The Jesus Prayer — Lord Jesus Christ, Have Mercy on Me

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

About This Prayer

One sentence, and the whole gospel is in it. The Jesus Prayer took shape among the Desert Fathers of Egypt in the fourth and fifth centuries, weaving together the tax collector's plea — "God be merciful to me a sinner" — and blind Bartimaeus crying out, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me." For centuries it has been the heartbeat of Eastern Christian prayer, treasured in the Philokalia and made famous in the West by the anonymous Russian classic The Way of a Pilgrim, and today it is prayed by Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Christians alike. Traditionally it is repeated slowly, often in rhythm with the breath — "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God" as you breathe in, "have mercy on me, a sinner" as you breathe out — until the prayer settles from the lips into the heart. It does not end with "Amen" because it is not meant to end; it is a prayer you carry.

In Plain Words

In your own words, this prayer says: Jesus, You are Lord, and You are God's Son — and I am not okay on my own. Be merciful to me. That's the whole prayer, and it is enough.

A Verse to Hold On To

"God be merciful to me a sinner." — Luke 18:13 (KJV)