Bible story
Foundation Of The Second Temple Prayer
A short, Scripture-shaped bible story prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.
The prayer
A prayer to pray now
Father, in Ezra, the old men who had seen the first temple wept when they saw the new foundation laid. The young shouted for joy. Both sounds mixed together, and no one could tell them apart. That is so true of the way You rebuild things. The new is real, and it is also smaller than what was lost. Bless me in my own restorations. The smaller trust after a betrayal. The smaller strength after a loss. Let me hold both — thank You for what You are starting, and be honest about what I miss. You began this work in me, and You will finish it. One day, every broken thing will be made greater than it was before. 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.
But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Many also shouted aloud for joy,
Ezra 3:12so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard far away.
Ezra 3:13
Questions about this prayer
When should I pray foundation of the second 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 Ezra 3:12, Ezra 3:13. 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.