Prayer is one of those things that is now pretty well-incorporated into daily life and discussion here in the US. When I was a restaurant server, I was trained to stand politely by if a table was praying before their meal. Men are quick to remove their hats when someone starts praying. A child will fold their hands, bow their heads, and clench their eyes shut and maybe even feel a little cheeky if they sneak a peek of what’s going on around them. Many people think amen means something like the end because it is often how we finish our prayers, and they are conditioned to repeat it after the person praying says it. But what does the Bible actually say about prayer? How much of this is actually talked about in Scripture?
What is prayer?
Prayer is the act of communicating with God. The word prayer in English can be used in secular settings, but especially in today’s English, it carries pretty heavy religious connotations. The same was true in Hebrew; one word for “pray,” na (נָא), was often used as an interjection in everyday language as well, as in “I pray you” or “please.” It’s used in this way over 400 times in the Old Testament often for five distinct purposes: respectful requests between people (Genesis 13:8), supplications to God (Psalm 118:25), exhortations from prophets to wayward Israel (Isaiah 1:18), intensification of divine instruction (Genesis 22:2), and pleas for salvation or prosperity (Amos 7:2). (Interestingly, this phrase is part of “Hosanna,” found in Psalm 118:25-26 as “Hoshia-na,” which echoes in the cries of the people at the triumphal entry in Matthew 21:9.) But the Hebrew verbs palal (פָלַל), athar (עָתַר), and chanan (חָנַן) and the noun tephillah (תְּפִלָּה) as well as the Aramaic verb tsela (צְלָא) are the words commonly translated as pray or prayer in the Old Testament that refer to direct communication with deity. In fact, more than once, we see prayer to idols as well, as in Isaiah 44:17; 45:14; and 45:20.
“Prayer is the act of communicating with God.”
Similarly, there is one Greek word used in the New Testament, deomai (δέομαι), which is to request or beg, and though it is often used person to person, as in Acts 8:34; 2 Corinthians 5:20; and Galatians 4:12, it is also used when people ask Jesus or God for help, as in Luke 5:12; Acts 8:22; Romans 1:10; and 1 Thessalonians 3:10. Jesus even used this word in Matthew 9:38 to tell the disciples to pray to God for disciple makers. It shows that the concept of “praying” can be used between people, but the vast usage is communication from man to God. Other Greek words translated as pray and prayer include proseuché (προσευχή), proseuchomai (προσεύχομαι), and euchomai (εὔχομαι).
There are examples of prayer and direct teachings about prayer throughout the Old and New Testaments, and it’s obvious prayer is an important aspect of our relationship with the Creator. In Isaiah 56:7, God said, “…my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” Jesus echoed this in the Gospels when He cleaned the temple, angry that people were using the space for selfish gain rather than prayer (Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; and Luke 19:46). Many psalms are written explicitly as prayers (6, 17, 26, 86, 90, etc.).
Who can pray?
Anyone can pray to God—not just believers. There are examples of all kinds of people praying to God (Genesis 22:3-7; Jonah 1:14; Mark 7:24-30; Acts 10; etc.). There is also a precedent for having others pray for you if you are uncomfortable with it or if you want extra petitions brought before God (Exodus 8:8-9; 8:28-30; 9:28; 10:17-18; Jeremiah 4:20; 37:3; 42:2; etc.)
When can someone pray?
Anytime! Though in Jewish culture, there are hours and places of prayer seen in Scripture (usually around 3 p.m., according to Acts 3:1; 10:3; 10:30-31; and 16:13-16), there are also examples of people praying at all times of day. Psalm 88:13 shows prayer in the morning, and Psalm 42:8 shows praying through the night. Some examples of times to pray include …
- distress or suffering (1 Samuel 1:10-12; Psalm 5:2; 25:16-31; Isaiah 38:2; Jonah 2:1; 1 Chronicles 5:20; 1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 6; 2 Kings 19:4-19; 20:1-6; Psalm 102, 142; Acts 27:29; James 5:13)
- gratitude (Daniel 6:10; Psalm 30; Nehemiah 11:17)
- preparation for a trip (Acts 6:6; 13:3; Romans 1:10)
- confession (Ezra 10:1; Daniel 9:4, 20)
- preparation for important decisions (Acts 1:24; 14:23)
- praise (1 Samuel 2:1)
- anger (Jonah 4:2)
More than anything, there are multiple instructions and examples of continuous, repetitive prayer. Luke 18:1-8 and Ephesians 6:18 both say to keep praying and not to lose heart. First Samuel 12:23, too, says not to stop praying. Pray multiple times and often, according to Matthew 26:42-44; Mark 14:39; Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2; I Timothy 5:5; and 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
“There are multiple instructions and examples of continuous, repetitive prayer.”
What should we pray for?
Many prayers are for oneself, and that’s okay. We have examples of people asking for things they desire, such as a child (1 Samuel 1:27), a king (1 Samuel 8:6), or protection (Nehemiah 4:9; Psalm 106:30). Others ask for mental strength, such as awareness (2 Kings 6:17), understanding (Jeremiah 32:16), wisdom and words (Nehemiah 2:4), discernment (Judges 13:8), and guidance (Psalm 27:7-12). Some pray for spiritual strength like mercy (Deuteronomy 3:23) or reception of the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15).
We can also pray over places (1 Kings 8:28-29) or over more general circumstances, like peace and love over all of the world (Philippians 1:9).
Many times in Scripture, people prayed to God to do something to demonstrate His power (Numbers 11:2; 2 Chronicles 7:1 and 7:14; James 5:17). In the New Testament especially, the apostles prayed before demonstrating miracles so that the reception worked on people’s hearts and pointed back toward the amazing abilities of God; they prayed before raising Tabitha (Acts 9:40), before healing Publius’s father (Acts 28:8), and Jesus explained that sometimes exorcisms were only possible with prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21 and Mark 9:29).
“Many times in Scripture, people prayed to God to do something to demonstrate His power.”
Whom do we pray for?
Many, many verses show that we ought to be praying for other people (Genesis 20:7, 17; 25:21; Numbers 21:7; Deuteronomy 9:20, 26; 1 Samuel 7:5; 12:19; 1 Kings 13:6; 2 Kings 19:15, 20; 2 Chronicles 32:20, 24; Job 42:8-10; Isaiah 37:15, 21; Jeremiah 29:7, 12; Ezekiel 16:52; Colossians 1:3-9; 4:3, 12; 1 Thessalonians 1:2; 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 3:1; 2 Corinthians 13:7-9; James 5:16; 3 John 1:2; Acts 12:5; Ephesians 1:16; Philemon 1:4; Hebrews 13:18).
Some specific examples of people to pray for include the sick (2 Kings 4:33; James 5:14), leaders (Psalm 72:15; Ezra 6:10), and children (Matthew 19:13).
And while there are some examples in the Old Testament of praying against enemies (2 Kings 6:18; Psalm 141:5) or even outright neglecting to pray for them as an act against them (Jeremiah 7:16; 11:14; 14:11), in the New Testament, Jesus teaches that we ought to pray for those who are against us (Matthew 5:44; 6:5-9; Mark 11:24-25; Luke 6:28, 11:1-2).
How do we pray?
Jesus famously answered this question as part of His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6. There are some key takeaways to His answer that show up many other times in Scripture:
- Do not pray to be seen by others (Matthew 6:5-6; 14:23; 23:14; 26:36; Mark 1:35; 12:40; 14:32; Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 20:47; 22:39-46; Acts 10:9)
- Do not use empty words; pray with your spirit and mind—with emotions and understanding (Matthew 6:7-8; 1 Corinthians 14:13-15)
- Pray with humility and forgiveness for others, as God would—not with anger or argument because dishonoring others or withholding forgiveness means your prayers will be hindered (Matthew 6:9-15; 1 Timothy 2:8; 1 Peter 3:7)
We are told much about the importance of the state of our hearts when we pray, saying that we should pray with boldness because of God’s promises (2 Samuel 7:27; 1 Chronicles 17:25), like an offering sacrificed to God (Psalm 141:2), with sobriety and seriousness (1 Peter 4:7), with confidence and belief (Matthew 21:11), and with purity of heart (Job 16:17; Psalm 35:13; Psalm 69:13). Someone whose heart is not right can actually bring sin upon themselves by praying unrighteously (Psalm 109:7; Proverbs 28:9; Isaiah 1:15; Lamentations 3:44), so it’s important to put your whole heart into it.
“Someone whose heart is not right can actually bring sin upon themselves by praying unrighteously.”
The physical posture we take during prayer can help with some of the mental and emotional clarity, and we see many physical actions and postures during prayer, including with hands lifted (1 Timothy 2:8), with hands being laid on others (Acts 6:6; 13:3), being prostrate on the ground (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:32), and kneeling (Luke 22:41; Acts 9:40, 20:36, 21:5). There are also times we’re encouraged to pray together (Acts 1:14; 2:42; 6:4; 12:12; 16:25; Romans 15:30; I Corinthians 7:5; 11:4-13) and to incorporate fasting (Nehemiah 1:4-6; Ezra 8:23; Daniel 9:3; Acts 14:23).
What if you feel like you don’t know what to say or what to do? What if your heart is weary? Or your mind is distracted? Thankfully, for those with the Spirit, He is able to intercede during prayer (Romans 8:26, Ephesians 6:18, Jude 1:20).
A parable that Jesus shares about a Pharisee and tax collector coming to the temple to pray combines a lot of this in one place. In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus explains that the Pharisee thanks God that he is not like others, seeing himself as being better than them. He stands as he prays and lists all the acts of righteousness he does, including fasting and tithing. On paper, he seems good. But it is clear that his heart is not in the right place, and his body reflects that as he prays. On the other hand, a tax collector comes to pray too, and he stays far off and does not even lift his face, beating his breast and asking for mercy. Though he was a sinner, he was repentant and humble, and everything about the genuine nature of his prayer shows that.
Then what?
Once a prayer leaves our lips, what happens? Well, first of all, though it may not always seem like it (Lamentations 3:8), God does listen to our prayers. We see that time and time again (1 Kings 9:3; 2 Chronicles 7:15; 30:27; Psalm 4:1; 6:9; 39:12; 54:2; 55:1; 61:1; 65:2; 66:19; 66:20; 84:8; 86:6; 88:2; 102:17, 143; Proverbs 15:29; Isaiah 38:5; Daniel 9:17; Jonah 2:7; Acts 10:31).
Scripture shows that our prayers can emotionally move God (2 Chronicles 33:13, 19; 2 Samuel 21:14; 24:25; Proverbs 15:8). The vision in Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4 shows angels in heaven with incense and prayers from the saints being offered to God, which is an interesting image of how God receives prayer. And while God may not always answer our prayers in the way that we want (Isaiah 16:12; Psalm 80:4), He does answer (Daniel 9:20-23, Matthew 21:11). Sometimes, the apostles even received direct answers from God while they were praying (Acts 11:5; 22:17).
Besides the response from God, prayer does much to benefit the pray-er as well. According to Scripture, prayer can lead to …
- Humility (2 Chronicles 7:1 and 14)
- Godliness (Psalm 32:6; Isaiah 19:22)
- A closer relationship to God (Job 22:27; 33:26)
- Relief from temptation (Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 22:40-46)
“Besides the response from God, prayer does much to benefit the pray-er as well.”
In Summary
According to Scripture, prayer is an important but not-so-structured part of our relationship with God. We do not have to end with amen. We do not have to close our eyes. It does not have to be a spiritual leader to pray for us. We do not have to use fancy language. Anyone can pray at any time, in any place, for anything. God will listen. The most important thing is to remember why we are praying and to make sure our minds and hearts are prepared before we approach God with our words. Jesus says in Matthew 6:8 that God already knows what we need before we ask. The important thing is to keep that honest line of communication open.
