National Day of Prayer Encourages Individuals to Pray – Guest Commentary
Every year, the National Day of Prayer is held on the first Thursday of May. Individuals all over the world join together to pray for the nation and remember a day that was established by Congress in 1952. But what should we pray for?
On May 7th, 2026, the National Day of Prayer Task Force declared this year’s theme as “Glorify God Among the Nations: Seeking Him in All Generations.” Based on 1 Chronicles 16:24, everyone is encouraged to: “Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples” (NASB).
As the 75th anniversary, the 2026 theme is inspired by King David’s prayer after bringing the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. Task Force President, Kathy Branzell, explained, “This chapter records Israel celebrating the return of the Ark after being separated for 70 years earlier. While God was always watching over Israel and just a prayer away from them and King David, the Ark of the Covenant represented the presence of God, having been constructed at the command of God and carried by the Levites with Moses as they wandered and waited to enter the Promised Land, and eventually stolen from the tabernacle in Shiloh at their defeat in the battle in Ebenezer.”
With over 100 prayer events scheduled in seven states, including Florida, Connecticut, California, Michigan, Texas, New York, and Tennessee, and 9 for Washington, D.C, American Bible recommends praying for these top 7 topics:
- Families
- Churches Across America
- The Education System
- Nation-Wide and Local Businesses
- The Media
- Our Military
- The Government
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Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/4maksym
Originally published May 07, 2026.
