Topical Bible: Prayer: Accompanied With: Weeping

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Prayer, a fundamental aspect of the Christian faith, is often accompanied by various expressions of emotion, one of which is weeping. Weeping in prayer is a profound demonstration of the heart's earnestness and sincerity before God. Throughout the Bible, we find numerous instances where individuals, in their moments of deep distress, repentance, or fervent supplication, weep as they pray.

Biblical Instances of Weeping in Prayer:

1. Hannah's Plea for a Child:
In 1 Samuel 1:10, Hannah, deeply distressed by her barrenness, prays to the LORD with weeping. The Scripture states, "In her bitter distress, Hannah prayed to the LORD and wept with many tears." Her tears reflect the depth of her anguish and her earnest desire for a child, which God ultimately grants, answering her heartfelt prayer.

2. David's Lament:
King David, known for his psalms and prayers, often wept before the Lord. In Psalm 6:6, he expresses his sorrow, saying, "I am weary from groaning; all night I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears." David's weeping is a testament to his deep repentance and his reliance on God's mercy and deliverance.

3. Hezekiah's Illness:
When King Hezekiah was ill and near death, he turned to the Lord in prayer, accompanied by weeping. In 2 Kings 20:3, he pleads, "Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. God hears his prayer and sees his tears, granting him an extension of life.

4. Jeremiah's Intercession:
The prophet Jeremiah, known as the "weeping prophet," often wept in his prayers for the people of Israel. In Jeremiah 9:1, he laments, "Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night for the slain of my people." His tears reflect his deep compassion and sorrow for the spiritual state of his nation.

5. Jesus at Lazarus' Tomb:
In the New Testament, Jesus Himself weeps in prayerful compassion. In John 11:35, the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept," occurs as He approaches the tomb of His friend Lazarus. This moment reveals Jesus' deep empathy and His connection to human sorrow, even as He prepares to demonstrate His power over death.

Theological Significance:

Weeping in prayer is not merely an emotional outburst but a profound expression of the soul's deepest longings and sorrows before God. It signifies a heart that is fully engaged with the divine, seeking comfort, forgiveness, or intervention. The Bible assures believers that God is attentive to such prayers. Psalm 56:8 reminds us, "You have taken account of my wanderings; put my tears in Your bottle—are they not in Your book?" This imagery conveys God's intimate awareness and care for the tears shed by His people.

Practical Implications:

For believers, weeping in prayer can be a cathartic and healing experience, allowing them to release their burdens to God. It is an acknowledgment of human frailty and a demonstration of trust in God's compassion and power. Christians are encouraged to approach God with honesty and vulnerability, knowing that He is a loving Father who hears and responds to the cries of His children.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 31:9
They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Hosea 12:4
Yes, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication to him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Paul's First Prayer
... was preaching from the text concerning Jesus weeping over Jerusalem ... temple twice
a day, at the hour of prayer. If you could have accompanied him, you would have ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/pauls first prayer.htm

1861-1869. Prayer of Hon. And Rev. Baptist Noel --Residence in ...
... heard from one after another amid weeping and sobbing ... Christian women were gathered
for prayer, and depots ... a voyage apparently so useless, and accompanied by so ...
//christianbookshelf.org/lowe/gods answers/chapter i 1861-1869 prayer of.htm

Appendix V in the Directory.
... The words which accompanied the distribution of the Elements were so ... OF PUBLIC PRAYER
BEFORE THE SERMON. ... with fire and brimstone, where is weeping and gnashing ...
/.../luckock/studies in the book of common prayer/appendix v in the directory.htm

Letter xxxix. To Paula.
... for us the gate of paradise, death is accompanied, not with ... The Jews go on weeping
to this day; they make ... yourself daily to fasting, to reading, and to prayer. ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter xxxix to paula.htm

What God Will do for Us
... Me,' and that part of his prayer 'I will ... has changed from wild and passionate weeping
into calm ... goodness and mercy had determined and accompanied all their days ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/what god will do for.htm

Eligius, Bishop of Noyon.
... of all his undertakings, were accompanied with prayer ... Eligius when thou spreadest
forth thy prayer before the ... whilst they embraced one another, weeping, he said ...
/.../neander/light in the dark places/eligius bishop of noyon.htm

The Raising of the Young Man of Nain - the Meeting of Life and ...
... she would take, must be without prayer, in the ... wild chaunts of mourning women, [2668]
accompanied by flutes ... She was still weeping; even after He had hastened a ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/chapter xx the raising of.htm

The Intrepid Pioneer.
... held in Philadelphia in 1789, and accompanied by John ... was stationed, whom he found
"weeping before the ... stop preaching, and betook himself to prayer, when the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclean/william black/iv the intrepid pioneer.htm

Acts xx. 32
... "And they accompanied them," it says ... And there again they part from each other with
prayer. ... could be more affectionate: because he saw them weeping, he grieved ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/homily xlv acts xx 32.htm

Introduction
... Luke at Philippi and to have been accompanied by him ... tears; it is vocal with praise
and with prayer. ... journeys and the "daughters of Jerusalem" weeping on the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/erdman/the gospel of luke an exposition/introduction.htm