Lord, Teach Us to Pray
A Study of Prayer in the Bible
Foreword by Timothy M. Willis
Imprint: Wipf and Stock
Prayer is a major biblical topic. The Bible teaches readers the nature, purposes, intentions, and practical applications of prayer in diverse circumstances and situations. The Bible presents different expressions of prayer, major examples of prayers, presuppositions of prayer, various types of prayer, God's diverse answers to different prayers in different circumstances, and nonverbal gestures about prayer. This book attempts to deal with difficult issues such as imprecation or curse prayers, address controversial biblical passages and concepts such as Ps 51 or Rom 8:26-27, and emphasize important similar connections between different biblical texts such as 1 Sam 2:1-10; Ps 113:5-9; Luke 1:46-55; 2 Sam 7:18-29; or 1 Chr 17:16-27.
John T. Willis is professor emeritus of Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas. He taught Hebrew Bible, Hebrew, and Greek at Lipscomb University in Nashville, 1956–1971, and at Abilene Christian University in Abilene, 1971–2017. He is the author of Yahweh and Moses in Conflict: A Study of Exodus 4:24–26; Images of Water in Isaiah; and Diverse Water Symbols in the Psalms.
“It was my great privilege to be a student of John Willis at Abilene Christian University. A more beloved and knowledgeable professor does not exist. It excites me to think that, through this volume, a broader audience will benefit from his God-given skill. I commend his writings to all students. May many more readers experience his sage wisdom.”
—Max Lucado, pastor and bestselling author
“John Willis has devoted his long life to prayerful study of God’s word in the Bible. In this capstone to his many publications, Willis offers readers a comprehensive account of the Bible’s prayers and its teaching about prayer. It is my hope that the book will find many readers among those who seek to better understand what the Bible has to say about prayer and to become more committed pray-ers themselves.”
—Christopher Begg, STD, professor of biblical studies, Catholic University of America
“John Willis has written an exceptionally rich, comprehensive, and practical study of biblical prayers. A model of careful biblical exegesis and theology, this volume admirably combines immense erudition, profound insight, and the genuine passion of a practitioner. It should be required reading for all who care about topic.”
—Choon-Leong Seow, professor of Hebrew Bible, Vanderbilt Divinity School
“This volume represents the capstone of a career that has combined critical scholarship with Christian piety. It draws from the deep well of John Willis’s own faith as well as his skills as an exegete and expositor of biblical literature. The resulting product is at once an analytical overview of all the passages in the Bible dealing with prayer and a theological guide for how to practice biblical prayer.”
—Steven L. McKenzie, professor of religious studies, Rhodes College
“Lord, Teach Us to Pray is the latest contribution of John Willis, a fine Old Testament scholar and teacher, and offers much to the educated layperson or seminarian interested in knowing what the Hebrew Bible teaches about prayer and how this can nourish the spiritual lives of persons and congregations. The book attends to basic issues such as the biblical vocabulary and practices of prayer, while also examining many of the great prayers of the Old Testament and exploring their theological significance for contemporary readers.”
—M. Patrick Graham, professor emeritus of theological bibliography, Candler School of Theology
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