Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
Who may live on your holy mountain?
The one whose walk is blameless,
who does what is righteous,
who speaks the truth from their heart;
whose tongue utters no slander,
who does no wrong to a neighbor,
and casts no slur on others;
who despises a vile person
but honors those who fear the Lord;
who keeps an oath even when it hurts,
and does not change their mind;
who lends money to the poor without interest;
who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
Whoever does these things
will never be shaken. (Psalm 15:1-5 NLT)
But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. (Exodus 18:21 NLT)
Does it sometimes seem as though we are caught in a continual political cycle—that the campaigning never really ends? There are ads on television and the internet, robocalls that distract and disrupt, exhaustion among some voters, and passion and energy among others. Phrases like “the most important election in history” are repeated to stir up urgency and enthusiasm.
Yet, as citizens, our responsibilities are fairly straightforward: we are called to pray for our elections and our government, to do our own research so we understand who the candidates are and what they stand for, and then to participate faithfully in the process.
It sounds simple. But often, it isn’t.
Now that the primaries are over, the candidates are turning their attention—and their political “guns”—toward their opponents. There will be plenty of talk, posturing, advertising, accusations, and an ever-increasing volume of political noise. Like soldiers on a Revolutionary War or Civil War battlefield, we can sometimes find ourselves surrounded by so much smoke that we can barely see beyond where we stand.
So today, I simply want to pray for truth to prevail throughout these campaigns.
May the candidates truthfully explain their positions. May their surrogates accurately and honestly represent them. May the voices of the media, organizations, and others involved in the political process be guided by truth rather than distortion or manipulation.
And may those who will vote in November have the wisdom and discernment to recognize truth and make their decisions accordingly.
God’s Truth sets us free.
God of Truth,
Thank You for the wisdom and guidance You have given us through Your Word and Your Spirit as we seek to honor You with our votes this fall.
We pray that the candidates would be people of honesty, integrity, truthfulness, justice, and trustworthy leadership. Give them the knowledge and skills they need to faithfully represent their constituents and govern effectively. May they be capable, honest, and God-fearing. May they pursue justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with You rather than seeking self-promotion or personal gain.
We pray that throughout these campaigns, the truth about the candidates would be made known to the electorate. May the candidates and their surrogates represent their positions and beliefs truthfully. May the media, organizations, campaign workers, and others involved in the political process also be committed to truth and accuracy.
Guard candidates, campaign workers, and voters from rumor, manipulation, deception, and character assassination. May our political discourse be marked by what is true and honorable.
Give voters wisdom and discernment as they evaluate the candidates. May they recognize those whose words and actions are consistent with their character—people who speak truth from their hearts, whose inner and outer lives are aligned, and who are trustworthy and not corrupt.
Lord, make our leaders people of truth—not merely people who know how to speak convincingly about truth. Give us leaders who fear You, seek justice, practice mercy, and govern with integrity.
May the truth be known and prevail, freeing us from corruption, fraud, deception, and ungodly leadership.
We ask all of this in Jesus’ name. AMEN.
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32 NIV)