LIFTING UP HANDS IN WORSHIP AND PRAYER

By Einron

To Lift up the Hand

1. To swear, or by oath to confirm a thing. Gen 14:22,
2. To bless, Lev 9:22.
3. To pray, Ps 28:2.
4. To rise up in rebellion, 2 Sam 18:28; 20:21,
5. To oppress, threaten, injure, or wrong in any way, Job 31:21. (Cruden 's Complete Concordance)

Moses lifting his arms before the Red Sea.

Aaron and Hur holding up Moses' arms

Biblical Examples of Worship and Prayer with Lifting Hands

When Christians worship and pray, they either clasp their hands or lift them up. However, the majority clasp their hands when praying. I cannot find the origin for doing this. The minority lift their hands up when praying and I cite the following verses.
Ex 17:10-11 - When he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed (Moses).

• De 32:40 - I lift up my hand to heaven and say, I live for ever (Moses).
• Ex 17:11 - And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.
• Ge 14:22 - I have lift out mine hand unto the Lord ... (Abraham).
• Eze 6:14 - Will I stretch out my hand (Lord).
• Ps 28:2 - Hear, when I lift up my hands (David).
• Ps 63:4 - I will lift up my hands in thy name (David).
• Ps 134:2 - Lift up your hands in the sanctuary (church) and bless the Lord.
• Ps 141:2 - Lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice (David).
• Ps 143:6 - I stretch forth my hands unto thee: my soul thirsteth after thee, as a thirsty land. Selah (David).
• Lam 2:19 - Lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children (Jeremiah).
• Mi 5:9 - Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off (Micah).
• 1 Kings 8:54 - Solomon kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven (Solomon).
• Lu 24:50 - And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them (Jesus).
• 1 Ti 2:8 - I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting (Paul).
• He 12:12 - Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees (Paul).

 

The men who prayed lifting up their hands include Abraham, Moses, David, Jeremiah, and Paul. Moses and Jeremiah are considered prophets and Paul was an apostle. Abraham is the father of faith and Jesus Christ, our Saviour comes from the line of David. Solomon also spread his hands up to heaven.
These are all men of great importance and we are supposed to follow their example. May God give us courage to change when we are wrong and may God forgive us when we follow the tradition of men who impose their will upon us. May we follow God rather than men. O Lord, open our eyes and hearts to know Thy will.

Thy will be done!

Questioning the Motive

I have been quite amazed all this while that the vast majority of Christians do not lift up their hands when they pray. They follow what is taught by the churches to clasp their hands while praying. I decided to ask a Christian engineer and this was what she said to me. She said we could pray in any position, sitting down, lying down, standing up and clasping our hands and God answered our prayers if we were earnest in our hearts. She did not see the importance of lifting up hands to pray to God. She was correct in some way.
The men quoted in the article were men of great stature lifting up their hands and praying on behalf of the congregation to God to grant them victory over their enemies, They were not praying for themselves but for others. Lifting up hands and praying for others are very powerful when praying for conquest of enemies, openiing a way in the Red Sea so 2 million people could cross over. Jeremiah was praying for the young children and Micah to overcome the adversaries, David on behalf of the people and Jesus blessing the population before He was carried up to heaven.

Source: Hubpages