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Amen is a Hebrew word, signifying truth and certainty in the first place; and then our affirmation of something as a certainty, or our desire that it should be so. It comes also to signify faithfulness and stedfastness in a person, so that that person is himself regarded as truth personified — the truth, the Amen. Hence it is that Christ takes to Himself the designation of the Truth, and the Amen — the faithful and true Witness. Further, it has come to signify faith and confidence — specially faith and confidence in God. It is the word used in reference to Abraham, "He believed God," and to Israel, "They believed the Lord." But it is with the common use of it that we have now to do — that use of it which we make daily when we conclude even our shortest prayer. Amen; that is, so let it be; let it be according to our request, and according to Thy promise. Used in this way it means much. There are, however, different ways of using it; different feelings with which it is uttered: and it is to these that we would now attend.

I. THERE IS THE AMEN OF IGNORANCE. Simple and common as the word is, thousands use it without knowing what it means, or what they themselves intend. It is to them a word, no more; a concluding word or sound, where the voice ceases, and after which the eyes are opened, and the hands unclasped! Are your Amens of this kind? or are they uttered with the understanding — the full realisation of the large and solemn meaning which they contain?

II. THE AMEN OF HABIT. All are not ignorant of its significance. Ask many what they intend by affixing it to their prayers, and at once they will tell you. Yet mark them, and you will find the word slipping from their tongue without any corresponding thought as to its sense. Are your Amens those of habit — pieces of ornament, the useless appendages of useless devotion — or is your soul thrown into them? Are they the essence of your previous petitions-the concentration and summing-up of all your desires?

III. THE AMEN OF UNBELIEF. It seems strange that a word like this should ever be uttered in unbelief; yet such is the case. Nay, sometimes it would seem as if the most unbelieving part of our prayer is that which should be the most believing — the Amen. We may well wonder how it should be so. It seems almost incredible that a word like this, meant to be associated with faithfulness, and truth, and certainty, should be connected with unbelief, nay, should be the utterance of unbelief — the frequent, the daily utterance of unbelief; yet so it is. Our unbelieving Amens are about the most melancholy parts of our prayers — the worst indications of distrust in- God.

IV. THE AMEN OF FAITH. This is the true Amen; the Amen of souls who have heard the gracious words of Him who cannot lie, and who act upon these. But why should Amen be thus linked with faith? Because that which calls it forth is not simply a desirable thing, but a truth and a certainty. It has to do with such things as the following:

1. The free love of God. In every prayer we keep our eye on this; for without the recognition of this grace, this abundant grace, what would prayer be?

2. The truthfulness of God. God is true — truthful, faithful; we will not make Him a liar in any one thing, in any of our communications with Him-least of all in our prayers.

3. The power of God. What He has promised He is able also to perform. He is able to do for us exceeding abundantly, above all we ask. In addition to these things, to which the faith of our Amens attaches itself, we would only further say that it specially leans upon the Cross of Christ in connection with these three. It is round that Cross that this faith flings its arms; if is here that it sits down in quiet satisfaction.

V. THE AMEN OF HOPE. We say, "Hallowed be Thy name," and we add the Amen of hope; "Thy kingdom come," and we add the Amen of hope; "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven," and we add the Amen of hope. We hear the Lord's own voice from heaven saying, "Surely I come quickly," and we add with the apostle: "Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen!" Each time we utter the Amen in connection with these blessed futurities, does our hope kindle up anew — the hope calling up the Amen, and the Amen making the hope to shine out with fresh brightness? In anticipating such a future, how can we utter a cold, heartless, passive, or despairing Amen?

VI. THE AMEN OF JOY. It is the joy of conscious pardon; the joy of friendship with God; the joy of adoption and heirship; the joy of our whole new created being; the joy because of the blessedness in prospect. Past, present, and future — all furnish us with materials for joy. And in our thanksgivings for the past, we breathe out an Amen of joy; in our consciousness of present peace and heavenly favour, we repeat our Amen of joy; in our pleadings for larger blessing to ourselves and to our world, we say Amen with gladness; and in our pressing forward to the mark for the prize of our high calling, looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God, we say Amen and Amen with ever-deepening joy of heart.

(H. Bonar, D. D.).

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KJV: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

WEB: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with all the saints. Amen.