Prayer Watch: Bible Translators Need Technology

My heart is heavy this morning as I write. We heard that the Taliban has retaken Afghanistan. Millions do not follow Jesus in this country and those who choose to follow Him risk their lives.

God urges us to pray. How then do we pray? Let’s pray God’s Word over believers and Bible translators wherever they are in the world.

David’s Prayer Psalm 86 (NIV)
Hear me, Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
Guard my life, for I am faithful to you;
    save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord,
    for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, Lord,
    for I put my trust in you.

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
    abounding in love to all who call to you.
Hear my prayer, Lord;
    listen to my cry for mercy.
When I am in distress, I call to you,
    because you answer me.

Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
    no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations you have made
    will come and worship before you, Lord;
    they will bring glory to your name.
For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
    you alone are God.

Teach me your way, Lord,
    that I may rely on your faithfulness;
give me an undivided heart,
    that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart;
    I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me;
    you have delivered me from the depths,
    from the realm of the dead.

Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God;
    ruthless people are trying to kill me—
    they have no regard for you.
But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious
   God, slow to anger, abounding in love and
   faithfulness.

Turn to me and have mercy on me;
    show your strength in behalf of your servant;
   save me, because I serve you
    just as my mother did.
Give me a sign of your goodness,
    that my enemies may see it and be put to shame,
    for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.

Using this Scripture, here is our prayer for Bible translators and believers:

Hear them, Lord, and answer them,       
   for they are poor and needy.
Guard their lives, for they are faithful to You;
   save your servants who trust in You.
You are their God; have mercy on them, Lord,
   for they call to You all day long.
Bring joy to them, Your servants, Lord,
   for they put their trust in You.

You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
   abounding in love to all who call to You.
Hear their prayer, Lord;
   listen to their cry for mercy.
When they are in distress, they call to You,
   because You answer them.

Among the gods there is none like You, Lord;
   no deeds can compare with yours.
All the nations You have made
   will come and worship before You, Lord;
   they will bring glory to Your Name.
For You are great and do marvelous deeds;
   You alone are God.

Teach them all your way, Lord,
   that they may rely on your faithfulness;
   give them undivided hearts,
   that they may fear Your Name.
They will praise You, Lord God, with all their
   hearts; they will glorify Your name forever.
For great is your love toward them;
   You have delivered them from the depths,
   from the realm of the dead.

Arrogant foes are attacking them, O God;
   ruthless people are trying to kill them—they
   have no regard for You.
But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious  
   God, slow to anger, abounding in love and
   faithfulness.

Turn to them and have mercy on them;
   show your strength in their behalf, your servants;
   save them, because they serve You
   just as those before them did.
Give them a sign of your goodness,
   that their enemies may see it and be put to shame,
   for You, Lord, have helped them and comforted
   them.

My dear prayer partner, even as we have prayed over Bible translators and believers for God’s protection, let’s remember the need for Bible translators to get Scripture translated into their mother tongues.

Regarding the work of Bible translation—please pray for health and safety so translation workshops can indeed take place around the world. There are dozens planned every month.

Pray for the technology—we call Technology for National Translators (TNT)—to arrive unhindered to every translation workshop.

Pray that training in the use of the technology and in the method of Bible translation will all be clearly taught and understood.

Pray each Bible translator will be encouraged as they faithfully work on translating God’s precious Word into their heart language.

Thank you for your heart for Bible translation and your desire that all people and nations will have God’s precious Word in their own heart languages—very soon.