“USA! USA! USA!” We have listened to this powerful chant all week as the Winter Olympics have drawn our attention. We take pride in our athletes and cheer them on, hoping and praying they will have the experience they have spent their life preparing for. We celebrate their victories and ache for their defeats.

The media have done a great job of sharing the stories of the athletes around the world. Some of those stories have helped us to realize how blessed we are to live in a country where we can celebrate our freedom. I am proud to be an American, yet not without concerns for the sinful condition of our nation. Today, as I cheer on my country, I also offer up this prayer for our nation:

Help us, Heavenly Father. Forgive the sins of this nation and help us to bring glory to your name in all that we do.

Help us, O God of our salvation!
Help us for the glory of your name.
Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name. – Psalm 79:9

Turn the heart of this nation back to you and shine down on us.

Revive us so we can call on your name once more.
Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.
Make your face shine down upon us.
Only then will we be saved. – Psalm 80:18b-19

Pour down your blessing on us, O great and generous God!

Unfailing love and truth have met together.
Righteousness and peace have kissed!
Truth springs up from the earth and righteousness smiles down from heaven.
Yes, the Lord pours down his blessings.
Our land will yield its bountiful harvest. – Psalm 85:10-12

Lord, we know You can take today’s situation and change it – You can take away Your blessing and You can increase Your blessing. We pray for God’s best for America.

He changes rivers into deserts, and springs of water into dry, thirsty land.
He turns the fruitful land into salty wastelands, because of the wickedness of those who live there.
BUT he also turns deserts into pools of water, the dry land into springs of water.
He brings the hungry to settle there and to build their cities.
They sow their fields, plant their vineyards, and harvest their bumper crops.
How he blesses them!
They raise large families there, and their herds of livestock increase – Psalm 107:33-38

As You have blessed generations who have come before us, we pray You will bless the generations to come.

May the Lord richly bless you and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 115:14-15

Let us unite our voices in praise to God! May America recognize the unfailing love and faithfulness of our God and together lift their voices in praise!

Praise the Lord, all you nations.
Praise him, all you people of the earth.
For he loves us with unfailing love; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. – Psalm 117

O [America,] put your hope in the Lord – now and always. – Psalm 131:3

I pray for harmony and unity for our country.

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!
For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe.
Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion.
And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. – Psalm 133

God bless America!

Lift up holy hands in prayer, and praise the Lord.
May the Lord, who made heaven and earth, bless you… – Psalm 134:2-3