<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<!--XBRL Document Created with the Workiva Platform-->
<!--Copyright 2026 Workiva-->
<!--r:019ffbf0-f25b-7ec1-810a-8c4b0fa030c0,g:c5f8a1b6-0276-47b2-b216-95e2e809fcd3-->
<link:linkbase xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd">
  <link:roleRef roleURI="http://www.firstmerchants.com/role/DocumentandEntityInformationDocument" xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="frme-20260814.xsd#DocumentandEntityInformationDocument"/>
  <link:presentationLink xlink:role="http://www.firstmerchants.com/role/DocumentandEntityInformationDocument" xlink:type="extended">
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_019ffbf0-f25b-7b97-8c3c-2aaf64d1d00b" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_CoverAbstract"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityListingsTable_019ffbf0-f25b-7190-88bb-107b665ec0c4" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityListingsTable"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_CoverAbstract_019ffbf0-f25b-7b97-8c3c-2aaf64d1d00b" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityListingsTable_019ffbf0-f25b-7190-88bb-107b665ec0c4" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019ffbf0-f25b-7f5e-8ae6-ef32cdce52f5" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsTable_019ffbf0-f25b-7190-88bb-107b665ec0c4" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019ffbf0-f25b-7f5e-8ae6-ef32cdce52f5" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019ffbf0-f25b-7e12-b543-e3890a939c6d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis_019ffbf0-f25b-7f5e-8ae6-ef32cdce52f5" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019ffbf0-f25b-7e12-b543-e3890a939c6d" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_019ffbf0-f25b-7e69-b50f-9db764e7658d" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2026/elts/us-gaap-2026.xsd#us-gaap_CommonStockMember"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019ffbf0-f25b-7e12-b543-e3890a939c6d" xlink:to="loc_us-gaap_CommonStockMember_019ffbf0-f25b-7e69-b50f-9db764e7658d" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_frme_DepositarySharesMember_019ffbf0-f25b-7e35-b174-498cca8f7eca" xlink:href="frme-20260814.xsd#frme_DepositarySharesMember"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="2" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_us-gaap_ClassOfStockDomain_019ffbf0-f25b-7e12-b543-e3890a939c6d" xlink:to="loc_frme_DepositarySharesMember_019ffbf0-f25b-7e35-b174-498cca8f7eca" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityListingsLineItems"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="2" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsTable_019ffbf0-f25b-7190-88bb-107b665ec0c4" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentType_019ffbf0-f25b-74cc-a22e-28d8d5d7ab2e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentType"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="1" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentType_019ffbf0-f25b-74cc-a22e-28d8d5d7ab2e" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019ffbf0-f25b-7fb2-b51b-7693768c7314" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="2" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate_019ffbf0-f25b-7fb2-b51b-7693768c7314" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019ffbf0-f25b-783d-a74f-4313ea5628fe" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="3" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityRegistrantName_019ffbf0-f25b-783d-a74f-4313ea5628fe" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019ffbf0-f25b-71a4-96f5-b381f1f60fba" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="4" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityIncorporationStateCountryCode_019ffbf0-f25b-71a4-96f5-b381f1f60fba" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019ffbf0-f25b-7ddd-b100-875feacfc33c" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityFileNumber"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="5" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityFileNumber_019ffbf0-f25b-7ddd-b100-875feacfc33c" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019ffbf0-f25b-7bad-92e7-51ba4670108a" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="6" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityTaxIdentificationNumber_019ffbf0-f25b-7bad-92e7-51ba4670108a" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019ffbf0-f25b-7019-a51e-78f6aab70925" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="7" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine1_019ffbf0-f25b-7019-a51e-78f6aab70925" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2_019ffbf0-f25b-7712-9b4f-c3c10c1acc21" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="8" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressAddressLine2_019ffbf0-f25b-7712-9b4f-c3c10c1acc21" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019ffbf0-f25b-7884-ba21-298f64f14fc1" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="9" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressCityOrTown_019ffbf0-f25b-7884-ba21-298f64f14fc1" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019ffbf0-f25b-7436-9f7b-05962171ea25" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="10" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressStateOrProvince_019ffbf0-f25b-7436-9f7b-05962171ea25" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019ffbf0-f25b-7489-9449-73559ee42974" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="11" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityAddressPostalZipCode_019ffbf0-f25b-7489-9449-73559ee42974" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019ffbf0-f25b-7ca7-8822-3e6d326afef8" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_CityAreaCode"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="12" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_CityAreaCode_019ffbf0-f25b-7ca7-8822-3e6d326afef8" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019ffbf0-f25b-76e3-82ee-068cf7b6dbfc" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_LocalPhoneNumber"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="13" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_LocalPhoneNumber_019ffbf0-f25b-76e3-82ee-068cf7b6dbfc" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019ffbf0-f25b-7880-8a52-850badef81b9" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_Security12bTitle"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="14" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_Security12bTitle_019ffbf0-f25b-7880-8a52-850badef81b9" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019ffbf0-f25b-7ecc-b3d5-836cdc7899eb" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_TradingSymbol"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="15" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_TradingSymbol_019ffbf0-f25b-7ecc-b3d5-836cdc7899eb" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019ffbf0-f25b-7a40-836f-725b1bc3f4db" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SecurityExchangeName"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="16" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_SecurityExchangeName_019ffbf0-f25b-7a40-836f-725b1bc3f4db" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019ffbf0-f25b-7c9c-8d26-9b883c8ef802" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_WrittenCommunications"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="17" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_WrittenCommunications_019ffbf0-f25b-7c9c-8d26-9b883c8ef802" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019ffbf0-f25b-755d-bf26-aa625a4a67d0" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_SolicitingMaterial"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="18" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_SolicitingMaterial_019ffbf0-f25b-755d-bf26-aa625a4a67d0" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019ffbf0-f25b-7bea-8759-90282a88f82e" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="19" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementTenderOffer_019ffbf0-f25b-7bea-8759-90282a88f82e" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019ffbf0-f25b-7d1a-8e2a-3b9b68f3f806" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="20" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_PreCommencementIssuerTenderOffer_019ffbf0-f25b-7d1a-8e2a-3b9b68f3f806" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019ffbf0-f25b-7e79-88b2-6a2b618743a5" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="21" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityEmergingGrowthCompany_019ffbf0-f25b-7e79-88b2-6a2b618743a5" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019ffbf0-f25b-7320-b2d6-2f0592fb82db" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="22" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_019ffbf0-f25b-7320-b2d6-2f0592fb82db" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
    <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:label="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019ffbf0-f25b-7f7e-a82c-de52f45332b4" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2026/dei-2026.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
    <link:presentationArc order="23" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="loc_dei_EntityListingsLineItems_019ffbf0-f25b-7c7a-b544-69d4688b6833" xlink:to="loc_dei_AmendmentFlag_019ffbf0-f25b-7f7e-a82c-de52f45332b4" xlink:type="arc" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/terseLabel"/>
  </link:presentationLink>
</link:linkbase>
