Prayer: Profuse, to be Avoided
Jump to: Nave'sLibrarySubtopicsTerms
Topical Encyclopedia
Prayer is a fundamental aspect of the Christian faith, serving as a means of communication with God. However, the Bible provides guidance on the manner and attitude with which believers should approach prayer. One particular caution is against profuse or verbose prayer, which is to be avoided.

The teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount addresses this issue directly. In Matthew 6:7 , Jesus instructs, "And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard." This verse highlights the futility of excessive words in prayer, emphasizing that the effectiveness of prayer is not determined by its length or complexity. The term "babble" suggests a repetitive or meaningless use of words, akin to the practices of pagans who believed that their gods could be swayed by sheer volume of speech.

The context of this teaching is crucial. Jesus contrasts the practices of the pagans with the intimate relationship believers have with their Heavenly Father. In Matthew 6:8 , He reassures, "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." This underscores the omniscience of God and His awareness of our needs, rendering excessive words unnecessary.

The emphasis on sincerity and simplicity in prayer is further illustrated in the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector found in Luke 18:9-14. The Pharisee's prayer is characterized by self-righteousness and verbosity, while the tax collector's prayer is marked by humility and brevity. Jesus commends the tax collector, saying in Luke 18:14 , "I tell you, this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God." This parable reinforces the idea that God values the heart's posture over the quantity of words.

The Apostle Paul also provides insight into the nature of effective prayer. In his letter to the Philippians, he writes, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6). Here, the focus is on presenting requests with a thankful heart, rather than on the length or eloquence of the prayer.

The Old Testament offers additional wisdom on this topic. Ecclesiastes 5:2 advises, "Do not be quick to speak, and do not let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are on earth. So let your words be few." This verse echoes the sentiment that reverence and thoughtfulness should characterize our approach to prayer.

In summary, the biblical perspective on prayer discourages profuse and verbose expressions, advocating instead for sincerity, humility, and trust in God's omniscience. The focus is on the quality of the relationship with God and the authenticity of the heart, rather than the quantity of words spoken.
Nave's Topical Index
Ecclesiastes 5:2
Be not rash with your mouth, and let not your heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and you on earth: therefore let your words be few.
Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 6:7
But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

A Practical Discourse on Some Principles of Hymn-Singing
... are those of simple praise, prayer, or faith ... of barred music, yet deliberately avoided
cramping the ... has for one chief differentiation the profuse employment of ...
/.../a practical discourse on some.htm

The Epistle of St. James
... like Pope's lady, are for ever in a passion or a prayer.' But he ... in fulfilling it,
James implies, all other offences such as immorality and murder are avoided. ...
/.../moffat/the general epistles james peter and judas/the epistle of st james.htm

Letter cviii. To Eustochium.
... own trumpeters, and while they are extremely profuse to a ... three companies met together
for psalm-singing and prayer. ... the manner in which she avoided the foul ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cviii to eustochium.htm

Enthusiasm.
... less than others, often spoke of enthusiasm as a thing to be greatly avoided. ... They
could hold up, in ridicule or warning, profuse illustrations of exorbitant ...
/.../abbey/the english church in the eighteenth century/chapter vii enthusiasm.htm

Resources
Questions about Prayer (All) | GotQuestions.org

What is the purpose of prayer? | GotQuestions.org

What is a prayer circle? | GotQuestions.org

Prayer: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Prayers

Prayers of Christ

Prayers of the Unrighteous

Related Terms

Kneeled (12 Occurrences)

Confessed (19 Occurrences)

Knelt (20 Occurrences)

Hannah (13 Occurrences)

Agony (20 Occurrences)

Possible (133 Occurrences)

Amoz (14 Occurrences)

Acknowledge (61 Occurrences)

Praying (71 Occurrences)

Beyond (209 Occurrences)

Hezeki'ah (120 Occurrences)

Kneeling (12 Occurrences)

Using (88 Occurrences)

Leaving (80 Occurrences)

Withdrew (55 Occurrences)

Fervently (7 Occurrences)

Farther (33 Occurrences)

Fasted (20 Occurrences)

Tabitha (2 Occurrences)

Repeatedly (28 Occurrences)

Distance (75 Occurrences)

Constantly (47 Occurrences)

Sennach'erib (13 Occurrences)

Short (128 Occurrences)

O (1414 Occurrences)

Boldly (26 Occurrences)

Builded (65 Occurrences)

Prayers (99 Occurrences)

Face (780 Occurrences)

Placed (297 Occurrences)

Attitudes (1 Occurrence)

Ship (122 Occurrences)

Restrained (51 Occurrences)

Proceeded (72 Occurrences)

Ground (538 Occurrences)

Ezra (28 Occurrences)

Rain (118 Occurrences)

Earnestly (78 Occurrences)

Forward (252 Occurrences)

Whereas (55 Occurrences)

Eli'sha (52 Occurrences)

Pass (1172 Occurrences)

Wept (78 Occurrences)

Fasting (34 Occurrences)

Fell (331 Occurrences)

Cup (86 Occurrences)

Sennacherib (13 Occurrences)

Nehemiah (9 Occurrences)

Confession (22 Occurrences)

Stood (491 Occurrences)

Desire (565 Occurrences)

Ghost (123 Occurrences)

Desert (322 Occurrences)

Samson (37 Occurrences)

Prayer (406 Occurrences)

Jonah (30 Occurrences)

Departed (270 Occurrences)

Laid (552 Occurrences)

Wherever (107 Occurrences)

Jeremiah (141 Occurrences)

Hezekiah (124 Occurrences)

Chosen (197 Occurrences)

Yielded (28 Occurrences)

Quite (55 Occurrences)

Quenched (22 Occurrences)

Vote (3 Occurrences)

Visited (40 Occurrences)

Zedekiah (63 Occurrences)

Kingdoms (65 Occurrences)

Keepest (16 Occurrences)

Knower (1 Occurrence)

Nevertheless (153 Occurrences)

Ninth (35 Occurrences)

Nerijah (8 Occurrences)

Needy (83 Occurrences)

Neriah (10 Occurrences)

Unjust (44 Occurrences)

Upstairs (8 Occurrences)

Prayer: Private, Enjoined
Top of Page
Top of Page