Prayers for Safe Travel and a Safe Journey

A Short Prayer Before a Journey

Lord, I am setting out today, and I place this journey in your hands. Go before me on the way and stay beside me as I travel. Keep me alert, patient and kind to the people I meet along the road. Bring me safely to where I am going, and in time bring me home. Amen.

Scripture reference:
Psalm 121:2 — “My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

A Very Short Prayer Before Driving

Lord, be with me behind the wheel. Keep my eyes alert, my hands steady and my temper calm. Amen.

Scripture reference:
Proverbs 3:23 — “Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.”

Prayer Before a Flight

Father, soon I will be high above the ground, and part of me is nervous about it. You are the God of the earth and the sky. Bless the pilots, the crew and everyone who keeps this aircraft safe. Calm my mind during take-off and turbulence. Wherever this plane carries me, I know you are already there. Amen.

Scripture reference:
Psalm 139:9–10 — “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast.”

Prayer for Someone You Love Who Is Travelling

Lord, [Name] is on the road today, and I cannot go with them. Watch over them every mile. Keep them safe from accidents and delays, from tiredness and from harm. Give them good company and good judgement along the way. And when I start to worry, remind me that they are never out of your sight. Amen.

Scripture reference:
Genesis 31:49 — Laban says to Jacob as they part: “May the LORD keep watch between you and me.”

The Itinerarium: A Traditional Prayer for Travellers

For centuries, monks and clergy have prayed the Itinerarium before setting out on a journey. Printed at the end of the Roman Breviary, it includes this ancient prayer, which recalls the crossing of the Red Sea and the star that guided the Magi. The English here is a new translation from the Latin made for this page.

O God, you led the children of Israel on dry ground through the midst of the sea, and by the guidance of a star you showed the three Magi the way to you. Grant us, we pray, a prosperous journey and a peaceful time, so that, with your holy angel as our companion, we may happily reach the place to which we are going, and at last the harbour of eternal salvation. Amen.

Scripture reference:
Exodus 23:20 — “Behold, I am sending an angel before you to protect you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared.”

Prayer for Travelling by Sea

Lord Jesus, you slept in the boat while the storm raged, and with a word you calmed the wind and the waves. Be with everyone on this crossing: passengers, crew and those who keep watch through the night. Give us calm seas if we may have them, and courage if we may not. Bring us safely to the far shore. Amen.

Scripture reference:
Mark 4:39 — “Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. ‘Silence!’ He commanded. ‘Be still!’ And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.”

Prayer for a Pilgrimage

Lord, I am setting out on pilgrimage, to walk where your saints have walked and to pray where others have prayed before me. Let this be more than a trip. Slow me down. Open my heart in the holy places and in the ordinary moments between them. Bless my fellow pilgrims, and let me carry the prayers of those who could not come. Amen.

Scripture reference:
Psalm 84:5 — “Blessed are those whose strength is in You, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.”

Prayer for a Long Journey or a Move Far Away

Lord, this journey is taking me far from everything familiar. I am excited and afraid at the same time. Go with me into the unknown: the new streets, the new language, the people I have not met yet. When I feel alone, remind me that you have not stayed behind. You are already there, waiting for me. Amen.

Scripture reference:
Joshua 1:9 — “Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Thanksgiving for Arriving Safely

Thank you, Lord, for bringing me safely to the end of this journey. Thank you for watching over every mile, and for the people who helped me along the way: drivers and crew, and strangers who pointed me in the right direction. Bless this place where I have arrived, and the people waiting for me here. Amen.

Scripture reference:
Psalm 107:30 — “They rejoiced in the silence, and He guided them to the harbor they desired.”