Franklin Graham credited God for bringing President Donald Trump through the darkness of the past four years prior to giving the invocation at Trump’s inauguration ceremony Monday, Jan. 20. During his prayer, Graham compared Trump to Moses and Vice President J.D. Vance to Aaron and prayed for God’s guidance and protection over America’s 47th president.
“Mr. President, the last four years, there are times I’m sure you thought it was pretty dark, but look what God has done,” said Graham after he took the stage in the U.S. Capitol with Trump and former President Biden standing behind him. “We praise him and give him glory.”
Franklin Graham: ‘We Pray for President Trump’
Franklin Graham is president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the son of famed evangelist Billy Graham. Franklin Graham, who delivered a prayer at Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, has remained a faithful supporter of Trump’s over the years, said it was an “honor” to be asked to pray at Trump’s second inauguration.
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During Graham’s prayer, Vice President J.D. Vance had his head bowed while Trump appeared to keep his eyes open most of the time.
Graham opened his prayer by quoting Psalm 33:12, which says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,” followed by Daniel 2:20-21. The Daniel passage says, “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.”
“Our Father, today, as President Donald J. Trump takes the oath of office once again, we come to say, ‘Thank you, Oh Lord our God,’” Graham said. “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.”
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“We pray for President Trump, that you’ll watch over, protect, guide, direct him, give him your wisdom from your throne on high,” said Graham. “We ask that you would bless him and that our nation would be blessed through him.”