Prayers can have a variety of expressions. Many appear in the few short verses of the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught (Matthew 6:9-13 RSV with some editing).

• Personal relationship with God (“Our Father who art in heaven”)
• Praise (“Hallowed be thy name”)
• Concern for society (“Thy kingdom come”)
• Obedience (“Thy will be done”)
• Petition (“Give us this day our daily bread’)
• Confession and request for forgiveness (for “our trespasses”)
• Forgiveness of others (“who trespass against us”)
• Guidance (“lead us not into temptation”)
• Protection (“deliver us from evil”)
• Acknowledgement of God’s supremacy (“the power and the glory forever”)

Elsewhere in the Bible we find other expressions (NRSV):

• Lamentation (“Out of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord!” Psalm 130.1)
• Thanksgiving (“O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.” Psalm 107.1)
• Commitment (“Here am I, send me.” Isaiah 6:8)

Howard W. Hallman lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He is author of Living in God’s Kingdom: Here and Now, available from Amazon.