Prayer Before Surgery

Facing surgery can bring fear of pain, of anesthesia, of the unknown, and of what the results might be. Christians have always brought such fears to God. The words below come from Psalm 31 (Psalm 30 in the Douay numbering), the same psalm Jesus prayed from the Cross: "Into thy hands I commend my spirit." They are a prayer of complete trust in God as our refuge and protector.

Pray them the night before and on the morning of an operation, or ask a family member to pray them with you. You may also want to receive the Anointing of the Sick or Confession beforehand, and to pray for your surgeons, nurses, and medical team. After the psalm, a short closing line entrusts the doctors and the outcome to God.

The Prayer

In thee, O Lord, have I hoped, let me never be confounded: deliver me in thy justice. Bow down thy ear to me: make haste to deliver me. Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a house of refuge, to save me. For thou art my strength and my refuge; and for thy name's sake thou wilt lead me, and nourish me. Thou wilt bring me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me: for thou art my protector. Into thy hands I commend my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, the God of truth. Lord, guide the hands and minds of all who will care for me, and grant me peace in Thy will. St. Raphael, angel of healing, and my holy guardian angel, stay beside me. Amen.

Sources: Psalm 30 (31):2-6, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain; closing lines written for this site.