Traveling Mercies
A prayer for a safe journey — asking God to protect someone while they travel.
What they actually mean
“"Safe travels, and God be with you on the road."”
Heard in the wild
“Pray for traveling mercies for the Johnsons — they're driving to Ohio tomorrow.”
“Traveling mercies! Text me when you land.”
The Lighter Side
A prayer for safe roads, clear skies, and, apparently, mercy — which tells you a lot about how Grandpa drives.
The longer version
What it means
"Traveling mercies" is shorthand for a prayer that God would keep someone safe on a trip — no accidents, no breakdowns, no missed connections, and a safe arrival. It's used both as an actual prayer ("Lord, grant them traveling mercies") and as a goodbye ("traveling mercies!") that carries the prayer inside it.
Why people say it
Travel has always been the moment people feel most aware that they're not in control. Christians handle that by handing it to God. The phrase also lets someone say "I'll be praying for you" and "goodbye" at the same time, which is efficient.
How to respond
If someone wishes you traveling mercies, they've said "safe travels" with a prayer attached. "Thank you" is the whole response. If you'd like to return it to a Christian, "you too" works fine; you don't need to use the phrase yourself.
If you hear it in different churches
Evangelical and Pentecostal mostly, and a bit old-fashioned even there. Liturgical churches have formal prayers for travelers (the Book of Common Prayer has one) but wouldn't use this phrase. Catholics might mention St. Christopher, the traditional patron of travelers.
Where does “Traveling Mercies” come from?
"Mercies" in the plural is King James Bible English — Lamentations 3:22–23 speaks of God's "mercies" that are "new every morning," and the word came to mean specific acts of God's kindness. Prayers for safe journeys are ancient (Psalm 121 is essentially one), and Christian travelers' blessings go back to the medieval church. The particular pairing "traveling mercies" appears in American Protestant prayer language from at least the late 1800s and was well worn by the mid-twentieth century. Anne Lamott's 1999 memoir Traveling Mercies introduced the phrase to a much wider audience.
Good to know
Often used as a farewell in text or speech, the way a non-Christian would say "safe travels." Some Christians find it dated; it's more common among older evangelicals and in the South and Midwest.
You might also hear
Hedge of Protection
Prayer & DevotionA prayer asking God to keep someone safe from harm, pictured as an invisible barrier around them.
“"Please keep her safe."”
Prayer Request
Prayer & DevotionAsking other people to pray for something specific in your life — a health scare, a job interview, a struggling family member.
“"Here's what's going on with me; would you pray about it?"”
Common questions
Is "traveling mercies" in the Bible?+
No. Psalm 121 is the closest thing — a prayer for God to guard someone's "going out and coming in." The phrase itself is church English, not scripture.
Can I say it if I'm not a Christian?+
You can, but it'll sound like you're either fluent in Christianese or teasing. "Safe travels" says the same thing without the accent.
Why "mercies" and not "mercy"?+
Old Bible English. The plural means individual acts of kindness — each safe mile counted separately.
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Written by Rev. Christopher D.F. Warrington, Ordained Minister, M.Div. · Updated September 2026
This entry was compiled with AI assistance and has not yet been reviewed by an ordained pastor.