'When A Cowboy Prays' by Brandon Lake and Cody Johnson - Lyrics & Meaning

In September 2025, Grammy-award winning Christian singer-songwriter Brandon Lake released the original version of his worship song ‘When A Cowboy Prays’. The song celebrates the importance of prayer and the humble life of the cowboy through unsurprisingly bold and impressive vocals. The country-infused track became one of Lake’s most popular, but the singer decided he could make it even better.

Back in November 2025 on his 'King of Hearts' tour, the artist announced a version of the song featuring country-legend Cody Johnson would be released in 2026 - and the wait has been more than worth it.

On December 20th, the country pair shared some sweet photos from the studio on their socials, Lake captioning the post, "When a song you love finds the right voice. COJO brought something truly special to When a Cowboy Prays. Honored by this collaboration and thankful for this friendship."

We’d have to agree, Johnson’s presence brings something new to the track and we can only hope that there might be some future collaborations from the artists in the future.

The country worship song kicks off some picking of an acoustic guitar and Lake’s haunting vocals, before Johnson’s own legendary voice adds the harmonies. As the first verse grows, the track builds with gentle percussion, some background steel and a piano adding to the mix.

An electric guitar keeps the sound sitting firmly in catchy modern-country pop, with a reminder of our favourite traditional sound coming in with a key change - it’s classic Cody Johnson style. In a moment of quietness, the instruments drop away before an uplifting finish leaves a lingering moment of spiritual celebration.

‘Hangs his hat upon a tree
Bows his head, bends his knee
Only asks for what he needs, and Jesus listens
A little bread for today
A little water, little shade
To forgive just as he has been forgiven’

The first verse of ‘When A Cowboy Prays’ is taken on by Lake, who paints us a beautiful picture of a cowboy taking a moment out of his day to pray - an image so classic, it immediately sets the tone for the track. As Lake describes that this cowboy "only asks for what he needs", we learn that in this moment of prayer, our protagonist is recognising the little things in life - the things that keep the days rolling and are as grand as an everyday can be.

‘When a cowboy prays
It starts raining in Oklahoma
Long lost sons come home to momma
And those stubborn horses break
When a cowboy prays
It's a whisper and a rumble
And it's as strong as it is humble
This old world just ain't the same
When a cowboy prays‘

The chorus is where the song really picks up energy, with Johnson adding to the communal feel that is built. Taking us deeper into the country, the joy of a much-needed rain in a dry Oklahoma and the moment a horse breaks are celebrated.

Emphasising the importance of individual prayer, the chorus recognises how one “whisper” can contain enough strength to create a “rumble” when the strength of faith is there. This notion only pushed further by the passion that builds throughout the chorus.

'Folds his calloused hands together 'round a Bible bound in leather
Just as worn and just as weathered as the lines upon his face
All the horses in the stable, all his family around the table
All of Heaven listens in to every word he has to say’

On Johnson’s verse, he leans deeper into the story we’re being told about this cowboy. His face may be worn and weathered from a life on the ranch, but as his hands close around a “Bible bound in leather”, it seems that the Holy scripture may have kept him company throughout those years.
Once again, as he prays at the end of the day, surrounded by family, something changes when a cowboy prays - he’s listened to.

‘When a cowboy prays, it's for the grit and grace to get back up again
When a cowboy prays, it starts with thanks and ends in Jesus' Name, Amen’

Our final reminder that faith can be guiding and restorative, the country pair tell us that leaning on prayer can help give the “grit and grace to get back up again”. The hard times are unavoidable - especially in the life of a cowboy - but they believe that there is always a way to keep moving forwards and just like a prayer, “it starts with thanks and ends in Jesus’ Name, Amen”.

Hangs his hat upon a tree
Bows his head, bends his knee
Only asks for what he needs, and Jesus listens
A little bread for today
A little water, little shade
To forgive just as he has been forgiven

-

When a cowboy prays
It starts raining in Oklahoma
Long lost sons come home to momma
And those stubborn horses break
When a cowboy prays
It's a whisper and a rumble
And it's as strong as it is humble
This old world just ain't the same
When a cowboy prays

-

Folds his calloused hands together 'round a Bible bound in leather
Just as worn and just as weathered as the lines upon his face
All the horses in the stable, all his family around the table
All of Heaven listens in to every word he has to say

-

When a cowboy prays
It starts raining in Oklahoma
Long lost sons come home to momma
And those stubborn horses break
When a cowboy prays
Oh, it's a whisper and a rumble
And it's as strong as it is humble
This old world just ain't the same
When a cowboy prays
When a cowboy prays

-

When a cowboy prays, it's for the grit and grace to get back up again
When a cowboy prays, it starts with thanks and ends in Jesus' Name, Amen

-

When a cowboy prays, all of Heaven listens
When a cowboy prays, you don't wanna miss it

-

When a cowboy prays
It starts raining in Oklahoma
Long lost sons come home to momma
And those stubborn horses break
When a cowboy prays
It's a whisper and a rumble
It's as strong as it is humble
This old world just ain't the same
When a cowboy prays
When a cowboy prays

-

When a cowboy prays

For more on Cody Johnson, see below:

Brandon Lake

Artist

Cody Johnson

Artist