30 Bible Verses about Prayer, Persistence In

{To the chanter, a Psalm of David} I waited patiently for the LORD, and he inclined unto me, and heard my calling.

{A Psalm and song of the sons of Korah, to the Chanter upon Mahalath, to give thanks, an Instruction of Heman the Ezrahite} O LORD God my Savior, I have cried day and night before thee;

Seek the LORD and his strength: Seek his presence always!

that he hath inclined his ear unto me; therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

He put forth a similitude unto them, signifying that men ought always to pray, and not to be weary, saying, "There was a Judge in a certain city, which feared not God neither regarded man. And there was a certain widow in the same city, which came unto him saying, 'Avenge me of mine adversary.'read more.
And he would not for a while. But afterward he said unto himself, 'Though I fear not God, nor care for man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her: lest at the last she come, and hag on me.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge sayeth. And shall not God avenge his elect, which cry night and day unto him? Yea though he defer them: I tell you, he will avenge them, and that quickly. Nevertheless, when the son of man cometh, suppose ye that he shall find faith on the earth?"

And he said unto them, "If any of you should have a friend, and should go to him at midnight, and say unto him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine is come out of the way to me, and I have nothing to set before him': And he within should answer and say, 'Trouble me not, now is the door shut, and my servants are with me in the chamber, I cannot rise and give them to thee.'read more.
I say unto you, Though he would not arise and give him, because he is his friend: Yet because of his importunity he would rise and give him as many as he needed. "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh shall it be opened.

These all continued with one accord, in prayer, and supplication with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

And they continued in the Apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer.

and pray always with all manner prayer and supplication - and that in the spirit - and watch thereunto with all instance and supplication for all saints,

Rejoice in hope. Be patient in tribulation, continue in prayer.

Pray continually.

and drew near and said, "Wilt thou destroy the righteous with the wicked? If there be fifty righteous within the city, wilt thou destroy it and not spare the place for the sake of fifty righteous that are therein? That be far from thee, that thou shouldest do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, and that the righteous should be as the wicked: that be far from thee. Should not the Judge of all the world do according to right?"read more.
And the LORD said, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, I will spare all the place for their sakes." And Abraham answered and said, "Behold, I have taken upon me to speak unto the LORD, and yet am but dust and ashes. What though there lack five of fifty righteous, wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?" And he said, "If I find there forty and five I will not destroy them." And he spake unto him yet again, and said, "What if there be forty found there?" And he said, "I will not do it for forty's sake." And he said, "O let not my LORD be angry, that I speak. What if there be found thirty there?" And he said, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." And he said, "Oh, see, I have begun to speak unto my LORD, what if there be twenty found there?" And he said, "I will not destroy them for twenty's sake." And he said, "O let not my LORD be angry, that I speak yet, but even once more only. What if ten be found there?" And he said, "I will not destroy them for ten's sake." And the LORD went his way as soon as he had left communing with Abraham. And Abraham returned unto his place.

and tarried behind; himself alone. And there wrestled a man with him unto the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he could not prevail against him, he smote him under the thigh, and the sinew of Jacob's thigh shrank as he wrestled with him. And he said, "Let me go, for the day breaketh." And he said, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."read more.
And he said unto him, "What is thy name?" He answered, "Jacob." And he said, "Thou shalt be called Jacob no more, but Israel. For thou hast wrestled with God and with men and hast prevailed." And Jacob asked him, saying, "Tell me thy name." And he said, "Wherefore dost thou ask after my name?" And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, "for I have seen God face to face, and yet is my life reserved." And as he went over Peniel, the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh. Wherefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew that shrank under the thigh, unto this day: because that he smote Jacob under the thigh in the sinew that shrank.

And I fell before the LORD, forty days and forty nights which I lay there, for the LORD was minded to have destroyed you. But I made intercession unto the LORD and said, 'O Lord Jehovah, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance which thou hast delivered through thy greatness and which thou hast brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember thy servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and look not unto the stubbornness of this people nor unto their wickedness and sin:read more.
lest the land whence thou broughtest them say: Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them and because he hated them, therefore he carried them out to destroy them in the wilderness. Moreover, they are thy people and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out with thy mighty power and with thy stretched out arm.'

And Moses went again unto the LORD and said, "O, this people have sinned a great sin and have made them a god of gold: Yet forgive them their sin, I pray thee: If not, wipe me out of thy book which thou hast written."

And she was troubled in her spirits, and prayed unto the LORD and wept sore, and vowed a vow and said, "LORD of Hosts, if thou wilt look on the wretchedness of thine handmaid and shalt remember me and not forget thine handmaid, and shalt give unto thine handmaid a man child I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life and there shall neither razor or shears come upon his head."

Elijah was a man, mortal even as we are, and he prayed in his prayer, that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And again he prayed, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

And when offering time was come, Elijah the prophet went to and said, "LORD God of Abraham, Isaac and of Israel, let it be known this day, that thou art the God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I do all these things at thy commandment. Hear me, O LORD; hear me, that this people may know, that thou LORD, art the God, and that thou hast turned their hearts backward." And there fell fire from the LORD and consumed the sacrifice and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the gutter.read more.
And when all the people saw that, they fell on their faces and said, "The LORD, he is God, the LORD, he is God." Then said Elijah unto them, "Lay hands on the Prophets of Baal - let not one of them escape." And when they had taken them, Elijah brought them down unto the brook Kishon, and slew them there. Then Elijah said unto Ahab, "Get thee up and eat and drink, for there is a sound of much rain." And when Ahab went up to eat and to drink, Elijah went up to the top of mount Carmel; and bowed himself to the earth, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, "Go up and look toward the sea." And he went up and looked, and said, "Here is nothing." And he said, "Go again seven times." And the seventh time he said, "Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like the palm of a man's hand." Then he said, "Go and say to Ahab, 'Put the horses in the chariot, and get thee down that the rain stop thee not.'"

{A Psalm and song of the sons of Korah, to the Chanter upon Mahalath, to give thanks, an Instruction of Heman the Ezrahite} O LORD God my Savior, I have cried day and night before thee; O let my prayer enter into thy presence. Incline thine ear unto my calling. For my soul is full of trouble, and my life draweth nigh unto hell.read more.
I am counted as one of them that go down into the pit, and I am even as a man that hath no strength; free among the dead, like unto them that lie in the grave, which be out of remembrance, and are cut away from thy hand. 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. My sight faileth for very trouble: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched forth my hands unto thee. Dost thou show wonders among the dead? Can the Physicians raise them up again, that they may praise thee? Selah. May thy loving-kindness be showed in the grave? Or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wondrous works be known in the dark? Or thy righteousness in the land where all things are forgotten? Unto thee have I cried, O LORD, and early shall my prayer come before thee. LORD, why abhorrest thou my soul, and hidest thou thy face from me? I am in misery, and like unto him that is at the point to die; even from my youth up, thy terrors have I suffered with a troubled mind. Thy wrathful displeasure goeth over me; and the fear of thee hath undone me. They came round about me daily like water, and compassed me together on every side. My lovers and friends hast thou put away from me, and hid mine acquaintance out of my sight.

Early in the morning do I cry unto thee; for in thy word is my trust. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might be occupied in thy words. Hear my voice, O LORD, according unto thy loving-kindness; quicken me, as thou art wont.

{A song of the stairs} Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice. O let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint. If thou, LORD wilt be extreme to mark what is done amiss, O LORD who may abide it?read more.
But there is mercy with thee, that thou mayest be feared. I look for the LORD; my soul doth wait for him, and in his word is my trust. My soul fleeth unto the LORD before the morning watch, I say, before the morning watch.

saying, "Father if thou wilt, withdraw this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will; But thine be fulfilled." And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, comforting him. And he was in agony, and prayed somewhat longer: And his sweat was like drops of blood, trickling down to the ground.

Then went Jesus with them into a place, which is called Gethsemane, and said unto the disciples, "Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder." And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to wax sorrowful and to be in agony. Then said Jesus unto them, "My soul is heavy even unto the death. Tarry ye here: and watch with me."read more.
And he went away a little apart, and fell flat on his face, and prayed, saying, "O my father, if it possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." And he came unto the disciples, and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye fall not into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." He went away once more, and prayed, saying, "O my father, if this cup cannot pass away from me, but that I drink of it, thy will be fulfilled." And he came, and found them asleep again. For their eyes were heavy.

And they came into a place named Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, "Sit ye here while I go apart and pray." And he took with him Peter, James, and John, and he began to wax abashed and to be in an agony. And said unto them, "My soul is very heavy even unto the death, tarry here and watch."read more.
And he went forth a little and fell down on the ground and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, "Abba father, all things are possible unto thee, take away this cup from me. Nevertheless, not that I will, but that thou wilt be done." And he came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, sleepest thou? Couldest not thou watch with me one hour? Watch ye, and pray, lest ye enter into temptation: the spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak." And again he went away and prayed, and spake the same words. And he returned and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy: neither could they wist what they might answer to him.

Nevertheless, I will look up unto the LORD; I will patiently abide God my saviour: my God shall hear me.

O tarry thou the LORD's leisure. Be strong, and he shall comfort thine heart; and put thou thy trust in the LORD.

Let our soul patiently abide the LORD, for he is our help and shield.

Hold thee still in the LORD, and abide patiently upon him: but grieve not thyself at one that hath prosperity, and liveth in abomination.

For in thee, O LORD, is my trust; thou shalt hear me, O LORD my God.

Therefore, LORD, we have a respect unto the way of thy judgments; thy name and thy remembrance rejoice the soul.