Lifted Hands

Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument. (1 Timothy 2:8 HCSB)

In the previous post, we looked at some scriptures that encourage us to lift up our hands in worship. But the Word of God also encourages us to lift our hands in prayer as well.

Here are some scripture references to hands being lifted in prayer:

Lev. 9:22--Aaron lifted his hands to bless the people

Job 11:13

Ps. 28:2; 77:2; 119:48; 141:2

Isa. 1:15

Lam. 2:19

1 Tim. 2:8

Lk. 24:50--Jesus lifted his hands to bless his disciples

Lifted hands are a symbolic posture of prayer. Traditionally, the hands are raised to the level of the shoulders or head with the palms turned upward in a gesture of reception. The posture of lifted hands is sometimes called the orant, which comes from the Latin word orans, meaning "praying." It is one of the oldest traditional postures for Christian prayer. Drawings of it appear as early as A.D. 180 in the Callistus catacomb, and many ancient tombstones portray Christians in this posture.

(from the Praise and Worship Study Bible--Tyndale House Publishers)

With Hands Uplifted

Lift up your hands in the holy place and praise the Lord! (Psalm 134:2 HCSB)


"We stand and lift up our hands for the joy of the Lord is our strength"
"We give You glory, lifting up our hands and singing Holy"
"Never gonna stop, never gonna stop, lifting up my hands to You, lifting up my heart"


The above lyrics are from familiar praise songs that we sing in our worship services. Notice how they refer to "lifting hands" in worship. Some churches practice lifting hands in their worship services all the time. Others never practice it. I have been members of both types of churches. It is easy to feel awkward or "out of place" if you are used to a more reserved, traditional service with no hand-lifting, and you then attend a more charismatic type of service where just about everyone else is lifting their hands. It can feel equally as awkward in the reverse situation, although it doesn't need to be so.

But what does the Bible say about lifting hands in worship to our Lord? Let's take a look at a few scripture references to hands being lifted in worship:

Ps. 63:4
So I will praise You as long as I live; at Your name, I will lift up my hands. (HCSB)

Ps. 119:48
I will lift up my hands to Your commands, which I love, and will meditate on Your statutes. (HCSB)

Ps. 134:2
Lift up your hands in the holy place and praise the Lord! (HCSB)

Lam. 3:41
Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven: (HCSB)

Nehemiah 8:6
Ezrah praised the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, "Amen, Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. (HCSB)

So it is clear that God's Word encourages us to lift our hands in worship. There are also many scriptures exhorting us to lift up our hands in prayer, but we will take a look at some of those in my next post.

My own experience is that it can be a meaningful part of our worship experience to lift our hands to the Lord. It can bring a deeper intimacy to your worship experience. Does that mean that if you don't lift your hands that you're not worshiping? Of course not! God is looking not on the outward appearance, but on the heart, seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. At the same time, if you are lifting your hands in worship, you shouldn't feel awkward or "out of place" if those around you aren't. Don't worry if someone who is not really entering into worship gives you a strange look when you lift your hands. You're not worshiping for their approval but God's! We all need to remember that our worship is not for show, to impress those around us (that was one of the problems the Pharisees had), but it is an outpouring of the love and adoration we have for God alone!

Lord I Lift Your Name On High

What does it mean to lift God's name on high? It means to praise Him for who He is. The prophet Habakkuk said, "His brilliant splendor fills the heavens, and the earth is filled with His praise" (Hab. 3:3), which gives us more than enough reason to lift His name on high. Rick Founds, the composer of this song, praises God for coming to earth, for dying, and for rising again. Through this praise song, Founds retells, in simple, brief form, the story of salvation. As you meditate on this song, praise God for who He is and for what He has done for you.

Lord, I lift Your name on high.

Lord, I love to sing Your praises.

I'm so glad You're in my life.

I'm so glad You came to save us.

You came from heaven to earth to show the way.

From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay.

From the cross to the grave,

From the grave to the sky;

Lord, I lift Your name on high.

(from the Praise and Worship Study Bible--Tyndale House)

Melchizedek

There is no record of his father or mother or any of his ancestors--no beginning or end to his life. He remains a priest forever, resembling the Son of God. (Hebrews 7:3 NLT)

Here is another worship profile from the Praise and Worship Study Bible. This is a great study bible for those who want to learn more about biblical praise and worship.

Melchizedek

Some of us may remember the old television show The Lone Ranger. Each week this Western hero would fearlessly rescue someone in trouble. Then, astride his trusty steed, Silver, and accompanied by his faithful sidekick, Tonto, every kid's favorite lawman would gallop off into the sunset. Stunned but thankful townspeople would stare at the dissipating clouds of dust and ask the now-familiar question, "Who was that masked man?" That same kind of puzzling curiosity is often the response of believers after they have read about the Bible character named Melchizedek. Who was that obscure character? Where did he come from? And most important, what lessons can we learn from him?

Melchizedek the Worshiper

The name Melchizedek means "king of justice." He is identified in Genesis 14 as both the king and priest of Salem. We are introduced to him following Abram's military rescue of Lot from a coalition of local kings led by Ledorloamer. Melchizedek came to the victorious Abram, offered his tired troops a meal, and pronounced a blessing. Then, in a flash, this mysterious priest was gone.

Other than a few later references to him in Psalm 110 and Hebrews 5-7 (where he is compared to Christ, the ultimate King and Priest), Melchizedek totally disappears from the biblical record. Nevertheless, his brief appearance offers us insights about worship: First, he is an example of one who worships; and second, he illustrates some of the characteristics of Jesus Christ, the one who truly deserves our worship.

Learning from Melchizedek

Consider Melchizedek's example of worship. Although he was a secular king, he had a sacred faith in God Most High, the one true God. Consequently, he recognized the hand of God and the blessing of God in all the affairs of men--even in a nearby military skirmish. Melchizedek stopped whatever he was doing and went to celebrate with the faithful servants of God. He was quick to give God all the glory. Do we look at the world with that same perspective? Do we recognize God's sovereignty in all things and spontaneously gather with other worshipers to acknowledge it gladly? Or do we live primarily as secular men and women, relegating God and worship to a mere hour each Sunday morning?

Following the Example

Consider the characteristics that Melchizedek shared with Jesus Christ---the one who truly deserves our worship. As a priest, Melchizedek served as mediator between people and God. He pronounced blessings. He willingly received Abram's gift of a tithe. The example of Melchizedek should remind us , as blessed people, to give back to God a portion of what we have been given. Do we do that gladly and thankfully? We cannot worship God rightly as long as we are clutching our possessions tightly. These are the lessons of Melchizedek, the mysterious high priest in the life of Abram.

Mere Christianity Quotes (p. 63)

Here is another excerpt from the classic book by C. S. Lewis--Mere Christianity:

That is why the Christian is in a different position from other people who are trying to be good. They hope, by being good, to please God if there is one; or--if they think there is not--at least they hope to deserve approval from good men. But the Christian thinks any good he does comes from the Christ-life inside him. He does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a greenhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the sun shines on it.

Jesus Receives Sinners

"This man receiveth sinners." Luke 15:2

Here is another thoughtful devotional by Charles Spurgeon:

Observe the condescension of this fact. This Man, who towers above all other men, holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners--this Man receiveth sinners. This Man, who is no other than the eternal God, before whom angels veil their faces--this Man receiveth sinners. It needs an angel's tongue to describe such a mighty stoop of love. That any of us should be willing to seek after the lost is nothing wonderful--they are of our own race; but that he, the offended God, against who the transgression has been committed, should take upon himself the form of a servant, and bear the sin of many, and should then be willing to receive the vilest of the vile, this is marvellous.

"This Man receiveth sinners"; not, however, that they may remain sinners, but he receives them that he may pardon their sins, justify their persons, cleanse their hearts by his purifying word, preserve their souls by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, and enable them to serve him, to show forth his praise, and to have communion with him. Into his heart's love he receives sinners, takes them from the dunghill, and wears them as jewels in his crown; plucks them as brands from the burning, and preserves them as costly monuments of his mercy. None are so precious in Jesus' sight as the sinners for whom he died. When Jesus receives sinners, he has not some out-of-doors reception place, no casual ward where he charitably entertains them as men do passing beggars, but he opens the golden gates of his royal heart, and receives the sinner right into himself--yea, he admits the humble penitent into personal union and makes him a member of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. There was never such a reception as this! This fact is still most sure this evening, he is still receiving sinners: would to God sinners would receive him.

Mere Christianity Quotes (p. 62)

Here is another excerpt from the classic book about what Christians believe, Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis. This passage is about believing things on authority:

Do not be scared by the word authority. Believing things on authority only means believing them because you have been told them by someone you think trustworthy. Ninety-nine percent of the things you believe are believed on authority. I believe there is such a place as New York. I have not seen it myself. I could not prove by abstract reasoning that there must be such a place. I believe it because reliable people have told me so. The ordinary man believes in the Solar System, atoms, evolution, and the circulation of the blood on authority--because the scientists say so. Every historical statement in the world is believed on authority. None of us has seen the Norman Conquest or the defeat of the Armada. None of us could prove them by pure logic as you prove a thing mathematics. We believe them simply because people who did see them have left writings that tell us about them: in fact, on authority. A man who jibbed at authority in other things as some people do in religion would have to be content to know nothing all his life.

What is Worship?

Here is an excerpt from Called to Worship: The Biblical Foundations of Our Response to God's Call by Vernon M. Whaley.

But, wait. What is worship? What do we mean when we use the word? Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.) defines worship as "reverence offered a divine being" as well as the "act of expressing such reverence." So, we are to show God reverence. But how? What acts demonstrate reverence for God? Does the Bible offer guidance?

In Scripture, the Hebrew word for worship is shachah, meaning "to kneel, stoop, prostrate oneself, or throw oneself down, in reverence." Closely related are the Hebrew words shabach, "to shout to the Lord"; yadah, "to worship with uplifted hands"; halal, "to celebrate God foolishly and boast about His attributes (love, mercy, goodness, etc.)"; and tehillah, "to sing spontaneous songs of praise."

In the Greek, the word for worship, proskuneo, means to express deep respect or adoration--by kissing, with words, or by bowing down. Associated words include epaineo, "to commend or applaud"; aineo, "to praise God"; and sebomai, "to revere."

That's a lot of words, with diverse definitions. And these aren't the only biblical terms that relate to worship. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance offers a wealth of information regarding the various words for worship and its synonyms. But how can we make all of this information relevant? When we tie all of these words and their meaning together, what does it all boil down to?

Love. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength" (NKJV). Jesus repeated this command three times in the New Testament (Matt. 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27). Why? Because it's what we were made for---to love God. And if we are in love with Him, we will naturally want to worship Him (shachah). He's done so much for you and me that it only seems right to fall down before Him (cagad), to throw up our hands in surrender (yadah), to sing His praises (zamar)--to worship Him.

Do you love Jesus? Why?

"Thou whom my soul loveth." (Song of Solomon 1:7)

Do you love Jesus? Why do love Jesus? This devotional by Charles Spurgeon touches on these questions.

It is well to be able, without any "if" or "but", to say of the Lord Jesus---"Thou whom my soul loveth." Many can only say of Jesus that they hope they love him; they trust they love him; but only a poor and shallow experience will be content to stay here. No one ought to give any rest to his spirit till he feels quite sure about a matter of such vital importance. We ought not to be satisfied with a superficial hope that Jesus loves us, and with a bare trust that we love him. The old saints did not generally speak with "buts," and "ifs," and "hopes," and "trusts," but they spoke positively and plainly. "I know whom I have believed," saith Paul. "I know that my Redeemer liveth," saith Job. Get positive knowledge of your love of Jesus, and be not satisfied till you can speak of your interest in him as a reality, which you have made sure by having received the witness of the Holy Spirit, and his seal upon your soul by faith.

True love to Christ is in every case the Holy Spirit's work, and must be wrought in the heart by him. He is the efficient cause of it; but the logical reason why we love Jesus lies in himself. Why do we love Jesus? Because he first loved us. Why do we love Jesus? Because he "gave himself for us." We have life through his death; we have peace through his blood. Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor.

Why do we love Jesus? Because of the excellency of his person. We are filled with a sense of his beauty! an admiration of his charms! a consciousness of his infinite perfection! His greatness, goodness, and loveliness, in one resplendent ray, combine to enchant the soul till it is so ravished that it exclaims, "Yea, he is altogether lovely." Blessed love this---a love which binds the heart with chains more soft than silk, and yet more firm than adamant!

Paul

We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who us over us all and in us all and living through us all. (Ephesians 4:4-6 NLT)

The following worship profile is taken from the Praise and Worship Study Bible from Tyndale House Publishers. I highly recommend this study Bible for all who want to learn more about biblical praise and worship. Let's take a look at some of the things we can learn about worship from the life of the apostle Paul:

Imagine that you are a believer in the first-century church. You have come to hear the apostle Paul as he describes his life's work. With deep reverence he describes what happened to him on the Damascus road. He speaks poignantly and powerfully about mercy and grace and forgiveness. As you listen to Paul pour out his heart, you suddenly grasp what he meant by phrases like "to live is Christ," "I want to know Christ," and "we make it our goal to please him." This is a man who has understood what it means to worship with all one's heart.

Paul the Worshiper

Other than Christ, perhaps no other person has shaped the form of Christian worship more than the apostle Paul. His passionate concern for both content and order is seen in the structure of countless Christian worship traditions. Our sharing of the Lord's Table, for instance, is based on Paul's words to the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 11).

Paul infused life into corporate worship by giving meaning to Old Testament practices. Steeped as he was in Jewish worship and theology, Paul transformed the rich liturgical content of Judaism by placing it in the context of Christ's redemptive work.

Learning from Paul

Paul taught by example. The worshipers who gathered in the various congregations he founded not only heard powerful words but saw a man who lived out his faith. His own devotion to Christ inspired others to follow God wholeheartedly.

Prayer permeates the letters of Paul. He urged others to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and offered intercessory prayer for all his churches. He also articulated prayers of worship that proclaim the magnificent work of Christ (see Ephesians 3:20).

Paul did everything in his power to help the church work in unity. He encouraged Christians to develop spiritual gifts that would benefit the whole body. He confronted sin that would disrupt harmony. He encouraged the faithful and admonished the indifferent. He stressed the need for self-discipline in the cause of serving Christ. He undertook everything with the intent of bringing God the glory.

In worship, Paul emphasized the elements of prayer, praise, the reading and teaching of Scripture, and regular partaking at the Lord's Table. When we gather for worship, these elements should all be incorporated frequently.

Following the Example

Survey one of Paul's letters and make a list of the elements that speak of either individual or corporate worship. Note the truths about God's character, the reasons for intercession, the occasions for praise, and the practical advice about gathering together. Then assess your strengths and weaknesses. How well do you build up others? How faithfully do you praise God for his mighty work in the church? Let God speak to you through his Word and Spirit as you seek to honor him through your ministry to others.