President Hinckley's dedicatory prayer, given in the Salt Lake Tabernacle on March 31, 2007:
Oh God, our Eternal Father, with bowed heads we come before thee in reverence on this historic occasion. We are met in this great Tabernacle, now renovated and refurbished after more than a century of use.
Acting in the authority of the holy priesthood, and in the name of Jesus Christ, we dedicate, rededicate and consecrate this, the Salt Lake Tabernacle, to thee and thy beloved son, that through many years yet to come it may serve as a place where thy people may gather for many reasons.
As we contemplate this occasion our thoughts return to the Prophet Joseph, who was an instrument in thy hands in restoring the eternal gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with all of the gifts and authority and blessings that accompany this.
We thank thee for the great faith of our people who were driven from Nauvoo, and who, with great suffering, including the death of many, crossed Iowa to establish Winter Quarters, and subsequently undertook the long march which carried them from Winter Quarters to this valley of the great Salt Lake.
We thank thee for the inspired leadership of President Brigham Young who, having never previously seen this valley, except in vision, led our people here. He knew very little about the area. He was not familiar with the soil or the climate, the water or other features. In this desert place those pioneers plowed and planted, irrigated, cultivated, and harvested the fruits of their labors. They laid out a city, which has now become large with many hundreds of thousands of inhabitants.
At one time most of the Latter-day Saints lived here in this valley and in other surrounding areas where settlements were established. Now, thy work has grown and spread over the earth until we have more members outside of this nation than we have in it.
Dear Father, please continue to prosper thy work. Cause it to increase and grow. Bless the people as they contribute of their tithes and offerings to make possible its growth and spread. May it go forth and fill the whole earth as the stone which was cut out of the mountain without hands was destined to roll forth and fill the earth. Wilt thou raise up strong leaders through the generations to come, and may thy people rejoice and find great happiness in their service in thy work.
Accordingly, we dedicate, rededicate, and consecrate this sacred structure, and all of this we do and ask in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.