17 traditional prayers for the dead, and 16 passages from the Bible to pray with them. Choose one, read it aloud, or print it as a card to keep.
O Almighty God, our heavenly Father, in whose hands are the living and the dead; We give thee thanks for all those thy servants who have laid down their lives in the service of our country. Grant to them thy mercy and the light of thy presence, that the good work which thou hast begun in them may be perfected; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord. Amen.
Almighty God, we remember this day before thee thy faithful servant, and we pray thee that, having opened to him the gates of larger life, thou wilt receive him more and more into thy joyful service; that he may win, with thee and thy servants everywhere, the eternal victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.
Latin from Medulla pietatis Christianae (1868)
From the Mass: The Holy Sacrifice (1915)
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Unto thee, O Christ, who hast conquered death and risen again, be glory evermore! Light of the world, splendor of the Father's presence, Son of Man in humility of self-devotion, Son of God in power, thy risen life is the assurance of our victory. From our low estate, compassed with weakness, made subject to the death of the body, we look up with grateful and exultant hearts to thee. Thou hast tasted death for every man, and risen again from thy humiliation into glory. As thou hast called us to be one with thee in suffering, so lead us through experience of thy help in trial to the triumph of thy risen and eternal life. Rid us of all absorbing love of earth, and all bondage to the fear of death. Purify our hearts by the indwelling of thy Spirit, that we may wait thy coming with expectant joy. And to God most High, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, be praise for evermore. Amen.
From Prayers for Special Days and Occasions (1930)
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O Almighty God, who hast knit together thine elect in one communion and fellowship, in the mystical body of thy Son Christ our Lord; Grant us grace so to follow thy blessed Saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to those unspeakable joys which thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love thee; through the same thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.
I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though this body be destroyed, yet shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not as a stranger.
We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the Name of the Lord.
From the Book of Common Prayer (1928)
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Unto Almighty God we commend the soul of our brother departed, and we commit his body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection unto eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the earth and the sea shall give up their dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in him shall be changed, and made like unto his own glorious body; according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself.
From the Book of Common Prayer (1928)
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Remember thy servant, O Lord, according to the favour which thou bearest unto thy people, and grant that, increasing in knowledge and love of thee, he may go from strength to strength, in the life of perfect service, in thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
From the Book of Common Prayer (1928)
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O God, whose mercies cannot be numbered; Accept our prayers on behalf of the soul of thy servant departed, and grant him an entrance into the land of light and joy, in the fellowship of thy saints; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
From the Book of Common Prayer (1928)
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O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of thy servants departed the remission of all their sins, that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon they have always desired. Who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
From the Raccolta (1910)
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O Lord God Almighty, I pray Thee, by the Precious Blood which thy Divine Son Jesus shed in the garden, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that soul amongst them all which is most destitute of spiritual aid; and vouchsafe to bring it to thy glory, there to praise and bless Thee for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De profundis (Psalm 130).
From the Raccolta (1910)
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O Lord God Almighty, I pray Thee, by the Precious Blood which thy Divine Son Jesus shed in his cruel scourging, deliver the souls in purgatory, and that soul especially amongst them all which is nearest to its entrance into thy glory; that so it may forthwith begin to praise and bless Thee for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De profundis (Psalm 130).
From the Raccolta (1910)
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O Lord God Almighty, I pray Thee, by the Precious Blood which thy Divine Son Jesus shed in his bitter crowning with thorns, deliver the souls in purgatory, and in particular that one amongst them all which would be the last to depart out of those pains, that it may not tarry so long a time before it come to praise Thee in thy glory and bless Thee for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De profundis (Psalm 130).
From the Raccolta (1910)
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O Lord God Almighty, I pray Thee, by the Precious Blood which thy Divine Son Jesus shed in the streets of Jerusalem, when He carried the Cross upon his sacred shoulders, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that soul which is richest in merits before Thee; that so, in that throne of glory which awaits it, it may magnify Thee and bless Thee for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De profundis (Psalm 130).
From the Raccolta (1910)
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O Lord God Almighty, I pray Thee, by the Precious Body and Blood of thy Divine Son Jesus, which He gave with his own hands upon the eve of his Passion to his beloved Apostles to be their meat and drink, and which He left to his whole Church to be a perpetual sacrifice and the life-giving food of his own faithful people, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that one which was most devoted to this mystery of infinite love, that it may with the same thy Divine Son, and with thy Holy Spirit, ever praise Thee for thy love therein in eternal glory. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De profundis (Psalm 130).
From the Raccolta (1910)
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O Lord God Almighty, I pray Thee, by the Precious Blood which thy Divine Son shed on this day upon the wood of the Cross, especially from his most sacred hands and feet, deliver the souls in purgatory, and in particular that soul for which I am most bound to pray; that no neglect of mine may hinder it from praising Thee in thy glory and blessing Thee for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De profundis (Psalm 130).
From the Raccolta (1910)
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O Lord God Almighty, I beseech Thee, by the Precious Blood which gushed forth from the side of thy Divine Son Jesus, in the sight of, and to the extreme pain of his most holy Mother, deliver the souls in purgatory, and especially that one amongst them all which was the most devout to her; that it may soon attain unto thy glory, there to praise Thee in her, and her in Thee, world without end. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, and the De profundis (Psalm 130).
From the Raccolta (1910)
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1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Psalm 23, King James Version
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1Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. 2Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 3If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? 4But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared. 5I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 6My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning. 7Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. 8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Psalm 130, King James Version
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1Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 2Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 3Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. 4For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. 5Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up. 6In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. 7For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled. 8Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 9For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told. 10The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 11Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. 12So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 13Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants. 14O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 15Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. 16Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. 17And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
Psalm 90, King James Version
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1To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, King James Version
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25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 11:25-26, King James Version
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1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14:1-3, King James Version
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51Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:51-57, King James Version
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13But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14, King James Version
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3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Revelation 21:3-4, King James Version
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25For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
Job 19:25-27, King James Version
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15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
Psalm 116:15, King James Version
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23But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
2 Samuel 12:23, King James Version
1The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. 2He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
Isaiah 57:1-2, King James Version
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13And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
Revelation 14:13, King James Version
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7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8, King James Version
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1How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! 2My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. 3Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. 4Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
Psalm 84:1-4, King James Version
Start with "Prayer for Memorial Days" and pray it each day, with Psalm 23 (Psalm 23) to read alongside it.
Both. They come from Catholic prayer books, the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, Protestant and Lutheran collections and the Bible. Most can be prayed by any Christian.
Yes. Where a prayer says "N." or "thy servant", put in the name of the person you are praying for.
They keep the words of the older prayer books and the King James Bible, the words generations have prayed. "Thee" and "thou" are the old familiar forms of "you".