Are Christians Required to “Lift Up Holy Hands”?
“In his letter to Timothy, Paul said that men are to pray, ‘lifting up hold hands’ to God (1 Timothy 2:8). Why don’t people lift up their hands when they pray today? The “lifting up holy hands” is more than likely an expression borrowed from the Old Testament because of a common (though neither mandated or rigid), ancient practice of raising one’s hands when praying. When Solomon prayed at the dedication of the temple, “he spread forth his hands toward heaven” (1 Kings 8:22). In one of his prayers, David exclaimed: “Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto you; when I lift up my hands toward your holy oracle” (Psalm 28:2). To the superficial, hypocritical worshippers in the era of Isaiah the prophet, the Lord God said: “And when you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; yes, when you make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood” (Isaiah 1:15). These passages illustrate the fact that on occasion the Hebrews held up their hands when they pr
