The Prayers of the BibleSCM Press, 1986 - 295 pages he Bible is obviously not a prayer book in the more commonly understood sense of that term, though one of its books, Psalms, has been used as a treasury of prayers down the ages. However, it does contain a great many prayer texts outside Psalms, and other passages describe how central biblical figures pray, even if they give no indication of the content of their prayers. Here Professor Cements examines the nature of prayer in the Bible, not least the question whether prayer was felt to be something that anyone could engage in or whether the help of priest or minister was needed in an approach to God. He then goes on to study the texts of more than twenty extended prayers, from Abraham to the Book of Revelation. Here are prayers attributed to Moses and Hannah, David and Solomon, Jeremiah and Ezra, Job and Daniel, Mary and Simeon, Jesus and Paul. Discussion of them not only opens up many of the concerns of contemporary biblical criticism, but also shows how study of devotional texts, like studies of art or music, can open our eyes to new riches and make words speak at a deeper level than before. |
Contents
Prayer in the Bible | 1 |
Genesis 182233 | 15 |
Genesis 49227 | 27 |
Copyright | |
23 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
Abraham achievements ancient appear Assyrian Babylon Babylonian become Bible biblical blessing Blessing of Moses book of Daniel book of Revelation bring brought central certainly Christ Christian church Colossae concerned Daniel David divine Egypt exile experience Ezra fact faith fashion father feature forgiveness fulfillment Galilee Gentile gospel heart heaven Hezekiah holy hope human important Israel Jacob Jeremiah Jeroboam II Jerusalem Jesus Jewish Jews Job's Jonah Judah Judaism king kingdom of Israel land Levites lives LORD Luke Mary meaning mercy Moses nations nature Nazareth Nehemiah Nineveh offer Old Testament political pray prayer prophecy prophet reality recognize reflection religion religious remarkable revelation righteous salvation sense significance Simeon situation Solomon spiritual story temple temple of Jerusalem thanksgiving thee theological things thou didst thou hast thy servant tion tradition tribes true truth ultimately understanding women words worship Zechariah