state. Doest thou open thine eyes upon such one, and bringest me in thy judgment?read more.
Who can make it clean, that cometh from an unclean thing? Nobody. The days of man are short, the number of his months are known only to thee. Thou hast appointed him his bounds; he cannot go beyond them. Go from him, that he may rest until his day come: which he looketh for, like as a hireling doth. "If a tree be cut down, there is some hope yet, that it will sprout and shoot forth the branches again; For though a root be waxen old and dead in the ground, yet when the stock getteth the scent of water, it will bud, and bring forth bows, like as when it was first planted. But as for man; when he is dead, perished and consumed away, what becometh of him? The floods when they be dried up, and the rivers when they be empty, are filled again through the flowing waters of the sea: but when man sleepeth, he riseth not again, until the heaven perish: he shall not wake up nor rise out of his sleep. O that thou wouldest keep me, and hide me in the hell, until thy wrath were stilled: and to appoint me a time, wherein thou mightest remember me. May a dead man live again? All the days of this my pilgrimage am I looking, till my changing shall come. If thou wouldest but call me, I should obey thee: only despise not the work of thine own hands. "For thou hast numbered all my goings, yet be not thou too extreme upon my sins. Thou hast sealed up mine offenses, as it were in a bag: but be merciful unto my wickedness. The mountains fall away at the last, the rocks are removed out of their place; the waters pierce through the very stones by little and little, the floods wash away the gravel and the earth. Even so destroyest thou the hope of man in like manner. Thou prevailest against him, so that he passeth away; thou changes his estate, and puttest him from thee. Whether his children come to worship or no, he cannot tell: And if they be men of low degree, he knoweth not. While he liveth, his flesh must have travail: And while the soul is in him, he must be in sorrow."

{To the Chanter, a Psalm of David} How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? Forever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I seek counsel in my soul, and be so vexed in my heart? How long shall mine enemies triumph over me?

I will say unto God my strength, "Why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I thus heavily, while the enemy oppresseth me?" My bones are smitten asunder as with a sword, while mine enemies that trouble me cast me in the teeth, daily saying unto me, "Where is now thy God?"

For thy sake also we are killed all the day long, and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain. Arise, LORD! Why sleepest thou? Awake, and be not absent from us forever. Wherefore hidest thou thy face? Wilt thou clean forget our misery and oppression?read more.
For our soul is brought low, even unto the dust; and our belly cleaveth unto the ground. Arise, O LORD, and help us; and deliver us for thy mercy's sake.

Will the LORD absent himself forever? Will he be no more intreated? Is his mercy clean gone? Is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Or, hath he shut up his loving-kindness in displeasure? Selah.

O LORD God of Hosts, how long wilt thou be angry over the prayer of thy people? Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears, yea thou hast given them plenteousness of tears to drink. Thou hast made us a very strife unto our neighbours, and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in a place of darkness and in the deep. Thine indignation lieth hard upon me, and thou hast vexed me with all thy floods. Selah. Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me, and made me to be abhorred of them. I am so fast in prison that I cannot get forth.read more.
My sight faileth for very trouble: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched forth my hands unto thee.

O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear? How long shall I complain unto thee, suffering wrong, and thou wilt not help? Why lettest thou me see weariness and labour? Tyranny and violence are before me, power overgoeth right:

And Abram answered, "LORD Jehovah, what wilt thou give me? I go childless, and the cater of mine house, this Eliezer of Damascus, hath a son." And Abram said, "See, to me hast thou given no seed: lo, a lad born in my house shall be mine heir!" And behold, the word of the LORD spake unto Abram saying, "He shall not be thine heir, but one that shall come out of thine own body shall be thine heir."read more.
And he brought him out at the doors and said, "Look up unto heaven and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them." And said unto him, "Even so shall thy seed be."

Then the LORD said unto Moses, "Now shalt thou see what I will do unto Pharaoh, for with a mighty hand shall he let them go, and with a mighty hand shall he drive them out of his land." And God spake unto Moses, saying unto him, "I am the LORD, and I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob an Almighty God: but in my name Jehovah was I not known unto them.read more.
Moreover, I made an covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan: the land of their pilgrimage wherein they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, because the Egyptians keep them in bondage, and have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and will rid you out of their bondage, and will deliver you with a stretched-out arm and with great judgments. And I will take you for my people and will be to you a God. And ye shall know that I am the LORD your God which brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you unto the land over the which I did lift up my hand to give it unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and will give it unto you for a possession: even I the LORD.'"

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and altogether how he had slain the Prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, "So do God to me, and so thereto, except I make thy soul like one of theirs by tomorrow this time." When he saw that, he arose and went for his life, and came to Beersheba in Judah, and left his lad there.read more.
And he went a day's journey into the wilderness, and when he was come sat down under a Juniper tree, and desired for his soul, that he might die, and said, "It is now enough, O LORD, take my soul; for I am not better than my fathers." And as he lay and slept under the Juniper tree, behold, there came an Angel and touched him, and said unto him, "Up and eat." And he looked about him: and see, there was a loaf of broiled bread and a cruse of water at his head. And he ate and drank and laid him down again to sleep. And the Angel of the LORD came again the second time and touched him, and said, "Up and eat, for thou hast a long Journey to go." And he arose and did eat and drink and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights, unto Horeb the mount of God,

Moreover, God spake unto Job, and said, "Can he that striveth with the Almighty be at rest? Should not he which disputeth with God, give him an answer?" Job answered the LORD, saying,read more.
"Behold, I am too vile a person to answer thee, therefore will I lay my hand upon my mouth. Once or twice have I spoken, but I will say no more." Then spake the LORD unto Job out of the storm, and said, Gird up thy loins like a man, and tell me the things that I will ask thee. Wilt thou disannul my judgment? Or wilt thou condemn me, that thou thyself mayest be made righteous? Is thine arm then like the arm of God? Maketh thy voice such a sound as his doth?

Upon these words, thus said the LORD unto me, "If thou wilt turn again, I shall set thee in my service: and if thou wilt take out the thing that is precious from the vile, thou shalt be even as mine own mouth. They shall convert unto thee, but turn not thou unto them: and so shall I make thee a strong wall of steel against this people. They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail. For I myself will be with thee, to help thee, and deliver thee, sayeth the LORD. And I will rid thee out of the hands of the wicked, and deliver thee out of the hand of Tyrants."

Behold among the Heathen, and look well: wonder at it, and be abashed: For I will do a thing in your time, which though it be told you, ye shall not believe. For lo, I will raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and swift people: which shall go as wide as the land is, to take possession of dwelling places that be not their own. A grim and boisterous people is it, these shall sit in judgment and punish.read more.
Their horses are swifter than the cats of the mountain, and bite sorer than the wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come by great heaps from far, they flee hastily to devour as the Eagle. They come all to spoil: out of them cometh an east wind, which bloweth and gathereth their captives, like as the sand. They shall mock the kings, and laugh the princes to scorn. They shall not set by any strong hold, for they shall lay ordinance against it, and take it. Then shall they take a fresh courage unto them, to go forth and do more evil, and so ascribe that power unto their God.