Lord, where we are wrong, make us willing to change; where we are right, make us easy to live with.

This line is widely attributed to Peter Marshall, the Scottish-born Presbyterian minister who served as Chaplain of the U.S. Senate (1947–1949). It is typically presented as part of a short prayer—often circulated in devotional collections and quotation anthologies—reflecting Marshall’s public role in offering prayers meant to temper political and personal certainty with humility. The wording fits the style of his published prayers, which frequently ask for moral clarity paired with charity toward others. However, the exact occasion (a specific Senate session, sermon, or dated prayer) is often not supplied in secondary citations, making the precise circumstances difficult to pin down with confidence.

The prayer pairs two complementary virtues: intellectual humility and interpersonal charity. “Where we are wrong” asks for the courage to revise beliefs and admit error—an ethical stance that treats truth as more important than ego. “Where we are right” acknowledges a subtler temptation: correctness can harden into pride, harshness, or contempt. Marshall’s phrasing suggests that being right is not the end of moral responsibility; one must also be “easy to live with,” i.e., patient, gentle, and considerate. The quote’s enduring appeal lies in its balanced critique of both stubbornness and self-righteousness, offering a practical ideal for families, communities, and political life.

1) “Lord, where we are wrong, make us willing to change; and where we are right, make us easy to live with.”
2) “Lord, when we are wrong, make us willing to change; when we are right, make us easy to live with.”
3) “Where we are wrong, make us willing to change; where we are right, make us easy to live with.”