Recommendations for Improving Public Prayer

By Terry L. Johnson and J. Ligon Duncan III

Let us make several recommendations for the improvement of public prayer.

PRAY IN THE LANGUAGE OF SCRIPTURE

First, pray in the language of Scripture. Obviously this is our primary point. Listen to the voices from the past as they universally urge this practice. Matthew Henry says, "I would advise that the sacred dialect be most used, and made familiar to us and others in our dealing about sacred things; that language Christian people are most accustomed to, most affected with, and will most readily agree to." 1 Patrick Fairbairn urges that the whole prayer "should be cast much in the mould of Scripture, and should be marked by a free use of its language." 2 R.L. Dabney says, "Above all should the minister enrich his prayers with the language of Scripture," explaining,

Besides its inimitable beauty and simplicity, it is hallowed and sweet to every pious heart by a thousand associations. It satisfies the taste of all; its use effectually protects us against improprieties; it was doubtless given by the Holy Spirit to be a model for our devotions. Let it then abound in our prayers. 3

Samuel Miller says,

One of the most essential excellencies in public prayer, and that which I feel constrained first of all, and above all to recommend, is, that it abound in the language of the word of God. 4

Thomas Murphy says,

The prayer of the sanctuary should be thoroughly saturated with scriptural thought and expression. The language of the Bible is that which the Spirit prompted, and which must therefore be most in accordance with the mind of God. For the same reason it must be Bible language which is best calculated to express those devotional feelings which are the work of the Spirit in the heart. 5

John Broadus counsels,

The minister should be consistently storing in his memory the more directly devotional expressions found everywhere in the Bible, and especially in the Psalms and Prophets, the Gospels, Epistles, and Revelation...most of us greatly need in our prayers a larger and more varied infusion of Scripture language. 6

But perhaps some are still unpersuaded, or are concerned that what worked in the past may not work today. Consider the following.

1. This is the pattern found in Scripture itself.

This is not merely the opinion of the Reformers or of eighteenth-and nineteenth-century evangelical theologians. It is also the pattern that we see in Scripture. The biblical saints learned God-pleasing devotional language from the Bible. They often used the language and themes of Scripture to interpret and express their experience. Consider for instance Moses seminal revelatory experience in Exodus 34:6,7.

Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, visiting the iniquity of fathers on the children and on the grandchildren to the third and fourth generations."

The echo of this revelation is heard on at least thirteen additional occasions in the Old Testament as later prophets learned from Moses how to praise God (Num 14:18; 2 Ch 30:9; Neh 9:17,31; Pss 103:8;111:4; 112:4; 116:5; 145:9; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; etc). As we have seen Mary at the annunciation drew upon the Song of Hannah (Lk 1:46-55, c.f., 1 Sam 2:1-10; Solomon at the dedication of the temple incorporated Psalm 132:8,9 (2 Ch. 6:40-42); Jesus on the cross used the words of Psalms 22:1 and 31:5 (Mt 27:46, Lk 23:46); and the early church in the face of persecution cited Psalms 146 and 2 (Acts 4:24-30). In each case the language of Scripture provided the language for prayer.

Where then are we to learn the language of Christian devotion if not from Scripture? That this is less than self-evident to a tradition whose defining principle has been that worship must be regulated by God's word is surprising indeed. Since our minds are "factories for idols," borrowing Calvin's phrase, we must be taught the language of prayer. Isn't that the point of the disciples’ request of Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1)? Isn't that indeed the point of the Book of Psalms? Were the Psalms not provided to teach the people of God the language of devotion with which God is pleased? If Jesus in the supreme crisis of his life drew upon the Psalter in order to understand and express His devotion and experience, then we can do no less.

2. There is a special efficacy in Scripture-based prayer.

It then follows that there is a special efficacy in Scripture-based prayer. No prayers more accurately reflect the will of God than those which use the language which God Himself puts into our mouths. No request is more sure to be granted than that which expresses what God Himself has promised to fulfill. No petition is more sure to be answered than that which pleads for that which God already commands. Pray the promises and commands of Scripture. This principle is evident in James 1. Does God command that we be wise? Of course He does. It follows then that we should ask for it. "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5). Similarly, pray the promise of 1 John 1:9, that if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. Claim the promise of John 3:16 in prayer, that "whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish." Plead that the people of God will be holy even as God is holy (1 Pt 1:16). Plead that they will love one another and bear one another's burdens (Gal 6:2). Faith comes by hearing the word of God doesn't it (Rom 10:17)? The word prayed in the hearing of the congregation will be efficacious to the salvation of their souls.

3. There is a special comfort in scriptural prayer.

There is a special comfort in scriptural prayer. It is one thing to pray, "Lord, please be with us through this day." It is quite another to pray, "Lord remember your promise, ‘I will never leave nor forsake you’" (Heb 13:5). Can't you sense the difference? It is one thing to pray, "As we begin our prayer, we thank you for the privilege of bringing our petitions to you." It is quite another to pray, "We come at Your invitation, O Christ, for you have promised, ‘Ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.’ And so we come asking, seeking, and knocking" (Matt 7:7,8). It is one thing to pray in the midst of tragedy, "Lord we know that you have a plan." That is a true, valid, and comforting thing to pray. Even so, it is quite another to pray, "O Lord, you have numbered the hairs upon our heads. You are working all things after the counsel of your will. Not even a sparrow may fall from a tree apart from you. You cause all things to work together for good for those who love you, and are called according to your purpose" (Matt 10:29,30; Eph 1:11; Rom 8:28). More effectively comfort the hearts of your people by echoing the promises of Scripture in your prayers.

4. Scriptural prayer reinforces the ministry of the word.

As noted above, one reason why previous generations of evangelicals were more biblically literate than ours is that there was more Bible content in their services than in ours. The word preached and the word prayed and the word sung were constantly reinforcing each other. The romanticism of the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries emptied our hymns of most of their biblical and theological content. As noted above, only fragments of scriptural expression remain in our songs. We've already commented on the state of preaching and praying. The irony that the churches that profess to believe in the inerrancy of Scripture make such little use of Scripture and are becoming increasingly ignorant of Scripture is bitter indeed. What a difference it will make if you will call the people to worship with Scripture, invoke the presence of God with scriptural praise, sing a metrical Psalm, confess sins using Scripture language, read the Scripture, preach an expository sermon, sing a scriptural hymn, build your intercessions around the five categories found in Scripture, used by the early church, and revived by the Reformers, and conclude with a scriptural benediction. 7 This done, Sunday morning and evening, fifty-two weeks a year, year after year will build a strong church, one characterized by scriptural literacy and spiritual maturity. If you worship in this way your growth may be slower than is acceptable to many. It may require that one take a longer view than is customary today. One may not gather large crowds overnight. But in the long run a church that builds a foundation like this on the words of Christ, will endure like a rock, and not be shaken.

Now we will look at how to become proficient in praying in the language of Scripture.

a. Study and use the prayers in Scripture. Are there any better prayers of praise than those of David in 1 Chronicles 29 or the composite prayer of Paul in 1 Timothy? Listen to them:

Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Thine is the dominion, O Lord, and Thou dost exalt Thyself as head over all. Both riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou dost rule over all, and in Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Thy hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone. Now, therefore, our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious name. (1 Chronicles 29:11-13)

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. . . . He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords; who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17; 6:15,16)

Are there any better prayers of confession than David's Psalm 51, or Daniel's in Daniel 9?

Are there any better prayers of illumination than those of Psalm 43:3 and Eph 3:18,19?

Are there any better prayers of intercession for the saints than Paul's for the Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians (Eph 1:15-23; Phil 1:9-11; Col 1:9-11)? The following is a partial list of the major prayers found in Scripture whose study will pay spiritual dividends:

• Abraham - Genesis 18:23-33 (intercession)
• Moses - Exodus 15:1-18 (praise); 32:11-14 and 33:12-17 (intercession); Numbers 11:10-15 (complaint); 14:11-19 (pleading)
• Hannah - 1 Samuel 2:1-10 (praise)
• David - II Samuel 7:18-29 (thanksgiving); I Chronicles 29:11-20 (praise)
• Solomon - I Kings 3:6-9 (for wisdom); 8:22-53; 54-61 (praise); II Chronicles 6:14-42 (praise and petition)
• Hezekiah - II Kings 19:14-19 (intercession)
• Jeremiah - Jeremiah 32:16-25 (praise and questioning)
• Ezra - Ezra 9:5-15 (confession)
• Habakkuk - Habakkuk 1:12-17 (questioning)
• Mary - Luke 1:46-55 (praise)
• Zacharias - Luke 1:68-79 (praise)
• Simeon - Luke 2:29-32 (praise)
• Early Church - Acts 4:24-30 (praise and petition)
• Paul - Colossians 1:9-12; Ephesians 1:1-23; Philippians 1:9-11 (praise and petition)
• Church Triumphant - Revelation 4:8-5:14 (praise)

b. Incorporate the language of Scripture in your prayers. Not only pray the prayers of Scripture, but let both your terminology and content reflect Scripture's terminology and content. Don't just open the worship by praying whatever pops into your head. Pray, "O Lord we have come to worship and bow down, to kneel before You the Lord our Maker; for You are our God, and we are the people of Your pasture, the sheep of Your hand" (Ps 95). Don't just pray, "Lord save our covenant children." Pray instead, "Lord, remember your promise to be a God to us and to our children, and so save our covenant children." Pray back to God His promises. Pray back to God His revelation of His own nature. Pray back to God those things that He requires of us in His word. For example, why not turn Ephesians 5:1-17 into a prayer:

We pray that we might be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also loved us. We pray that immorality, and impurity, and greed might not be named among us; nor filthiness and silly talk, nor coarse jesting, nor anything else that is improper or not fitting. Help us to walk as children of light, in goodness, righteousness, and truth. Teach us what is pleasing to you. Use us to expose the unfruitful deeds of darkness. Guide us, that we might walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of our time, because the days are evil. Keep us from foolishness, and give us an understanding of your will. (Ephesians 5:1-17)

Find key phrases and precious promises and turn them into prayer. There is almost no limit to what can be done. Even historical allusions can be profitably employed in prayer. Samuel Miller provides several examples:

In a time of struggle for the church:

O Thou who didst of old, deliver thy covenant people from the bondage of Egypt, and didst open a way through the sea for them to pass in safety; so may it please thee now to deliver thy afflicted and struggling Church, to disappoint those who seek her hurt, to sanctify to her all her troubles, and bring her out of them all with increasing purity, and peace, and joy. 8

To cry for freedom from the corruption of sin:

We are by nature carnal, sold under sin; but we rejoice to know that, as thou didst once bring thy people out of bondage, and make them the Lord's freemen in their own land; so thou hast promised, by the Lord Jesus Christ, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are the bond slaves of Satan. We rejoice to read in thy word, that, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so the Son of man has been lifted up, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but obtain eternal life. 9

Especially helpful in the study of prayer in addition to the older volumes already cited are Richard L. Pratt's Pray With Your Eyes Open, 10 W. Graham Scroggie's Paul's Prison Prayers, 11 Donald Cogan's The Prayers of the New Testament, 12 and Herbert Lockyer's All the Prayers of the Bible. 13 Better yet, get a copy of Matthew Henry’s A Method for Prayer and read it over and over again.

PLAN PUBLIC PRAYERS

Second, we recommend for the improvement of public prayers that they should be planned. This is obviously necessary if the preceding point is to be realized, if you are to pray the actual terminology of the Bible. But it is necessary for other reasons as well. It is sad to hear the careless language, the imprecision, and the incoherence of many pulpit prayers today. I suspect, though I cannot prove, that many ministers give no thought whatsoever to what they intend to pray beforehand. Willimon complains that "Many of our pastoral prayers are a maze of poorly thought out, confusing cliches, hackneyed expressions, shallow constructions, and formalized, impersonal ramblings." 14 All of the old commentators are of one mind on the need of planning public prayers. One ought no more pray without preparation than preach. Fairbairn says, "I would earnestly advise a certain measure of special preparation for the devotional work of the sanctuary." 15 He encourages the use of an outline, and even the practice of writing out one's prayers, not in order to read them, but in order to organize one's thoughts. W.G.T. Shedd says the minister "ought to study method in prayer, and observe it. A prayer should have a plan as much as a sermon." 16 He continues,

In the recoil from the formalism of written and read prayers, Protestants have not paid sufficient attention to an orderly and symmetrical structure in public supplications. Extemporaneous prayer, like extemporaneous preaching, is too often the product of the single instant, instead of devout reflection and premeditation. It might, at first glance, seem that premeditation and supplication are incongruous conceptions; that prayer must be a gush of feeling, without distinct reflection. This is an error. No man, no creature, can pray well without knowing what he is praying for, and whom he is praying to. Everything in prayer, and especially in public prayer, ought to be well considered and well weighed. 17

R.L. Dabney writes, "I deem that the minister is as much bound to prepare himself for praying in public as for preaching. The negligence with which many preachers leave their prayers to accident, while they lay out all their strength on their sermons, is most painfully suggestive of unbelief toward God and indifference to the edification of their brethren." He labels the idea that one should trust in the leading of the Holy Spirit in prayer rather than prepare ahead of time "a remnant of fanatical enthusiasm." "To speak for God to men is a sacred and responsible task. To speak for men to God is not less responsible, and is more solemn . . . The young minister should no more venture into the pulpit with an impromptu prayer, than with an impromptu sermon." 18 Both Dabney and Miller (like Murphy) encourage the discipline of what they call "devotional composition," "not so much to recite these written prayers in the pulpit," explains Dabney, "as to train his own taste, and to gather a store of devotional language." 19 Among modern writers Robert Rayburn agrees: "If a minister wishes to be effective in leading the prayers of his congregation he must prepare for his public prayers." 20 Now, of course, when we argue that one should prepare for prayer and study to lead in public prayer, we are not saying that the prayer should be read aloud from a manuscript. Free prayer, rich scriptural free prayer, is too valuable a commodity to be lost to the church. It is studied prayer, not read prayer that we are advocating here.

Let us, then, make a few recommendations about the prayers which you plan.