Adoration: Key Bible Verses, Powerful Examples, and More

Have you ever felt like you just wanted to enjoy God’s presence? That’s adoration. Prayers of adoration are wonderful, but if you are like me, then you can quickly get into feeling like you are going through the motions or running out of things to praise God for. That’s impossible. But that’s also where examples can help.

Examples of prayers of adoration can be found everywhere. The Bible is filled with examples that teach us to pray with faith and love. Our liturgies and songs throughout history can inspire new prayers of adoration. So, whether you are praying before the blessed sacrament or writing your own prayers, examples abound.

Are you ready to be inspired and wonder about God’s character through examples of prayers adoration that fill the pages of Scripture and history? From them, you can wonder anew and praise Him from whom all blessings flow.

Bible Verses about Prayers of Adoration

Adoration is is simply worship. So prayers of adoration involve an intense admiration and wonder of God’s character and nature. As such the Bible is full of adoration to God. Here is a list of Bible verses that will lead to wonder about God’s character and can inspire your own prayers of adoration.

Category	Bible Verses

God’s Glory and Holiness

Psalm 96:8-9, Isaiah 6:3, Revelation 4:11, Psalm 145:3

God’s Creative Power

Psalm 33:6-9, Romans 1:20, Job 38:4-7, Colossians 1:16-17

God’s Greatness and Strength

1 Chronicles 16:25-27, Psalm 47:2, Psalm 145:6, Psalm 96:4-6

God’s Holiness and Majesty

Psalm 29:2, Exodus 15:11, Psalm 104:1-2, 1 Timothy 6:15-16

God’s Supreme Reign

Psalm 47:2, Psalm 93:1-2, 1 Chronicles 16:31-33

God’s Uniqueness and Power

Jeremiah 10:6-7, Isaiah 40:28, Psalm 113:5-6

God’s Goodness and Righteousness

Psalm 145:6-7, Psalm 111:2-4, Psalm 103:8-13, Nahum 1:7

God’s Perfection and Justice

Deuteronomy 32:3-4, Psalm 19:7-9, Psalm 18:30

God’s Kingdom and Mighty Acts

Psalm 145:10-12, Matthew 6:9-13, Revelation 11:15

Jesus’ Divine Nature

Hebrews 1:3, John 1:14, Colossians 2:9-10

Of course, there are many more verses in the Bible that focuses on adoring God. For a more complete list, check out this list of Bible verses for worship and adoration.

And if you want to explore more of God’s character and nature on your own, then check out this article where I go in-depth on answering the question “Who is God?” It’s a biblical look at what God says about Himself and His character.

Examples of Prayers of Adoration

Prayers of adoration have occurred since God created Adam and Eve. No matter one’s Christian traditions, adoration of God permeates Christian life and practice. It is God, after all, who is the author and sustainer of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). So let’s continue to explore examples of adoration found throughout history and in the pages of Scripture.

Historical Examples

In liturgical churches, the liturgy is filled with constant calls to praise, adore, and worship God. Perhaps you have heard some of these phrases in Church,

• “Blessed be God”
• “lift up your hearts”
• “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…”
• “Come, let us adore him.”
• “Come, let us bow down and bend the knee, and kneel before the Lord our Maker.”

These are all calls to take time to wonder in God’s presence and praise Him for what He has done. Our songs, too, are filled with calls to praise and adore God. Do these songs ring a bell?

• “O for a thousand tongues to sing / My great Redeemer’s praise, / The glories of my God and King, / The triumphs of His grace!”
• “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; / Praise Him, all creatures here below; / Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; / Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”
• “Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee, /How great Thou art, how great Thou art!”

Next time you are at church pay attention to the words said during the liturgy and/or sung during the service and see how you are being led to wonder and adore God.

Biblical Examples

As we’ve seen prayers, of adoration focus on honoring God. Here are some key prayers of adoration found in the Bible.

1. The Prayer of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1-10)

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;
    in the Lord my horn is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
    for I delight in your deliverance.

“There is no one holy like the Lord;
    there is no one besides you;
    there is no Rock like our God.

“Do not keep talking so proudly
    or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the Lord is a God who knows,
    and by him deeds are weighed.

“The bows of the warriors are broken,
    but those who stumbled are armed with strength.
Those who were full hire themselves out for food,
    but those who were hungry are hungry no more.
She who was barren has borne seven children,
    but she who has had many sons pines away.

“The Lord brings death and makes alive;
    he brings down to the grave and raises up.
 The Lord sends poverty and wealth;
    he humbles and he exalts.
 He raises the poor from the dust
    and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes
    and has them inherit a throne of honor.

“For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s;
    on them he has set the world.

 He will guard the feet of his faithful servants,
    but the wicked will be silenced in the place of darkness.

“It is not by strength that one prevails;
 those who oppose the Lord will be broken.
The Most High will thunder from heaven;
    the Lord will judge the ends of the earth.

“He will give strength to his king
    and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

2. Moses’ Song of Praise (Exodus 15:1-18)

Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord,
    for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver
    he has hurled into the sea.

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
    my father’s God, and I will exalt him.
 The Lord is a warrior;
    the Lord is his name.
 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army
    he has hurled into the sea.
The best of Pharaoh’s officers
    are drowned in the Red Sea.
 The deep waters have covered them;
    they sank to the depths like a stone.
 Your right hand, Lord,
    was majestic in power.
Your right hand, Lord,
    shattered the enemy.

 “In the greatness of your majesty
    you threw down those who opposed you.
You unleashed your burning anger;
    it consumed them like stubble.
 By the blast of your nostrils
    the waters piled up.
The surging waters stood up like a wall;
    the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
 The enemy boasted,
    ‘I will pursue, I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;
    I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
    and my hand will destroy them.’
 But you blew with your breath,
    and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
    in the mighty waters.

 Who among the gods
    is like you, Lord?
Who is like you—
    majestic in holiness,
awesome in glory,
    working wonders?

 “You stretch out your right hand,
    and the earth swallows your enemies.
 In your unfailing love you will lead
    the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
    to your holy dwelling.
The nations will hear and tremble;
    anguish will grip the people of Philistia.
 The chiefs of Edom will be terrified,
    the leaders of Moab will be seized with trembling,
the people of Canaan will melt away;
 terror and dread will fall on them.
By the power of your arm
    they will be as still as a stone—
until your people pass by, Lord,
    until the people you bought pass by.
You will bring them in and plant them
    on the mountain of your inheritance—
the place, Lord, you made for your dwelling,
    the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established.

“The Lord reigns
    for ever and ever.”

3. David’s Prayer of Adoration (1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

“Praise be to you, Lord,
    the God of our father Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    you are exalted as head over all.
Wealth and honor come from you;
    you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all.
Now, our God, we give you thanks,
    and praise your glorious name.

4. Daniel’s Prayer of Adoration (Daniel 2:20-23)

“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;
    wisdom and power are his.
 He changes times and seasons;
    he deposes kings and raises up others.
He gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to the discerning.
He reveals deep and hidden things;
    he knows what lies in darkness,
    and light dwells with him.
I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:
    You have given me wisdom and power,
you have made known to me what we asked of you,
    you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

5. Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55)

If you want to know what we can learn from this powerful prayer of adoration, then be sure to check out this post that will show you how you can pray in faith like Mary.

6. Zechariah’s Benedictus (Luke 1:68-79)

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us—
to show mercy to our ancestors
    and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve him without fear
 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

If you want to learn more about Zechariah’s Benedictus, then check out this post that will teach you how you can pray in love. It’ll show you exactly what you can praise and worship God for.

7. The Prayer of the Angels (Revelation 5:11-14)

 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
    be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Prayers of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament

Biblically, a time of reflection, confession, and adoration should be prior to the Lord’s supper, or Eucharist. This provides an excellent time to slow down and enter God’s presence with reverence. Here a few powerful prayers of adoration you can pray before the blessed sacrament.

What I love about this prayer is its focus on the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. That’s the gospel and should always be our focus. After all, it’s Jesus who transforms our lives. And participating in the Lord’s supper serves as a time to remember the transforming power of the gospel and praise God for it, while looking forward to His return.

Another great prayer to pray before the blessed sacrament is

Laud, O Sion, thy Salvation
Laud in songs of exultation
this thy Shepherd and thy King:
All thy might in triumph raising
Praise Him Who surpasses praising
Far beyond thine honouring.

Be our theme of high thanksgiving
Living Bread and source of living
Set to-day before us here:-
Broken at that Supper blessed,
As by every mouth confessed,
For the brethren gathered there.

Laud be lifted, sweet and sounding,
Ringing from an heart abounding,
Rising into jubilee!
Laud in duteous celebration
Of this Table’s consecration
For such high solemnity.

Lo, the King His Law revises;
Newer truth from elder rises,
Newer Law and Paschal rite.
Ancient truths their room surrender,
Glows the twilight into splendour,
Darkness vanishes to light.

That He wrought at supper lying
In remembrance of His dying
Christ hath bid His Church renew;
We the ordinance obeying,
Earthly bread and wine displaying,
Consecrate the Victim due.

Now the sacred truth receiving
We,- the Bread His Flesh believing
and the Wine His Blood to be,
What tho’ eye and mind be failing,
Nature’s order countervailing –
Grasp by faith the mystery.

Under diverse kinds concealed
While to sense yet unrevealed
Lies a wonder all-divine.
Flesh and Blood hath each its token
Yet abides there Christ unbroken
Hidden under either sign.

Perfect to the priest who breaks It,
Perfect in the hand who takes It,
Christ is undivided there.
One or thousands may receive Him
Yet true hearts in truth believe Him
Unconsumed everywhere.

Good and bad alike partaking
Each, by diverse lot, is making
One to woe and one to weal,
Each from each is set asunder:
Mark the word of grace and wonder –
One to hurt and one to heal.

Thus the Lord His Presence hiding
Dwells in many parts abiding, –
Every soul in Him confiding
Doubts not that the Whole is there.
He the One remaineth ever
Under every part: for never
Aught can Christ from Christ dissever,
still abiding everywhere.

The Bread of Angels, lo! is sent
For weary pilgrims’ nourishment;
The children’s Bread, not to be spent
On worthless dogs profane;
In types significant portrayed,
Young Isaac on the altar laid,
And paschal offerings duly made,
And manna’s fruitful rain.

O Thou good Shepherd, Very Bread,
Jesu, on us Thy mercy shed;
Sweetly feed us,
Gently lead us,
Till of Thy Fullness us Thou give
Safe in the Land of those that live.
Thou who can’st all, and all dost know
Thou who dost feed us here below,
Grant us here to share
Thy banquet there,
Co-heirs and partners of Thy love
With the blest citizens above.

AMEN.

St. Thomas Aquinas

What I love most about this prayer is the poetic nature and biblical allusions. While I do not personally hold to the belief that eucharistic elements become the presence of Christ as Aquinas does, I still appreciate the wonder of the blessed sacrament, Jesus’ presence, and His nourishment.

Writing Your Own Prayers of Adoration

Creating and even writing your own prayers of adoration can be a great way to meditate on God and spend time in awe of Him. That said, approaching God to praise Him can feel intimidating. He is the Creator of everything after all. So, here are some tips for creating and writing your own prayers of adoration.

• Opening Address: Address God with a title of majesty or reverence (Isaiah 40:28).
• Praise for God’s Attributes: Acknowledge His character (holiness, love, wisdom, etc.) (Psalm 145:8-9).
• Praise for God’s Works in Creation: Thank God for His creation and sustaining power. (Colossians 1:16-17)
• Praise for God’s Sovereignty: Recognize God’s authority over all things. (Psalm 103:19)
• Praise for God’s Personal Involvement: Thank God for His personal work in your life. (Philippians 1:6)
• Expression of Wonder and Adoration: Express awe and amazement at His greatness. (Psalm 145:3).
• Closing with Praise and Commitment: Affirm God’s worth and your desire to honor Him. (Matthew 5:16).

You can use Scripture or even historical prayers to inspire your own. If you are still wanting more help here is a great template you can fill out as a guide.

“O Lord, _______(Title for God, e.g., Almighty Creator, King of Kings), You are_______ (attribute, e.g., holy, merciful, all-powerful), and Your_______ (quality, e.g., love, wisdom, grace) is beyond measure. We praise You for Your ______(work or creation, e.g., greatness, majesty, wondrous works in creation), and we stand in awe of Your _______(sovereignty, holiness, beauty). Thank You for______ (personal blessing or involvement, e.g., Your faithfulness in my life, Your protection over me). May we honor You with our lives, offering all praise, glory, and thanksgiving to You, now and forever. Amen.”

Prayers of adoration are prayers of wonder. You can be in God’s presence and live in awe and wonder of His greatness. take some time today to slow down and offer God the adoration He is due. Praise be to God. Amen.