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How to Pray as a Beginner, from Jesus and the Psalms

· 8 min read

To pray, you simply talk to God honestly, in your own words, trusting that he is listening. You don't need special language, a set posture or a perfect mood; Jesus and the Psalms show that short, plain and even messy prayers are welcome. This guide covers what prayer is, how Jesus taught his friends to pray, what the Psalms add, simple shapes you can use, what to do when words run out, and a first prayer to try today.

What is prayer, really?

Prayer is conversation with God: speaking to him, listening for him, and simply being with him, alone or with others. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned against prayer done to impress people and pointed his listeners toward something quieter and more honest.

But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

Matthew 6:6–8 · BSB

This doesn't mean praying in public is wrong. Jesus prayed with others, and the first Christians prayed together constantly. The point is who the prayer is for: it is addressed to God, not to an audience.

That is good news for a beginner. There is no test to pass, no word count to reach and no special vocabulary to learn. You start exactly where you are, with what is actually on your mind.

How did Jesus teach us to pray?

When one of his disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a short prayer that Christians call the Lord's Prayer or the Our Father. Luke records a brief version; Matthew 6:9–13 gives the longer form that most churches say today.

One day in a place where Jesus had just finished praying, one of His disciples requested, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” So Jesus told them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’”

Luke 11:1–4 · BSB

Notice that the disciples had grown up praying, yet they still asked. Wanting to learn how to pray is not a sign that you are behind; it is the very request Jesus was glad to answer.

The prayer can be used in two ways. You can say it word for word, as Christians of every tradition have done for centuries, and you can also use it as a map. It begins with God and his purposes before turning to our own needs, and in a few lines it touches body and soul, past and future, ourselves and others.

To use it as a map, pray one line slowly, then stop and add your own words about that theme before moving to the next. A prayer that takes twenty seconds to recite can become ten minutes of real conversation.

What can the Psalms teach a beginner about prayer?

The Psalms are the prayer book of Israel, and Jesus himself prayed them. They bring the whole range of human feeling before God: joy, thanks, guilt, confusion, fear and even anger. Two short passages show the range, an open invitation to trust and the cry of someone who feels forgotten.

Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah

Psalm 62:8 · BSB

How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long must I wrestle in my soul, with sorrow in my heart each day? How long will my enemy dominate me?

Psalm 13:1–2 · BSB

The first lesson of the Psalms is honesty. Psalm 62:8 invites you to bring everything to God, not only the tidy parts. Psalm 13 shows that complaint can itself be a prayer; the psalm does end in trust, but it doesn't skip the hard part to get there.

Other psalms are full of praise (Psalm 103 and 145), confession (Psalm 51) or quiet trust (Psalm 23). Reading a psalm slowly and making it your own is one of the oldest ways to pray. If you are carrying something very heavy, please also talk to a doctor, counselor or your local church, and if you or someone else is in danger, contact emergency services.

What are simple ways to pray as a beginner?

Some of the most honest prayers in the Bible are a single sentence. In one of his parables, Jesus contrasts a proud religious man with a tax collector whose prayer is only one line, and it is the tax collector who goes home right with God.

But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’

Luke 18:13 · BSB

Short is not shallow. Here are a few simple shapes many Christians use. First, the Lord's Prayer as an outline, as described above. Second, a four-part pattern sometimes called ACTS: praise God for who he is, confess what is wrong, thank him for what is good, and ask for what you and others need. It is a modern teaching tool, not a biblical formula, but it keeps prayer from becoming only a list of requests.

Third, pray a psalm: read it aloud and pause wherever a line sounds like you. Fourth, use a short prayer you can repeat through the day. Orthodox Christians treasure the Jesus Prayer, a one-line plea for mercy that echoes cries heard in the Gospels; Catholics often pray the rosary; many Protestants use brief breath prayers.

Traditions differ on how much to rely on written prayers and how much on spontaneous ones, but both have deep roots: the Psalms are written prayers, and Jesus also prayed in his own words. Many people find that a set prayer gets them started and their own words follow.

What if I don't know what to say when I pray?

Everyone runs out of words sometimes, including people who have prayed for decades. Paul wrote about this very weakness in his letter to the Romans.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.

Romans 8:26 · BSB

This means your prayer does not depend on your eloquence. God is at work even in your clumsy, half-finished attempts, and a sigh, a tear or a few moments of silence can be real prayer.

On days when nothing comes, borrow words. Say the Lord's Prayer slowly, read a psalm, or simply say a name, a person you love or a situation you can't fix, and leave it with God.

Does God answer prayer?

Jesus encouraged his followers to keep coming to God with their needs, confident that they would be heard.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 7:7–8 · BSB

These words are an invitation to persistence, and Jesus told a whole parable in Luke 18 about not giving up. At the same time, Christians have always found that answers do not always match their requests. In Gethsemane, Jesus himself asked to be spared suffering and then entrusted himself to his Father's will (Mark 14:36).

Prayer is a relationship, not a vending machine. Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it is wait, and sometimes it is a strength or peace you didn't know to ask for. Keep praying honestly, including about your disappointments.

When and where should I pray?

You can pray anywhere and at any time, but it helps to have a regular place and moment. The Gospels show that even in a crowded, demanding life, Jesus made room for prayer.

Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray.

Luke 5:16 · BSB

The Bible pictures prayer both as a habit and as a constant awareness of God. Daniel prayed at set times each day (Daniel 6:10), while 1 Thessalonians 5:17 encourages a life of continual prayer.

For a beginner, attach prayer to something you already do: waking up, a meal, the commute, or getting into bed. Praying with others matters too; the first Christians devoted themselves to prayer together (Acts 2:42), and a church or a friend can help you keep going.

A first prayer to try today

Set aside five minutes and find a quiet spot. Read Psalm 23 slowly, once, without rushing. Then say the Lord's Prayer, pausing after each line to add a sentence of your own.

Next, try four short movements: thank God for one specific thing from today, tell him honestly about one thing that is weighing on you, ask for help with one need, and pray for one other person by name. Finish with a minute of silence, simply resting.

If you want a starting point in plain words, you might pray something like this: God, I'm not sure how to do this, but I want to know you. Thank you for the good things I so easily miss. Here is what I'm worried about. Please help me, and help the people I love. Teach me to pray. Amen. Come back tomorrow and do it again; prayer grows with practice, not perfection.

Questions people ask

Do I have to pray out loud?

No. You can pray silently, aloud, in writing or even by singing. Many people find that whispering or writing a prayer helps them stay focused, but God hears a silent prayer just as clearly.

Do I need to kneel or close my eyes to pray?

The Bible shows people praying standing, kneeling, lying face down, with hands raised and with eyes open toward heaven. Posture can help you focus or express humility, but no position is required. Pray in whatever way helps you pay attention to God.

Can Christians pray to Mary and the saints?

Traditions differ here. Catholic and Orthodox Christians ask Mary and the saints to pray for them, much as you might ask a friend to pray, while most Protestants direct all prayer to God alone. All agree that prayer is ultimately offered to God.

How long should I pray each day?

There is no required length. Jesus warned against thinking long prayers are heard better, and a sincere minute is worth more than a distracted hour. Start with a few minutes you can keep, and let it grow naturally.

Written with AI help and reviewed by Miguel Ridruejo Mendoza before publishing. Bible quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB), which is in the public domain. How we write.

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