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As a new year begins, many believers search for a biblical prayer for the new year, one that brings peace, direction, and God’s presence into everything ahead. As the year started I felt as if God was directing me to lead fellow Believers in a prayer surrounding Psalm 90:15–17. As a prayer that they should pray over their work, and family as we step into the year ahead.
This passage reminds us that success isn’t rooted in striving or control, but in God’s favor resting on us and His hand establishing what we build.
“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us, yes, establish the work of our hands.” Psalm 90:17
Why Psalm 90 Is a Powerful Prayer for the New Year
Psalm 90 is a prayer of surrender. It acknowledges God’s eternity and our dependence on Him. When we pray Psalm 90:15–17 at the start of a new year, we are choosing to invite God into our plans before making them.
This prayer helps shift our mindset from:
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pressure → peace
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fear → trust
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control → surrender
Instead of asking God to bless what we’ve already decided, Psalm 90 teaches us to ask God to go before us and guide what lies ahead.
Praying for God’s Favor in the New Year (Psalm 90:17)
To pray for the favor of God is not to ask for an easy path: it’s to ask for His presence, wisdom, and grace wherever we go.
As you pray over the new year, you might say: God, let Your favor rest on me wherever I go. Go ahead of me into every meeting, every conversation, every opportunity. Open doors I cannot open myself and give me the words I need when I step through them.
This is a powerful prayer for believers who struggle with anxiety. It reminds us that we don’t have to carry the weight of outcomes alone: God goes before us.
A Prayer to Establish the Work of Your Hands
Psalm 90:17 speaks directly to a common fear at the start of a new year: Will what I build last? Will my effort matter?
When Scripture says, “establish the work of our hands,” it is an invitation to trust that what God leads you to do will not be wasted.
Pray this over your year: Lord, let this not be a trial run. If You call me to build it, sustain it. If You lead me to it, breathe life into it. Let the work of my hands be established by You.
This prayer applies to every area of life, work, family, ministry, healing, and personal growth.
Praying Psalm 90 Over Your Family and Future
Psalm 90:16 expands this prayer beyond the individual:
“May Your deeds be shown to Your servants, Your splendor to their children.”
When you pray Psalm 90 over the new year, you are not just praying for yourself. You are praying for your family, your children (whether you have them now or not), and the people connected to your obedience.
You can pray:
God, show me how good it can get, not just for me, but for those connected to my life. Let Your faithfulness be seen in my family, my relationships, and the generations that follow.
This turns your prayer for the new year into a legacy prayer, rooted in faith rather than fear.
Surrendering the New Year to God Through Prayer
At its core, Psalm 90 is a prayer of surrender. It reminds us that God is eternal, faithful, and present in every season.
As you step into the new year, let this be your posture:
Lord, satisfy me with Your steadfast love. Rest Your favor on me. Establish what You place in my hands.
You don’t have to rush into the year carrying anxiety or pressure. You are invited to walk forward knowing that God goes before you, and remains with you.
A Simple Prayer for the New Year (Psalm 90:15–17)
God, as I enter this new year, I place it fully in Your hands. Let Your favor rest on me wherever I go. Establish the work of my hands, and let what You begin be sustained by You. Show Your goodness not only in my life, but in the lives of those connected to me. I trust You with this year. Amen.