Funeral Prayer Cards: How to Choose the Right Verse or Poem
One complete walkthrough, two quick Shorts, and an audio guide to help you choose wording that feels personal and reads clearly.
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Watch the full video
If you want a quick place to start while you choose your wording, use this guide and the resources linked throughout: funeral prayer cards.
The Funeral Program Site helps families create keepsakes that feel calm, clear, and meaningful during a time that rarely feels calm. Funeral prayer cards are small, but they carry a big emotional job. They become the words people take home, tuck into a Bible, place in a wallet, or keep beside a photo frame. Weeks or months later, that same card may be pulled out again, and the message on it can either soften the moment or make it feel heavier. That is why choosing the right verse or poem matters more than people expect.
Families usually get stuck in two places: deciding what fits the person, and deciding what fits the space. A verse can be beautiful but too long. A poem can be meaningful but hard to read on a small card. And sometimes there are too many “good” options, so it feels impossible to choose. The goal is not to find perfect words. The goal is to choose words that honor a real person, read clearly, and feel respectful to everyone who receives them.
A helpful mindset is to treat the prayer card like a final gentle sentence, not a full speech. If your wording can be read in one calm breath, it usually prints better, feels more peaceful, and stays with people longer. If you are drawn to a longer reading, you can place the full text in a program, on a memorial display, or in a separate service handout and keep the card itself simple.
Space guideline for standard-size prayer cards: aim for 4–8 short lines, or a compact excerpt that can be read in 5–10 seconds without crowding the back.
What the wording on funeral prayer cards should accomplish
Before you choose a specific verse or poem, decide what you want the card to do for the people holding it. When you name the purpose first, the wording becomes easier to narrow down.
- Comfort: a gentle message that helps guests feel steadier in the moment.
- Hope: a promise of peace, reunion, eternal life, or love that continues.
- Identity: words that reflect who the person was, what they valued, or how they lived.
- Remembrance: a line that keeps the memory warm rather than sharp.
- Unity: language that feels welcoming when beliefs differ among guests.
If you are torn between a scripture excerpt and a poem, ask one simple question: what would feel most like them? A faith-centered person is often best honored with a verse. A reflective or artistic person may be best honored with a brief poem. If your gathering is mixed-belief, you can still choose either option, as long as the tone remains kind and readable.
You do not have to satisfy every preference. You are choosing a message that honors your loved one and offers something gentle to the people who show up.
A practical way to choose the right verse or poem
1) Start with tone, not text
Tone is the hidden decision that drives everything else. If the tone is clear, the verse or poem almost picks itself. Decide what you want the card to feel like in someone’s hand: hopeful, comforting, faith-centered, peaceful, celebratory, reflective, or universal. Many families feel pressure to choose something “uplifting,” even when the loss is heavy. It is perfectly acceptable to choose wording that is quiet and honest. Quiet wording can still be hopeful.
If you are unsure, picture an older relative reading the card slowly. Would the words feel steady, or would they feel complicated? In grief, people have less mental energy. Simple, direct language usually serves guests best.
2) Match the words to the person
A prayer card feels personal when it sounds like the life that was lived. Think about how people describe your loved one: steady, devoted, funny, generous, prayerful, strong, gentle, protective, service-minded. Then choose wording that reflects that description. If your loved one had a favorite verse, a hymn line, or a repeated phrase, those familiar words can be deeply comforting because guests recognize them immediately.
If the service includes readings, consider matching the card to the same theme. For example, if the service focuses on peace and rest, keep the card consistent. If the service focuses on gratitude and legacy, choose wording that supports that. A cohesive message helps the day feel thoughtfully held together.
3) Pick a length that prints cleanly
Prayer cards are small by design. Even with professional printing, too many words can feel crowded and visually stressful. A good rule is to keep the main text short enough to read silently in one calm breath. When you test the layout, look at it from arm’s length, not inches from your face. If it looks crowded from a distance, it will feel crowded in someone’s hand.
If you love a longer poem, choose a stanza that makes sense on its own. Avoid excerpts that feel cut off or confusing. You can place the full poem elsewhere and keep the prayer card as a gentle summary. Many families put the longer text inside the funeral program, on a memorial board, or on a printed reading sheet that guests can take if they want more.
4) Choose clarity over complexity
The most meaningful lines often feel simple. Look for language that speaks directly to peace, rest, love, gratitude, guidance, reunion, and remembrance. Avoid heavy metaphors that require interpretation, especially when the guest list includes people who may be overwhelmed. Your goal is to comfort without creating more mental work.
If your family wants to include deeper language, consider placing it in the long-form service elements and keeping the prayer card itself straightforward. The card is the piece that will be read quickly and revisited later, so it should read well both in the moment and months afterward.
5) Protect readability with layout choices
Readability is not a small detail. It is a form of care. Use short lines and intentional breaks. Keep the font size large enough for older guests. Avoid decorative fonts for the verse area. If the design includes a photo background, choose an area with soft contrast so the words stay crisp. Sky, open space, and gentle gradients tend to read better than busy patterns.
If you are printing at home, do one test print before producing everything. Screen brightness can trick you, and text that looks fine on a phone may be hard to read on paper. If you plan to laminate, consider slightly larger text because lamination can add glare.
6) Consider attribution and rights
Scripture excerpts are typically cited with a short reference so guests can find the verse later. For poems, attribution depends on space and the source. If a poem is public domain, attribution is a thoughtful touch. If a poem is modern and widely known, it may be copyrighted. Printing an entire modern poem without permission can create issues. In those cases, a short excerpt, a public-domain poem, or a family-written message is usually the safest route.
Practical approach: if you are unsure whether a poem is copyrighted, avoid printing the full poem. Use a short excerpt or choose wording you can confidently share.
Common wording directions families choose
If you feel overwhelmed by options, choose a category first. Then pick one short selection that fits your tone and space. Categories help you decide faster and feel more confident in your final choice.
Scripture excerpt
Scripture is a strong choice when faith is central to the person’s life or when the service is faith-based. Select a passage that feels comforting and familiar. Short excerpts usually print best, and a brief citation can help guests revisit the verse later.
Short poem (one stanza)
A single stanza often fits the space well and keeps the card calm. Poems are commonly chosen when the person was reflective, artistic, or when the family wants wording that feels gentle and personal rather than formal.
Simple blessing or remembrance line
A short blessing can work well for mixed-belief gatherings. It also pairs nicely with photos because it does not compete with the design. If you want the card to feel welcoming to all guests, a simple blessing can be a steady option.
Family-written message
If nothing you find feels right, write one or two sentences from the heart. This can be the most personal option and often feels most true to the person. Keep it short, avoid inside jokes that guests will not understand, and focus on gratitude, love, and remembrance.
Easy tie-breakers when two options feel equally good
It is common to get stuck between two good choices. When that happens, use practical tie-breakers instead of continuing to search for the “perfect” wording.
- Pick the one that sounds most like your loved one.
- Pick the one that reads cleanest out loud in one breath.
- Pick the one that looks calmer on the layout.
- Pick the one that offers comfort without needing explanation.
- If still unsure, choose the shorter option.
Shorter wording almost always prints more beautifully and feels more peaceful. A prayer card does not need to carry everything. It needs to carry one clear message.
Layout and printing notes that protect readability
Funeral prayer cards are often printed on sturdy cardstock and may be laminated. A few layout choices make a noticeable difference in how the message feels:
- Use short lines and intentional line breaks rather than a full paragraph.
- Keep margins generous so the card does not feel cramped.
- Avoid placing text on busy parts of a photo or pattern.
- Check readability on both desktop and phone screens before printing.
- Proofread punctuation, spacing, and consistent font sizing.
If you are working quickly, print one sample first and hand it to someone else to read at arm’s length. If they hesitate, squint, or tilt the paper, increase the font size or reduce the wording. That small test can save time and prevent reprints.
A calm prayer card is not just about the words. It is about the design supporting the words, not competing with them.
Listen: audio guide for choosing wording
This short audio walk-through covers tone, length, readability, and a few simple tie-breakers when you are choosing between two good options.
Audio transcript
Welcome. If you’re choosing words for funeral prayer cards and you feel stuck, you’re not alone. This decision can feel surprisingly heavy because the prayer card is the message people take home. In a small space, you’re trying to fit love, memory, faith, and comfort all at once.
Here’s a simple way to make it easier. Start by choosing the tone. Ask yourself what you want the card to feel like in someone’s hand. Do you want it to feel faith-centered and hopeful? Quiet and comforting? Personal and reflective? Or more universal so every guest feels included even if their beliefs differ?
Once you choose the tone, the next step is space. Prayer cards are small, so readability matters more than people realize. A good guideline is four to eight short lines, or a short excerpt that can be read in one calm breath. If you’re using a longer poem, choose one stanza that still makes sense by itself. You can always place the full poem somewhere else, like inside the funeral program or on a printed reading sheet.
Now match the words to the person. Think about how people described them. Were they steady, gentle, strong, devoted to family, known for their faith, or known for their kindness? Choose wording that sounds like them. The right verse or poem doesn’t have to be the most famous or the most poetic. It just has to feel true.
Here’s another tip that helps: choose comfort without complicated language. Grief makes it harder to process dense wording. Simple phrases about peace, love, rest, gratitude, and remembrance often land in the most meaningful way. If your guest list includes a mix of beliefs, you can still choose language that feels warm and respectful for everyone.
When you lay out the text, give it breathing room. Use clear line breaks instead of long paragraphs, keep the font size large enough for older guests, and avoid decorative fonts for the verse area. Look at the card from arm’s length. If it looks crowded at a glance, it will feel crowded in someone’s hand.
If you’re debating between two good options, here are easy tie-breakers. Pick the one that sounds most like the person. Pick the one that reads the cleanest on the card. Pick the one that offers comfort without needing explanation. And if you’re still unsure, choose the shorter option. Shorter wording almost always prints more beautifully and feels calmer.
One last note: be mindful with modern poems. Many contemporary poems are copyrighted, so instead of printing a full modern poem, consider using a short excerpt, a public-domain poem, a short scripture excerpt, or a message written by the family. That keeps your keepsake respectful and avoids problems later.
You’re not trying to find perfect words. You’re choosing a message that honors a real person. Keep it short, keep it readable, match the tone, and trust that the love behind it is what people will feel most.
Two quick Shorts for fast ideas
These Shorts are quick reminders: one focuses on space and length, and the other focuses on tone and personality.
Short: choose a verse that fits the space
A space-first rule so the back of the card stays readable and memorial-appropriate.
Short: match the tone to the person
A quick way to decide between scripture vs poem and how to keep it personal.
Quick decision table
| If you want… | Choose… | Length tip | Best practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faith and hope | A short scripture excerpt | 4–8 short lines | Include a brief citation if space allows |
| Personal reflection | A brief poem or quote | One short stanza | Use simple language and clear line breaks |
| Comfort for all guests | A universal blessing or remembrance line | Keep it concise | Avoid dense wording or long paragraphs |
| More content than fits | An excerpt on the card + full text elsewhere | Short excerpt only | Put the full reading in the program or a handout |
| Two options feel equal | The one that reads cleanest on the layout | Shorter is safer | Choose calm spacing over more words |
If you are unsure, choose the one message that feels most like them and keep it short enough that it looks peaceful on the card.
Next step
Decide your tone first, then choose a short selection that fits the space and reads clearly. When you’re ready to start designing, browse templates and formats here: funeral prayer cards.
If you want a fast reference page to keep open while you work, you can also start here: funeral prayer cards. Use the long video, the Shorts, and the audio guide above as a complete set of supports while you choose your final wording.