Topical Bible: Prayer is Described as Looking Up

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Topical Encyclopedia

In the biblical context, prayer is often depicted as an act of looking up, symbolizing a posture of reverence, dependence, and expectation towards God. This imagery is deeply rooted in the Scriptures, where physical gestures often accompany spiritual attitudes.

Biblical Instances and Symbolism

1. Psalm 5:3 · "In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; at daybreak I lay my plea before You and wait in expectation."
The psalmist describes a morning ritual of presenting requests to God, coupled with an attitude of expectation. The act of looking up is implied in the waiting and anticipation of divine response, suggesting a posture of hope and trust.

2. Psalm 121:1-2 · "I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."
Here, the psalmist explicitly mentions lifting up the eyes, a physical act that mirrors the spiritual act of seeking God's help. This upward gaze signifies reliance on God as the ultimate source of assistance and protection.

3. Luke 18:13 · "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’"
In this parable, the tax collector's reluctance to look up underscores his humility and repentance. The act of looking up is associated with confidence in approaching God, which the tax collector feels unworthy of due to his sinfulness.

4. John 11:41 · "So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, 'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.'"
Jesus' act of looking up before praying at Lazarus's tomb demonstrates His connection with the Father and His acknowledgment of divine authority. This gesture reflects an intimate relationship and confidence in God's power to act.

Theological Implications

The act of looking up in prayer is rich with theological significance. It represents an acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and a recognition of human dependence on divine grace. This posture is not merely physical but also spiritual, indicating an inner orientation towards God.

Historical and Cultural Context

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, looking up during prayer was a common practice, symbolizing respect and submission to a higher power. This cultural backdrop enriches the biblical portrayal of prayer as an upward gaze, reinforcing the idea of God as transcendent and yet accessible.

Practical Application

For believers, adopting a posture of looking up during prayer can serve as a tangible reminder of their relationship with God. It encourages a mindset of humility, trust, and expectation, fostering a deeper spiritual connection and reliance on God's providence.

In summary, the depiction of prayer as looking up in the Bible encapsulates a profound spiritual truth: the act of seeking God with an open heart and a hopeful spirit, trusting in His wisdom and grace.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 5:3
My voice shall you hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer to you, and will look up.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The First Degree of Prayer
... Matthew 6:7); for the Lord's Prayer, once repeated as I have just described, will
produce ... themselves as sheep before their Shepherd, looking up to Him ...
/.../guyon/a short and easy method of prayer/chapter iii the first degree.htm

Prayer Born of Compassion
... What marvellous compassion is here described for Paul's own ... drives us to our knees
in prayer for those ... Looking up to heaven, He prays, "Father, save me from ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/x prayer born of compassion.htm

Waiting and Singing
... the second part, which is mainly a prayer for deliverance ... up to Him, but about His
looking down to ... attitude of watchful expectation is vividly described for us ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/waiting and singing.htm

The Worship of the Church. The Religion of the Primitive ...
... of his generation as praying "looking up with hands ... the third century, the house
of prayer occasionally resounded ... the second century, he is described, at the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/chapter i the worship of.htm

Victory Found
... out under the trees in my parents' garden and, looking up into the ... He described the
higher life of peace, rest in the Lord, of ... He helps in prayer."Rom.8:26. ...
/.../goforth/how i know god answers prayer/x victory found.htm

Mental Prayer.
... How is religious obedience described in Scripture ... between the new birth and faith;
for what is prayer but the ... For what, I say, is faith, but the looking to God ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol vii/sermon xv mental prayer.htm

Formalities of Prayer: Conclusion
... knees, since their bodies have been described possibly as ... direction in which one
ought to look in prayer. ... symbolic suggestion that the soul is looking upon the ...
/.../origen/origen on prayer/chapter xx formalities of prayer .htm

Certain Heavenly Secrets, visions, and Revelations. The Effects of ...
... that I might employ myself in vocal prayer, trying not ... joy so supreme that it cannot
be described; for then ... a great gain, because the mere looking up to heaven ...
/.../the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter xxxviii certain heavenly secrets.htm

What is the Power of Prayer? Also Concerning the Blessed ...
... Let us then press on in prayer, looking upwards to ... be Divinity, must we begin with
prayer: not as ... extraordinary psychic experiences, which are described in his ...
/.../rolt/dionysius the areopagite/chapter iii what is the.htm

The Satisfier of all Desires
... them that fear Him'; or as they are described in the ... unconscious creature, like that
of a dog looking up in its ... Silent prayer is well, but there is a wonderful ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/the satisfier of all desires.htm