Nehemiah's Quick Prayer Before the King

The king of Persia asked Nehemiah, 'For what dost thou make request?' Before answering, Nehemiah breathed a silent prayer to the God of heaven - and the king said yes.

Nehemiah served as cupbearer to Artaxerxes king of Persia. After months of mourning and praying over news that Jerusalem's walls were broken down, he came before the king with a sad face, a dangerous thing in a royal court. When the king asked why, Nehemiah, very much afraid, explained that the city of his fathers' sepulchres lay waste. The king then asked, 'For what dost thou make request?' In that moment, before answering, Nehemiah says simply, 'So I prayed to the God of heaven.' Then he asked to be sent to Judah to rebuild the city, and the king granted it. His silent prayer shows a habit of turning to God in an instant.

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Category: Petition
Prayed by: Nehemiah

Key Chapters

Nehemiah 2 Nehemiah Inspects the Walls 4 min read Between the king's question and his own answer, Nehemiah sends up a silent praye...

Key Passages

So I Prayed to the God of Heaven

Nehemiah 2:1-6

Between the king's question and his own answer, Nehemiah sends up a silent prayer, and God gives him favor with the king.

A¹nd it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence.

² Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, ³ And said unto the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers’ sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire? ⁴ Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵ And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers’ sepulchres, that I may build it. ⁶ And the king said unto me, (the queen also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send me; and I set him a time.