Why do we raise our hands?

The lifting of our hands is a common form of praise found in numerous Scriptures. Have you wondered just why the Bible tells us to lift our hands unto the Lord? Following are some of the foremost reasons why the Lord has impressed this form of praise upon us.

Let us go back to the Old Testament tabernacle, where Moses met with God. Numbers 7:89 calls this the "Tent of Meeting," where Moses would speak with the Lord and the Lord would speak with him. This verse says that the Lord would speak to Moses "from above the mercy seat that was on the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim" (NASB). 1 Samuel 4:4 describes the Lord Almighty "enthroned between the cherubim." The wings of these cherubim were spread over the ark of the covenant with the mercy seat, and the tips of the wings touched at the top. When we raise our hands to the Lord, we could visualize our action as a modern representation of those cherubim, with our outstretched arms being the counterpart to their wings. And it is there-between the wings of the cherubim (our raised hands)-that the Lord said he would meet with us. 1 Chronicles 13:6 speaks of "the LORD, who dwells between the cherubim, where his name is proclaimed" (NKJV). As we lift our hands to him we speak his name, he speaks with us, and we commune together.

I saw a second reason for the lifting of hands in the way my son greeted me when he was a toddler. When I would come home from the office at suppertime, he would greet me at the door with both hands outstretched and with a look that would say, "Pick me up, Daddy!" He wanted me to hold him! He wanted to be embraced up close. And similarly, when I reach out my hands to the Lord, I am saying, "Pick me up, Daddy God! Hold me close to your heart! I want to be near you!"

During my personal prayer time, I discovered a third value in the lifting of hands. I found that when my hands were raised to the Lord, I was better able to concentrate on the task of praying, and my mind was not so prone to wander onto other irrelevancies. Many struggle with having their minds wander when in a praise service, and the lifting of hands will help curb this tendency.

As a fourth consideration, ask yourself what you would do if someone were to walk up behind you, stick a revolver in your back, and say, "Reach for the sky, Buster!" What would you do? Right-you would lift your hands! A gunman demands that position because when our arms are lifted we are in an unprotected and vulnerable posture. A fighter will bring his arms down across his chest in order to protect himself from the blows of an opponent. When we cross our arms, we are assuming a self-protective stance. By lifting our hands, however, we are indicating to the Lord that we want to open up our hearts and lives to his Holy Spirit. But this is one of the most difficult things for us to do. We have been conditioned all our lives to "look out for Number One." We quickly learn to keep others at arm's length, and we are very selective in whom we really allow to get close to us. If we truly want to please the Lord in our praise and worship, we will take down our defenses and give him access to the inner recesses of our hearts. Many times we can discern how open people are being with the Lord simply by observing their bodily stance and whether their arms are crossed or raised unto the Lord.

Finally, by lifting our hands we symbolically receive everything God is doing in our lives. A football receiver stretches out his arms in order to catch the ball; it is a position that enables him to make a reception. Similarly, when we lift our hands we indicate our willingness to accept and receive all that God has for us. Some people struggle with God, wondering why they are going through hard times, thinking God is out to get them. These people need to open their arms and receive the loving discipline of the Lord, resting in assurance that He knows more about their situation than they do and that He is working in their lives for the good. By reaching out to the Lord, we show with what great yearning we long for all of him.

Sorge, Bob. Exploring Worship: A Practical Guide To Praise & Worship. Greenwood, MO: Oasis House, 2001.