Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, acknowledged during his prayer at today’s inauguration of President Donald Trump that God alone saved Trump’s life during an assassination attempt and “raised him up with strength and power.”
Franklin led the crowd in praise and thanksgiving to God before asking Him to protect and guide Trump, who moments later was sworn in as the nation’s 47th president.
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,” Franklin said in his prayer. “As the Prophet Daniel prayed, ‘Blessed be the Name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His.’ ‘He changes the times and the seasons. He removes kings. He raises up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.’ Our Father, today, as President Donald J. Trump takes the oath of office once again, we come to say thank You, O Lord our God. Father, when Donald Trump’s enemies thought he was down and out, You and You alone saved his life and raised him up with strength and power by Your mighty hand. We pray for President Trump, that You’ll watch over, protect, guide, direct him. Give him Your wisdom from Your throne on high. We ask that You would bless him and that our nation would be blessed through him.”
After thanking God for first lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and second lady Usha Vance, Franklin prayed for the spiritual state of America.
“We remember to keep our eyes fixed on You, and may our hearts be inclined to Your voice,” Franklin prayed. “We know that America can never be great again if we turn our backs on You. We ask for Your help. And we pray all of this in the Name of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Your Son, my Savior and our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.”
Afterward, on social media, Franklin called the nation to pray for President Trump and the government authorities.
“I was honored to give an invocation at our nation’s 60th presidential inauguration ceremony before President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance were sworn in today,” Franklin posted. “I urged those in attendance to stand still and remember the great things that God has done for this country and to keep our eyes fixed on Him. Will you join me in praying for President Trump and our leaders?”
Franklin had been calling the nation to pray for Trump before the Jan. 20 inauguration. During a Fox & Friends interview on Jan. 19, he stated “We should all pray for him every day.”
In a Decision magazine article, Franklin urged the church to pray that “President Trump and his advisers will bend their hearts toward God and humbly seek His will”; that he would “surround himself with men and women who will give him godly counsel”; and that God would “protect Him from harm.”
Franklin also prayed at Trump’s inauguration as 45th president in 2017, where he shared a passage from 1 Timothy 2, where the Apostle Paul exhorts that all “petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kinds, for all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” In 2001, Franklin delivered a prayer at President George W. Bush’s inauguration.
Franklin follows in his father Billy Graham’s footsteps, who prayed at the inaugurations of Richard Nixon (1969), George H.W. Bush (1989) and Bill Clinton (1993 and 1997).
Photo: Alamy