RAISED HANDS
In many evangelical churches people raise (or wave) one or both hands during singing. Why?
The Bible mentions the raising of the hands, but not during singing. Raising one hand was done, not in worship, but when swearing an oath (e.g Genesis 14.22; Deuteronomy 32.40). Witnesses sworn in at court still raise their right hand.
Both hands were raised when pronouncing a blessing (Leviticus 9.22; Luke 24.50) or when praying (Lamentations 3.41; 1 Timothy 2.8). Two hands raised during prayer symbolized lifting the prayer to God as an offering or sacrifice (e.g. Psalm 141.2). Christian priests in liturgical traditions have prayed this way for centuries – arms spread wide, hands lifted, palms upward.
I’m not sure when or how the raising of hands was connected to singing. But over the years I’ve observed that those who raise/wave their hands usually do so during contemporary songs but not during hymns. I have also never seen anyone raise/wave their hands during prayer (the actual biblical tradition).
If you raise your hands to follow biblical practice, do you do so during prayer – the actual biblical practice? One can certainly symbolically lift up a song to God. But why “lift up” a song (no biblical precedent) but not a prayer (the biblical practice)?
There is no precedent for raising one hand during worship. So why are you doing it? What does it mean? Likewise, there is no precedent for waving the hand(s) – what comedian Tim Hawkins has dubbed “washing the window”. So why do you do it? What does it mean?
I have no opposition to any of these practices in and of themselves. I just believe we should know why we do what we do. To be perfectly honest, I don’t believe most people who raise their hands during worship have the foggiest idea why they do it or what it is supposed to mean. They do it because everyone else in the room does it, and when they attend a church where others don’t raise their hands, they don’t do it either.
My guess is that raising the hands during a song has little to do with any biblical practice and is more likely the baptized version of holding aloft or waving one’s lit lighter, made popular at John Lennon’s 1969 concert in Toronto.
I may be wrong, but if I’m right, even this association wouldn’t make it wrong to raise one’s hands during worship. It would just bring us back to the question: Why do you do what you do? We should know the answer to that question.
The Bible mentions the raising of the hands, but not during singing. Raising one hand was done, not in worship, but when swearing an oath (e.g Genesis 14.22; Deuteronomy 32.40). Witnesses sworn in at court still raise their right hand.
Both hands were raised when pronouncing a blessing (Leviticus 9.22; Luke 24.50) or when praying (Lamentations 3.41; 1 Timothy 2.8). Two hands raised during prayer symbolized lifting the prayer to God as an offering or sacrifice (e.g. Psalm 141.2). Christian priests in liturgical traditions have prayed this way for centuries – arms spread wide, hands lifted, palms upward.
I’m not sure when or how the raising of hands was connected to singing. But over the years I’ve observed that those who raise/wave their hands usually do so during contemporary songs but not during hymns. I have also never seen anyone raise/wave their hands during prayer (the actual biblical tradition).
If you raise your hands to follow biblical practice, do you do so during prayer – the actual biblical practice? One can certainly symbolically lift up a song to God. But why “lift up” a song (no biblical precedent) but not a prayer (the biblical practice)?
There is no precedent for raising one hand during worship. So why are you doing it? What does it mean? Likewise, there is no precedent for waving the hand(s) – what comedian Tim Hawkins has dubbed “washing the window”. So why do you do it? What does it mean?
I have no opposition to any of these practices in and of themselves. I just believe we should know why we do what we do. To be perfectly honest, I don’t believe most people who raise their hands during worship have the foggiest idea why they do it or what it is supposed to mean. They do it because everyone else in the room does it, and when they attend a church where others don’t raise their hands, they don’t do it either.
My guess is that raising the hands during a song has little to do with any biblical practice and is more likely the baptized version of holding aloft or waving one’s lit lighter, made popular at John Lennon’s 1969 concert in Toronto.
I may be wrong, but if I’m right, even this association wouldn’t make it wrong to raise one’s hands during worship. It would just bring us back to the question: Why do you do what you do? We should know the answer to that question.