Raising Hands in Worship

This is a great point, and something I have pointed out several times.

 

But Pastor Larry, I needed to point it out because this is all about me.

:saint: (hypocrite alert!):laugh:

just kidding...Something I'm guilty of is on issues like this, focusing on..."Well, what do they need to learn from this? What can God teach them?" (of course, they and them refer to either the "losing" side, the "opposing" view, or both).

But God has much to teach us all about submission, humility, and service...even if we're in the right. Even if we're in the majority.

Raise your hands if you agree with me. :laugh:

******

I do get tickled at how we Baptists can "de-Charismatize" a song if it scares us. Case in point:

Bill Gaither: "Let's Just Praise the Lord" (original)

Bill Gaither: "Let's Just Praise the Lord" (Baptist)

I've always been tickled at that...how 'bout ya'll? Let me see yer hands if you're with me...

 

Got mine up............

 

This is my first post to the board! Long time reader, but never commented before. I've read this thread from beginning to end and still didn't feel like I had a clear answer. So, I decided I would find every verse in the Bible that contains the word hands. If it talked about using them in singing, or said anything about raising or lifting I copied it down. Here is what I found.

**praying** = Verse about Praying
**singing** = Verse about Singing
**action** = An Action (Action of carrying or physically lifting a hand to help).

**praying** Leviticus 9:22 "Aaron lifted his hands toward the people and blessed them" When? Prayer for a blessing after a sacrifice.

**action** 2 Samuel 18:28 "lifted their hands against my lord" When? NOT PRAISE or WORSHIP
*An example that hand raising can be an action such as work or aggression.

**praying** Nehemiah 8:6 "lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen! Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground." When? During prayer

**praying** Psalm 28:2 "Lift up my hands" When? Prayer, as I cry for mercy and help.

**singing** Psalms 47:1 "Clap your hands" When? During cries of joy (singing).
*This is the director music explaining how the song will start with clapping and joyous singing.

**unclear** Psalms 63:4 “in your name I will lift up my hands” When? As praise, but for what?
*For what? Likely as praise during prayer? Does not sound like during singing. Since, every other verse mentions lifting hands up in prayer… and we are supposed to pray in His name, this likely is in prayer.

**action** Psalm 76:5 "not one of the warrior can lift his hands" When? NOT PRAISE OR WORSHIP
*An example that hand raising can be an action such as work or aggression.

**action** Psalm 91:12 "they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone" When? Action, when God is protecting you

**action** Psalms 141:2 "When I raise my hands (to you)" When? In prayer

**unclear** Psalm 134:2 "Lift up your hands" When? In the sanctuary, while giving praise.
*At night, but are they working in the sanctuary while praising. Or, is there act of working in the sanctuary at night the act of praise? Or, are they giving prayers with praises to God? Most likely the latter (prayer).

**praying** Lamentations 2:19 “Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children” When? As we cry out in prayer

**praying** Lamentations 3:41 “lift up our hearts and our hands to god in heaven” When? During Prayer
*Can’t actually lift up our hearts, so are these both metaphors (ie something we don’t physically do)?

**action** Luke 4:11 “(angels will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone” When? Action, when God is protecting you

**praying** Luke 24:50 "(Jesus) lifted up his hands and blessed them" When? As Jesus is offering a blessing (or prayer)

**action** Matthew 4:6 “(angels) will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone” When? Action, when God is protecting you

**praying** 1 Timothy 2:8 "lifting up Holy Hands" When? During prayer
*Evident from “I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands…”



Note: There is no defined time of worship… That is not biblical. Worship is not just music, it is several actions (praying, singing, preaching, being taught, fellowship, actions, etc). We are not to just worship on Sunday, but we are to devote a day to worship and rest. Also, praise can be given in prayer or in song.

I believe there is evidence that you should lay hands when praying for an individual (ie hand on shoulder while you pray with them), and lift hands while praying for a group (ie motion towards them while praying for them). Then there seems to be hand raising in private acts of prayer where we lift our hands while praising God.
___________

Why all the confusion? I think many people hear the word praise or worship, and think that the Bible is referring to just singing. People believe that singing is the only act of worship and praise. So, they read these verses (out of context) and believe we are supposed to be raising our hands while we are singing.

The Bible clearly does not advocate raising hands while singing… However, it is not disallowed either. However, based on the controversy and comments I’ve heard from others, I would suggest it is something to be avoided as it could be a turn off to non-Christians and Christians alike.

Disagree? Feel free to look them up, the context is clear for all but two verses... And the two that are unclear should easily be inferred by the context of the book as a whole.

 

There is nothing wrong with raising hands while praising the Lord, but the song leader is taking a passage out of its context and making it say something it is not.

 

Like the old deodorant ad:

Raise your hands if you're sure!

1) I'm SURE I'm a sinner
2) I'm SURE Christ died, rose again, & is alive & well today
3) I'm SURE He's my Great High Priest & right now is interceding for me
4) I'm SURE that He knows all that I have, am & will ever go through
5) I'm SURE Jesus is coming again
6) I'm SURE I'll spend eternity with Him

How's that for starters?

 

:thumbs:
..........

 

What if someone is born w/o hands, or has them amputated from a freak accident?


How about if someone is born w/o any arms, or has them amputated?


I know that these are hypothetical questions, but you catch my drift? It's not so much to do with our hands, as it has to do with our hearts. True worship is with Spirit and Truth, which comes through Jesus Christ.

 

I heard on past or who started raising his hands sometimes in worship after he was diagnosed with an uncurable degerative tissue disease...because he realized there would come a day in the next 15-20 years when he might want to raise his hands to God, but will no longer be physically able to.

 

No objections to holding up your hands from me, providing that your deodorant is holding up.

 

I Think It is A Personal Thang!!!

If you want to raise your hands, raise them! If you don't, keep them down. If you want to stand while singing, fine. If not, hold your spot on the pew.

It is just as wrong for those who raise their hands to judge those who don't lift their hands while singing.

Can't we all just get along???

 

I agree!!!