The Pilgrims Embarkation Prayer 1620 in Plymouth was a moment of both courage and faith. Before their historic voyage across the Atlantic, the Pilgrims gathered in the port city of Delftshaven (modern-day Netherlands) to kneel together in prayer. Led by their pastor, John Robinson, they sought God’s protection and guidance as they prepared to leave behind everything familiar and pursue freedom in a new land.
This prayer became a spiritual foundation for their journey, marking the Pilgrims not just as explorers or settlers, but as people defined by faith. The Pilgrims Embarkation Prayer 1620 Plymouth story captures the heart of their mission: to live in freedom of conscience and worship according to the Scriptures.
The Prayer
“He who hath made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all rivers of water, and whose providence is over all His works, especially over all His dear children for good, would so guide and guard you in your ways, as inwardly by His Spirit, so outwardly by the hand of His power, as that both you and we also, for and with you, may have after matter of praising His name all the days of your and our lives. Fare you well in Him in whom you trust, and in whom I rest. An unfeigned wellwiller of your happy success in this hopeful voyage.”
– John Robinson, 1620
Historic Backstory
The Pilgrims were part of a Separatist movement that sought freedom from the Church of England. For years, they had faced persecution in their homeland, and many fled to Holland. Yet even there, they longed for a place where they could live according to their biblical convictions without interference.
In 1620, they prepared to sail across the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower. Their voyage was not motivated by wealth or power but by the desire to worship freely and raise their families according to their faith. The Pilgrims Embarkation Prayer 1620 Plymouth moment reflects this heart — a community seeking God’s blessing for an uncertain and dangerous journey.
This gathering of believers, kneeling together in prayer, set the tone for the kind of society they would build: one centered on Scripture, family, and communal responsibility.
Biblical Parallel — Trusting God in the Journey
The Pilgrims’ situation echoes the faith of Abraham, who left his homeland without knowing where God would lead him (Hebrews 11:8). Like Abraham, they trusted that God’s promise was greater than their fears.
The Pilgrims Embarkation Prayer 1620 Plymouth shows us that journeys of faith are always anchored in prayer. Just as Israel prayed before entering the Promised Land, the Pilgrims prayed before stepping into the unknown waters of the Atlantic.
Modern Application — Launching in Prayer
Every new journey we take — whether starting a family, moving to a new city, beginning a business, or serving in ministry — benefits from being launched in prayer. The Pilgrims remind us that prayer is not a last resort but the first foundation.
The National Prayer Wall carries that same vision: to begin everything with prayer and to mark our communities with faith. Just as the Pilgrims set out under God’s protection, we can dedicate our ZIP Codes, families, and futures to the Lord today.
Visit Plymouth Today
The story of the Pilgrims is remembered at Plymouth, Massachusetts (ZIP Code 02360), where visitors can see Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower II, and museums that tell the story of their voyage and faith. While the exact location of John Robinson’s prayer was in the Netherlands, Plymouth became the symbolic heart of their settlement in the New World.
📍 This prayer took place in Plymouth, MA 02360 (though originally offered in Delftshaven, Netherlands, before the voyage).
And just 13 years earlier, in 1607, at Cape Henry in Virginia Beach (ZIP 23451), settlers raised a cross and prayed over the new land.
Read about the Cape Henry Landing Prayer →
Reference Prayers and Proclamations: Historic Prayers in American Life (White House PDF)