Biblical Postures of Prayer

Biblical Postures of Prayer with Examples

Prayer is a vital aspect of the Christian life. Through prayer, we communicate with God, worship, and seek guidance. While the content and sincerity of prayer are paramount, the Bible also provides insight into various physical postures associated with prayer. These postures reflect different attitudes and conditions of the heart, offering believers a way to express their reverence, submission, and sincerity before God. Let's explore some of these postures with examples from the Bible before looking at why and how to use these to deepen our prayer life.

Standing in Prayer

Standing is one of the most common postures of prayer mentioned in the Bible. It often symbolises respect, readiness, and attentiveness before God.

Jesus spoke about standing in prayer in Mark 11:25 (ESV), saying:

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

In Luke 18:9-14, we can read Jesus' parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector—both stood to pray. While the Pharisee's prayer was filled with self-righteousness, the tax collector stood at a distance, humbly asking for mercy. This reminds us that a reverence for God must accompany any posture of prayer.

Kneeling in Prayer

Kneeling is a posture that signifies humility, submission, and reverence before God. It is often associated with earnest supplication and worship.

The Apostle Paul mentions kneeling in Ephesians 3:14 (ESV):

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father.

Daniel, known for his unwavering devotion to God, prayed on his knees three times a day, giving thanks to God (Daniel 6:10). In the New Testament, Jesus Himself knelt in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, demonstrating deep anguish and submission to the Father’s will

And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed. (Luke 22:41 ESV)

Prostration (Lying Face Down)

Prostration is the most extreme form of humility, often associated with total submission, repentance, or intense supplication. It involves lying face down before God, acknowledging His supreme authority and our lowliness.

This posture is illustrated in numerous Old Testament accounts where individuals sought God’s mercy or were overwhelmed by His presence. For example, Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before the Lord multiple times as an expression of intercession and desperation (see Numbers 16:22 as an example). In the New Testament, when a man with leprosy saw Jesus, he "fell on his face" and begged to be healed (Luke 5:12).

Hands Lifted in Prayer

Lifting hands in prayer is a gesture of praise, surrender, and reaching out to God. Our hands can be lifted higher than the rest of our bodies. As we stretch them heavenward we can demonstrate a need for more than ourselves, more than the natural. We acknowledge our need for God.

This prayer posture also symbolises an open heart and a plea for divine assistance. Paul encourages Timothy to ensure that men pray this way:

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling (1 Timothy 2:8 ESVUK).

Solomon took on this posture when praying to dedicate the newly built temple to God. The opening words of his prayer beautifully match his physical posture.

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven, and said, "O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart" (1 Kings 8:22-23).

By the time Solomon finished praying he was no longer standing. He was on his knees before the Lord, but his hands remained lifted in God's direction. He had built this splendid temple, but recognised he could take none of the credit and owed everything to God.

Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. (I Kings 8:54)

The Psalmist often speaks of lifting hands as worship and prayer (Psalm 63:4, 141:2).

Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice! (Psalm 141:2 ESV)

Sitting in Prayer

Although not explicitly detailed as a prayer posture, sitting is also a posture of prayer. It signifies a state of rest or deep meditation in God’s presence.

The Bible describes times when individuals sat in God’s presence, such as during moments of reflection or prolonged prayer. For example, David, after receiving God’s promises, "went in and sat before the Lord," expressing his gratitude and wonder as he reflected on God's goodness in his life.

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?"  (2 Samuel 7:18)

Eyes Lifted in Prayer

Lifting one’s eyes toward heaven is an ancient gesture of looking to God in faith and expectancy. This posture reflects an attitude of dependence and seeking divine intervention above all other assistance.

God is everywhere—not only up. When we lift our eyes upward in prayer, we choose to look away from earthly support or to stop focusing on problems. We choose instead to look solely at God, acknowledging Him as being above these things in power and superiority.

Jesus Himself modelled this when, approaching the end of His life on earth, He lifted His eyes to heaven and prayed (John 17:1). And when, as mourners removed the stone from in front of Lazarus' tomb, He lifted His eyes towards heaven and away from a symbol of death.

So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me." (John 11:41)

Psalms contains prayer songs with this posture of prayer.

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2 ESV)

To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! (Psalm 123:1).

They couple it with an expression of reliance upon and awe of God.

Eyes Cast Down or Bowed Head in Prayer

Lowering the eyes or bowing the head is a posture that conveys reverence, humility, and a sense of unworthiness before God. This posture aligns with the teachings of Jesus on humility in prayer.

The tax collector, in Jesus’ parable, "would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'" (Luke 18:13 ESV). This posture reflected his deep sense of repentance and humility.

How to Use Biblical Postures of Prayer Today?

The fact that the Bible describes various prayer postures tells us that what we do with our bodies matters. Body language communicates meaning in our natural interactions. God created us that way, so let's use our physical postures to communicate with Him in prayer.

Understanding prayer postures can help us understand our response to God

We need not overthink the postures of prayer, but we can pay attention to what our body language in prayer might reveal. It is not that taking on a particular posture makes us more sincere or more likely to be heard. Rather, understanding prayer postures can help us understand our response to God. If we tend to kneel in prayer, it can be useful to ask whether we are surrendered or being religious. A strong reluctance to utilise physical expressions of surrender could reflect an attitude of the heart. It's something to reflect on. If we lean towards certain postures, it can be helpful to consider whether this is culture or habit or whether it reveals something of our spiritual condition.

Some cultures use certain postures more readily because they understand the significance in their natural interactions and communications. We may recognise through cultural experience that standing when someone enters the room signifies respect for their position, that bowing our heads can be an appropriate response to a deeply solemn occasion, or that falling to our knees can demonstrate a sincere or desperate plea. We also understand that a refusal to bow or kneel before a ruler symbolises a refusal to acknowledge or submit to their rule.

Just as some people are naturally more expressive in communication than others, some of us will be more expressive in prayer. However, the more we understand the spiritual significance of our prayer postures, the more free we are to use them when we pray.

We can choose to use biblical examples or cultural norms to express our hearts to God.

It is also important to recognise that our bodies can lead the rest of our being. When feeling sad, we may have a slouchy posture and a bowed head. We can go some way to alleviate this by lifting our heads and straightening our spine, perhaps while making a decision to look for the positives. If we are angry, our fists and jaws might be clenched and our breathing quickened. We can lead ourselves towards calm by relaxing our bodies and taking slow, deep breaths. Similarly, we can choose to use biblical examples or cultural norms to express our hearts to God.

If we want to live more surrendered to God, we may benefit from taking up a physical position that corresponds with surrender, submission or yielding. If we do not feel like praising, but stretch our hands to God anyway and begin to wave them, we can lead our hearts, minds and mouths toward praise and worship.

The physical postures we assume during prayer are not merely external expressions; they are deeply connected to the condition of our hearts. Whether standing, kneeling, lying prostrate, or lifting hands and eyes, these Biblical postures of prayer help convey or influence our attitudes of worship, humility, and dependence on God.

Blessing in Action: Biblical Postures of Prayer

As we pray, may our physical expressions draw us into deeper intimacy with God. Let us be intentional in our prayer postures, allowing them to reflect the depth of our devotion, the sincerity of our hearts, and the magnitude of our reverence towards the One who hears and answers our prayers.

How would your prayers be affected by your posture?

• Would the nature, length or topic of your prayer change if you prayed while lying in bed in the morning, sat at a table or desk, kneeling beside your bed or standing up?

• What would happen if next time you prayed for divine assistance you lifted your eyes and began praying Psalm 121:1-2?

• Would your prayer life change if you spent a few minutes a day laying face down on the floor while expressing God's all-sufficiency and repenting of your tendency to self-reliance?

• Could you develop deeper sincerity in worship if you stretched your hands towards heaven while exalting God and telling of His majesty?

Why not take on a different posture in prayer for a week or two and find out?

What are some of the Biblical postures of prayer that resonate with you, and how do they enhance your time with God? Share in the comments below!