PRAYER (riZlin, from pri, to incline to one; • : Hithp. to pray, to supplicate; r*, from to bow down ; Piel and Hithp., to pray ; LXX. usually Sirlocr, but frequently rpocrevx4)• 1. The Hebrew idea of prayer was that of an invocation of God for help or blessing. The Divine Being was regarded as accessible by men (Deut. iv. 29 ; I Chron. xxviii. 9, etc.), as graciously in clined to listen to their cry (Ps. clxv. 18, 19; lxxxvi. 5-7 ; cii. 17 ; Jer. xxxiii. 3 ; Neh. f. Is, etc.), as able and willing to supply, all their need (Ps. lvii. 2 ; xxxiv. so ; lxv. 2), and as granting blessing in answer to prayer (Ps. 1. 15 ; lvii. 2 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 24-37, etc.) Hence the act of prayer is sometimes called a seeking of the Lord (Dent. iv. 29 ; 1 Chron. xvi. so ; 2 Chron. xx. 3 ; Ps. xxxiv. so ; Is. lv. 6, etc.); an intreating of the face of the Lord (Exod. xxii. I I ; I Kings xiii. 6) ; a pouring out of the heart or soul before him, or before, his face (Ps. lxii. 8 ; I Sam. i. 15 ; Lam. ii. 19) ; a crying or calling unto God (Ps. lv. 16, 17 ; cxx, I ; cxlv. 18, 19 ; Is. lviii. 6, 7, 9, etc.) ; a beseeching of God (Exod. xxxii. 1s ; xxxiii. 18 ; Num. xii. 19 ; Ps. lxxx. 14, etc.) ; and prayer itself is called a cry (1r, Sinacr, I Kings viii. 28; Ps. xvii. 1 ; lxi. I ; clxii. 7 ; Jer. xi. 14: trine, Ps. xxxix. 12 ; comp. Jer. viii. 19 ; 1 Sam. v. 12) ; a complaint (0%;5, 34ms, Ps. cxlii. 2) ; and a roar ing (MINqi, Ps. xxii. z). In the N. T. this idea of prayer as an approach of the soul unto God, with desire and request for help, is even more explicitly enunciated (comp. Matt. vi. 5, ff. ; vii. 7, ff. ; xviii. Ig ; xxi. 22 ; Luke X. 2 ; xviii. 1-8 ; John xiv, 13 ; xvi. 23-26 ; Eph. vi. 18, 19 ; Phil. iv. 6 ; Col. iv. 2, 3 ; 2 Thess. i. II ; 2 Thess. iii. 2, ; James i. 5-7 ; v. 13, 16, etc.) But in neither the O. T. nor the N. T. is any explanation given of the rationale of prayer, or any attempt made to solve the speculative difficulties by which the sub ject is beset.
In the progress of spiritual degeneracy, this idea of prayer perished out of the minds of the mass of the people, and for it was substituted a belief in the worth of the mere outward form as a mode of pleasing God (Tob. xii. 8, 9 ; Ecclus. xxviii. 2 ; Matt. vi. 7). With the carnal Pharisees of our Lord's time prayer was valued more as a means of securing the praise of men than as a means of obtaining blessing from God (Matt. vi. 5, ff. ; Luke xi. I, ff. ; xx. 47).
2. The postures in prayer commonly used by the Hebrews were-standing (z Sam. i. 26 ; I Kings viii. 22 ; Luke xviii. Is), or kneeling (i Kings viii. 34; 2 Chron. vi. 13 ; Ezra ix. 5 ; Dan. vi. so ; Luke xxii. 41) ; in both cases with the hands lifted up (Ps. xxviii. 2 ; cxxxiv. 2 ; Lam. ii. 19 ; iu. 41 ;
2 Maccab. iii. 2o), or spread out towards heaven Ezra ix. 5 ; Is. i. 15). [ATTITUDES.) In cases of deep contrition the hands might be employed to smite on the breast (Luke xviii.13); under the bur den of anxiety or grief the head might sink on the breast (Ps. my. 12), or be buried between the knees (I Kings xviii. 42) ; and even, under the influence of deep emotion, the whole body might be prostrated on the ground (Gen. xxiv. 26 ; Exod. xxxiv. 8 ; Neh. viii. 6 ; Judith ix. s). The Jew prayed with his head covered-a usage still followed by the Jews even in occidental countries. In private prayer they might sometimes retire to an inner chamber (Matt. vi. 6), but they usually preferred the open air, and their favourite place was the upper chamber or flat roof of the house (Dan. vi. II ; Judith viii. 5 ; Tob. iii. 12 ; Acts i. 13 ; x. 9) ; though some times they sought some retired height (1 Kings xviii. 42 ; Matt. xiv. 23 ; Mark vi. 46 ; Luke vi. 12). Those resident in Jerusalem sought the temple for prayer (Luke xviii. so ; Acts iii. 1, comp. Is. lvi. 7) ; those at a distance seem to have turned in the direction of the temple (2 Chron. vi. 34; Ezra iv. 58 ; Dan. vi. II) ; so far as might be, to look unto the holy of holies where Jehovah dwelt (Ps. v. 7).
3. As to seasons of prayer, nothing is prescribed in Scripture ; nor in the earlier ages do there seem to have been any fixed times for prayer. David tells us that he prayed three times a day-morning, mid-day, and evening (Ps. lv. 18) ; and Daniel fol lowed the same usage (vi. so). What was pro bably a voluntary habit on the part of pious Jews in the earlier times, seems to have become at a later period matter of prescription ; and the stated hours for prayer were the third, the sixth, and the ninth (Acts ii. 15 ; x. 9 ; iii. I ; x. 30) ; i.e., ac cording to our reckoning, at nine o'clock A.M. (the hour of the morning sacrifice), twelve o'clock noon, and three o'clock P.M. (the hour of the evening sacri fice (comp. Joseph. Antig. xiv. 4. 3). The Jews were wont to offer prayer on extraordinary occa sions, such as the dedication of the temple (i Kings viii. 22) ; also when they were engaged or about to engage in battle (1 Chron. v. 20 ; I Maccab. v. 33 ; xi. 71, ff.), and generally before any import ant undertaking (Prov. iii. 6 ; xvi. 3 ; Ps. xxxvii. 5 ; Acts ix. 40; Judith xiii. 7). A thanksgiving prayer seems also to have been usually offered by them before eating or drinking (Matt. xv. 36 ; John vi. I I ; Acts xxvii. 35).
For the synagogue service of prayer, see SYNA GOGUE. For rabbinical opinions and prescrip tions, see Otho, Lex. Rabbit:. Philol., s. v. Preces. -W. L. A.