The Saint Francis Prayer, often called the Peace Prayer, is a beautiful expression of a heart that longs to carry God’s peace, love, and forgiveness. Though historical evidence shows it was not written by Saint Francis of Assisi, its words echo the teaching of Jesus and the apostles, so Christians from many traditions can pray it with biblical confidence. In this guide, we’ll walk through each line of the prayer and anchor it in Scripture. You’ll see why it is both beautiful and biblical.
The Origin and History of the Saint Francis Prayer
Many readers are surprised to learn that the beloved Saint Francis Prayer does not appear in any of the writings of Saint Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century friar. The prayer first appeared in French in 1912, published in a small spiritual magazine called La Clochette (The Little Bell). It was attributed to “a certain Franciscan,” but no name was given. By 1916, it was printed in Latin and Italian. By the 1920s, it was widely circulated, often with a picture of Saint Francis, which cemented the association.
Even with its modern origin, the prayer’s themes of peace, love, forgiveness, and self-giving echo the heart of the gospel. As the apostle Paul wrote about the ministry we share:
But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation;
— 2 Corinthians 5:18
This is the ministry of reconciliation the prayer puts into simple, memorable words. The anonymity of the author also fits the prayer’s selfless spirit—seeking not to be known, but to glorify God. Here are a few key facts:
- First appeared in 1912 in a French Catholic publication.
- Initially attributed to “a certain Franciscan”; no direct link to Saint Francis.
- Became widely popular during World War I and II as a prayer for peace.
- Adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous in their Twelve Steps literature.
- Embraced by Christians across Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions.
Breaking Down Each Line: A Scripture Comparison
Let’s walk through the prayer line by line and compare each petition with the Word of God. You’ll see that this simple prayer is full of biblical truth and echoes the words of Jesus and the apostles.
“Lord, Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace” – A Call to Peacemaking
The prayer opens by asking God to make the one praying an instrument—a vessel—of His peace. This mirrors one of Jesus’ most famous beatitudes:
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
— Matthew 5:9
Being an instrument of peace is not passive quietness. It means actively working toward reconciliation, just as Christ did. The apostle Paul later explained that believers are entrusted with the message of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). So the first line of the prayer points us to the same mission God has given His people: bringing His peace into broken relationships, anxious hearts, and divided communities.
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“Where There Is Hatred, Let Me Sow Love” – The Biblical Call to Love
Hatred destroys, and the prayer answers it with love. This reflects a basic Christian truth: God is love, and those who know Him must love others. The apostle John wrote:
Beloved, let’s love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. He who doesn’t love doesn’t know God, for God is love.
— 1 John 4:7-8
Jesus Himself gave this as a new commandment:
“This is my commandment, that you love one another, even as I have loved you.
— John 15:12
Sowing love where there is hatred is not a feeling; it is an action. It means choosing kindness, praying for enemies, and asking the Holy Spirit to grow love in us when our emotions resist.
“Where There Is Injury, Pardon” – The Radical Call to Forgive
The next petition moves from love to forgiveness, a theme at the center of the Lord’s Prayer and Jesus’ teaching. Immediately after giving the model prayer, Jesus added:
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
— Matthew 6:14-15
Paul echoed this when he wrote to the Colossians:
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.
— Colossians 3:13
The prayer does not minimize injury. It asks God for the strength to offer pardon, because we have first been pardoned through Christ’s sacrifice.
“Where There Is Doubt, Faith; Despair, Hope; Darkness, Light; Sadness, Joy” – Bringing God’s Reality into Our World
These four pairs—doubt and faith, despair and hope, darkness and light, sadness and joy—capture life in a fallen world and the response God invites us to carry. Scripture addresses each directly.
For despair and hope, the Bible says:
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Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope in the power of the Holy Spirit.
— Romans 15:13
For sadness and joy, the psalmist reminds us:
For his anger is but for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.
— Psalms 30:5
For darkness and light, Jesus declared:
Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
— John 8:12
Scripture consistently calls us to faith over doubt. When we pray these words, we ask God to make us carriers of faith, hope, light, and joy—not by our own strength, but by the Spirit’s presence within us.
“Grant That I May Not So Much Seek to Be Consoled as to Console” – The Example of Christ
The next part of the prayer turns our natural instincts upside down. Instead of seeking comfort, understanding, and love for ourselves, we ask God to help us give them. This is the mind of Christ, who set aside His own rights for our sake. Paul wrote:
doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.
— Philippians 2:3-8
Paul also told the Corinthians that God comforts us so we can comfort others:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, through the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
— 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praying these lines shapes our character to become more like Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Little by little, it trains our hearts to think less of ourselves and more of others.
“For It Is in Giving That We Receive” – The Kingdom Paradox
The prayer ends with a series of kingdom paradoxes Jesus Himself taught. The kingdom of God works by upside-down principles: giving leads to receiving, pardoning leads to being pardoned, and dying leads to eternal life. Jesus said:
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“Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be given to you. For with the same measure you measure it will be measured back to you.”
— Luke 6:38
And the apostle Paul, quoting Jesus, reminded the Ephesian elders:
In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
— Acts 20:35
Finally, the prayer speaks of dying so that we may be born to eternal life. This is the heart of the gospel: dying to self and the old nature so we can walk in resurrection life. Paul wrote:
We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
— Romans 6:4
Jesus Himself said that a grain of wheat must die to produce fruit (John 12:24). So the final petition is not about physical death alone. It is about the daily dying to self that lets Christ’s life shine through us.
How to Pray the Saint Francis Prayer with Biblical Faith
Seeing the biblical roots of this prayer can change the way you pray it. It becomes more than a beautiful set of words. It becomes a scripturally grounded prayer that aligns your heart with God’s purposes. Here are a few simple ways to make it part of your daily walk:
1. Begin with a short Scripture reading. Before praying, read one of the verses we’ve examined — perhaps Matthew 5:9 or Philippians 2:3-8. Let the Word of God set your mind on Christ.
2. Pray each line slowly, making it personal. Instead of rushing through it, pause after each phrase. For “Where there is doubt, let me sow faith,” ask the Holy Spirit to show you where you can be a voice of faith in someone’s life today.
3. Use it as a mirror for self-examination. Ask: Am I truly seeking to console rather than be consoled? Am I quick to pardon, or do I hold grudges? Let the prayer show you where you need to grow.
4. Pray it for others. Turn the prayer outward: “Lord, make our church an instrument of your peace. Where there is division, sow unity.” That echoes Jesus’ prayer in John 17:21.
5. Close with thanksgiving. Thank God that He has already done all these things for you in Christ — He is your peace, your comfort, your hope. Then step into the day ready to be His instrument.
Remember, this is not a magic formula. It is a way of offering your whole self to God and trusting Him to work through you for His glory.
As you make the Saint Francis Prayer part of your time with God, may you experience the joy of being a peacemaker in a world full of noise. Let the Scriptures behind each petition strengthen your confidence that you are praying according to God’s will. Start today. Ask the Lord to make you an instrument of His peace, and watch how He opens doors for you to love, forgive, comfort, and bring light to the people around you.
Questions people ask
Is the Saint Francis Prayer actually written by Saint Francis?
No. Historical research shows it was not written by Saint Francis of Assisi. It first appeared in 1912 in a French magazine and was later widely circulated with a picture of Saint Francis. Even so, its themes reflect the spirit of Christ’s teaching, which Francis himself embraced.
Is the Saint Francis Prayer biblical?
Yes. The prayer aligns closely with Scripture. Each petition—peacemaking, love, forgiveness, hope, light, and self-giving—finds direct support in the Bible, as shown in this article. Key passages include Matthew 5:9, 1 John 4:7-8, and Philippians 2:3-8.
What is the full version of the Saint Francis Prayer?
The full text says: 'Lord, make me an instrument of your peace: where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.'
How can I use the Saint Francis Prayer in my daily devotions?
You can use it as a morning offering and pray it slowly before your Bible reading. You might also meditate on one line each day and reflect on a matching verse. It also works well as a prayer of examen, asking God to show you where you fell short of being an instrument of peace. As Colossians 3:16 says, 'Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.'
Why is it called the Peace Prayer?
It is known as the Peace Prayer because its opening line asks to be made an instrument of the Lord’s peace. From there, each petition speaks into conflict—hatred, injury, doubt, despair, and sadness—and asks God to bring healing. It has become especially popular in times of war and as a prayer for unity, reflecting Jesus’ beatitude, 'Blessed are the peacemakers' (Matthew 5:9).
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