Bible story
Cleansing Of The Temple Prayer
A short, Scripture-shaped bible story prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.
The prayer
A prayer to pray now
Lord Jesus, You said My house shall be called a house of prayer, but they made it a den of robbers. You overturned the tables of the money changers because the place for prayer had been filled with the wrong things. Father, my mind has been cluttered, too. Worries and plans and distractions set up their tables where prayer should be. Help me clear them out each day. The wrong things will move back in if I let them. Overturn whatever does not belong in the place that is Yours. The cleansing is not always easy, but the quiet space with You is worth it.
Amen.
How to pray it
- Read it slowly. Move through this prayer one line at a time, out loud if you can, letting each phrase land before the next.
- Make it personal. Pause where a line meets your day and name the person, fear, or hope it touches before God.
- Carry it with you. Keep one sentence with you — on your phone or in your pocket — and return to it when the day gets loud.
Verses to pray
Pray these slowly, one line at a time. Scripture quoted from a public-domain translation.
He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’21:13 Isaiah 56:7 but you have made it a den of robbers!”21:13 Jeremiah 7:11
Matthew 21:13Jesus entered into the temple of God and drove out all of those who sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves.
Matthew 21:12
Questions about this prayer
When should I pray cleansing of the temple prayer?
Pray it whenever the words fit your moment — at the start of the day, in a hard stretch, or when you simply want to turn toward God.
Which Bible verses anchor this prayer?
This prayer is anchored in Matthew 21:13, Matthew 21:12. The "Verses to pray" section above quotes them in full.
Can I save or share this prayer?
Yes. Use the Copy prayer button to copy the words, or open the Chosen Portion app to keep a daily prayer, devotional, and Scripture with you.