Is it OK to pray silently?

There's nothing wrong with silent prayer. On the contrary, the Bible depicts Hannah being judged by others (a priest, no less) as she prayed silently—but her prayer was heard and answered by God (see 1 Samuel 1). Still, there are some good reasons to pray aloud, even when no one but God is around to hear you.

guideposts.org - 5 Good Reasons to Pray Aloud (Even When You're Alone) - Guideposts

Is 30 too old to learn piano?

A 30-year old is completely capable of learning to play the piano. There's no window of time as a kid where if you don't get in, you have no chance...

Last updated Oct 25, 2021

Is it possible to learn piano on your own?

Now to come to the question: Can you teach yourself piano? Of course, you can. The only problem is that most people will only do their own teaching...

Last updated Jul 9, 2022

Promotion

There’s nothing wrong with silent prayer. On the contrary, the Bible depicts Hannah being judged by others (a priest, no less) as she prayed silently—but her prayer was heard and answered by God (see 1 Samuel 1). Still, there are some good reasons to pray aloud, even when no one but God is around to hear you.

1) Focus

Maybe, like me, you’ve nodded off while praying silently. Maybe (again like me) you even prefer to end your day by climbing into bed and praying until you fall asleep. But I don’t believe I’ve ever succumbed to sleep while praying aloud. Like David, who wrote, “I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy” (Psalm 142:1, NIV), I find that praying aloud focuses my mind and heart on what I’m saying, and my voice reinforces my thoughts while also preventing distraction.

2) Emphasis

Asaph urged God’s people to “Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!” (Psalm 81:1, NIV). Some thoughts and emotions are almost antithetical to silent prayer; they must be spoken, even shouted. Joy, rage, confession and confusion are expressed and emphasized best, I think, when the vocal chords and tongue join with mind and heart in the act of prayer.

3) Memory

I remember some of the things I pray silently, but I recall far more of what I pray aloud. It’s simple math: thought + word = more memorable. And writing a prayer as I’m speaking it often adds more action to the equation, particularly when I’m praying for the needs of others. It’s easier to remember to pray for someone when I’ve already prayed aloud for that particular need.

4) Faith

I was once so overcome with disappointment and discouragement that I lay on the floor of my home office, face down, and prayed aloud for more than 30 minutes, “My help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (based on Psalm 124:8). I prayed those words aloud, over and over, sometimes softly and sometimes loudly, until I found myself believing them. Praying aloud—especially when combined with praying Scripture—can revive and increase the faith of the person who is praying.

5) Health

David sang, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” He said God’s hand was heavy on him, and “my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:3, 4, NIV). It’s not healthy to hold in our emotions, and sometimes silent prayer just doesn’t give full expression to the things we’re feeling. Praying aloud can relieve our burdens and release our emotions in healthy ways. Why not try it? If you’re accustomed to praying silently, it may take some effort—but praying aloud even when you’re alone might also be just what your heart, mind and soul need.

What keys go well together?

Closely related key Tonic (Major) Submediant Subdominant, dominant, supertonic, and mediant C♯/D♭ A♯m/B♭m F♯/G♭, G♯/A♭, D♯m/E♭m, E♯m/Fm A♭ Fm D♭,...

Last updated Jan 9, 2018

Which is a better piano Kawai or Yamaha?

Kawai pianos offer a warmer, fuller quality of tone when compared to a normal piano built by Yamaha. This has made them the preferred choice of...

Last updated Dec 31, 2018

Join almost HALF A MILLION Happy Students Worldwide

Promotion

How fast can Eminem sing?

"Rap God" by Eminem (USA) packs 1,560 words into a fast and furious 6 min 4 sec – that's a tongue-twisting average of 4.28 words per second! In one...

Last updated Sep 11, 2018