The Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms defines prayer as a human approach to God that addresses God in praise and adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication, and intercession. It is a “consciousness of God’s presence, love, and direction.”[i] Those who engage in prayer may experience God’s grace. Moreover, Easton’s Bible Dictionary defines prayer as “a conversation with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him.” Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory (i.e., short or sudden expression of emotion) or formal.[ii] Examples of prayer are found in Scripture:
- It is a “beseeching the Lord” (Exodus 32:11);
- “Pouring out the soul before the Lord” (1 Samuel 1:15);
- “Praying and crying to heaven” (2 Chronicles 32:20);
- “Seeking unto God and making supplication” (Job 8:5);
- “Drawing near to God” (Psalm 73:28);
- “Bowing the knees” (Ephesians 3:14).
A Few Famous Prayers in the Bible
- The Tax Collector’s Prayer – Luke 18:13
- Hezekiah’s Prayer When Sick – Isaiah 38:2-8
- The Prayer of Jabez – 1 Chronicles 4:10
- Elijah’s Prayer at Mount Carmel – I Kings 18:36-39
- Hanah’s Prayer of Thanksgiving – 1 Samuel 2:1-10
- David’s Prayer of Thanks – 2 Samuel 7:18-29
- Paul’s Prayer for Spiritual Growth – Ephesians 3:14-21
- A Prayer of Praise – Jude 1:24-25
- Other …
[i] Donald K. McKim, “Prayer,” Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996), p. 216.
[ii] Easton’s Bible Dictionary, “Prayer.”