Prayer is a conversation between God and man. Many fishermen have taken prayer seriously as they have faced the open waters. Heading out to sea, they are very aware of the perils that they could face. Many times, storms rise unexpectedly and threatened to capsize their boats. The fisherman’s prayer has brought comfort to many a fisherman.
The fisherman’s prayer began in the Catholic stream of Christianity where priests would offer a blessing before fishermen headed out to sea. The blessing of the fleet is a ceremony where local priests and clergy bless the ships heading into the open waters. Many communities around the world continue to hold blessing of the fleet festivals. When clergy bless the fleet, they are asking for God’s protection over each vessel.
There are many versions of the fisherman’s prayer. An example of one of those prayers is the following:
“O God, Who brought our fathers through the Red Sea
and carried them safely through the deep as they sang praises of Thy name,
we humbly beseech Thee to guard Thy servants aboard ship,
and having repelled all adversities,
bring them to the desired port after a calm voyage.
Through out Lord, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who livest and reigneth with Thee
in the unity of the Holy Ghost, world without end. Amen.”
Another example is a bit shorter:
“Father, keep me and my fellow fishermen and women safe while out on the water. Please help me to be a responsible fisherman and a humble steward of your creation. Amen.”
Perhaps the most famous is the fisherman’s prayer by Breton:
“Dear God, be good to me. The sea is so wide and my boat is so small.”
If you explore online, you will find many different versions of the fisherman’s prayer. From funeral homes to sea competitions, you can find various versions of the fisherman’s prayer. However, most fisherman prayers focus on safety at sea and being a steward of God’s creation.
While the fisherman’s prayer is not found in the scripture, prayer is mentioned all through the scriptures as a primary way of connecting with God. The prophet Jeremiah wrote that God invites us to call to Him, and He will answer us (Jeremiah 33:3). Jesus Himself invited, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7).
When we think of the ocean, we may visualize walking the beach or jumping in the waves. However, in Biblical times, the ocean was a source of fear for people. Though it offered food in terms of fish, it was often a “deadly endeavor for many marine voyagers.” Often in Bible times, the seas were mentioned as a symbol of death, and they were feared as being dangerous.
Throughout the Psalms, the Psalmists refer to the seas as “raging” (Psalm 124:5). The Psalmist writes, “The seas have lifted up, LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves” (Psalm 93:3). In another Psalm, David references the seas when he compares how devastated he feelings, writing, “All your waves and breakers have swept over me” (Psalm 42:7b). In Psalm 107, the Psalmist describes the danger for those who go out to sea, writing, “Some went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep, for He spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril, their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wit's end. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed” (Psalm 107:23-29).
In the New Testament, several of Jesus’s disciples were fishermen by trade. Fishing, even on the Sea of Galilee, was perilous at times. Strong storms with gale-force winds would, at times, drive the waves to fifteen feet in height. You might remember the story of Jesus sleeping in the boat, found in the gospel of Matthew 8:23-27. The storm was raging, and the waves were crashing, and the disciples felt terrified that their boat would capsize and they’d all drown. Yet, with one sentence, Jesus hushed the storm and brought the waves to absolute calm. The disciples were amazed, at the power of Jesus and began to recognize that He was indeed the Son of God.
Throughout the scriptures, though the seas were seen as dangerous and even deadly, yet, there is reassurance that God is the ruler of the wind and waves.
There are several lessons we can learn from the fisherman’s prayer that is relative to our lives today.
Though the Seas Are Still Dangerous, God Continues to Rules Over Them. God created the seas and, as their creator, has absolute authority over them. He still calms the wind and waves and says, “Peace be still.” When storms rage in our lives, we can call on the Lord Jesus to calm the seas to a whisper. Remember, God still rules over all of creation!
We Can Pray Whenever We Are in Danger. God always invites us to call on His name when we are in danger. He understands that fear is a real thing, and when we are afraid, He invites us to come to Him in prayer. As we pray, the Holy Spirit calms our fears and provides the peace that we need.
God Invites Us to Respect and Value His Creation. God loves the world that He has created, and He has ordained that we care for it. We are to be humble stewards of His creation, including the sea. That means we need to be careful of how we dispose of our garbage. Many times, it seems Christians are lax in how they care for God’s creation; however, part of our human responsibility is to care for the earth.
Storms at Sea Can Be a Metaphor for Our Lives. Though storms at sea are real, they can also be a metaphor for the challenges we face in life. At times we can feel like the problems of life are so vast, and our wisdom is so very small. We need the wisdom of the Almighty One. He alone is the one who can calm the raging waves of anxiety in our souls.
Though the fisherman’s prayer may seemingly apply only to those who fish, the applications and lessons we can learn from fisherman's prayers are many. As we come to God in prayer whenever we feel threatened, respect the majesty and wonder of God’s creation, and cry out for Him to calm our anxiety, God’s presence will come close.
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This article is part of our Prayer resource meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Visit our most popular prayers if you are wondering how to pray or what to pray. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.
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