Is prayer an act within the mind with outward expression or can it be internal?

I was watching a documentary on a man who had been tortured and imprisoned for 14 years due to his faith. Every night he would pray and every night he was beaten. He would be seen on his knees, hands folded, and head bowed.

I was thinking couldn't he just pray without outward expression? Wouldn't the prayer still be heard.

But I suppose he was using the outward expression to try and evangelize the guards and give hope to other prisoners.

Daniel was seen in his usual outward expression of prayer through his window of his private room. That of course, led to his night in the lion's den.

Jesus was seen in the garden face down in prayer.

It has me thinking does outward expression matter? Saying a prayer while driving seems to be just as efficient but your passenger may not even know.

Jesus gave us a model prayer and told us to pray in private. But does posture matter? Should it be like in reverence of a King or like a relationship with a friend?

I was watching a documentary on a man who had been tortured and imprisoned for 14 years due to his faith. Every night he would pray and every night he was beaten. He would be seen on his knees, hands folded, and head bowed.

I was thinking couldn't he just pray without outward expression? Wouldn't the prayer still be heard.

But I suppose he was using the outward expression to try and evangelize the guards and give hope to other prisoners.

Daniel was seen in his usual outward expression of prayer through his window of his private room. That of course, led to his night in the lion's den.

Jesus was seen in the garden face down in prayer.

It has me thinking does outward expression matter? Saying a prayer while driving seems to be just as efficient but your passenger may not even know.

Jesus gave us a model prayer and told us to pray in private. But does posture matter? Should it be like in reverence of a King or like a relationship with a friend?

Every night he would pray and every night he was beaten. He would be seen on his knees, hands folded, and head bowed.

I was watching a documentary on a man who had been tortured and imprisoned for 14 years due to his faith. Every night he would pray and every night he was beaten. He would be seen on his knees, hands folded, and head bowed.

I was thinking couldn't he just pray without outward expression? Wouldn't the prayer still be heard.

But I suppose he was using the outward expression to try and evangelize the guards and give hope to other prisoners.

Daniel was seen in his usual outward expression of prayer through his window of his private room. That of course, led to his night in the lion's den.

Jesus was seen in the garden face down in prayer.

It has me thinking does outward expression matter? Saying a prayer while driving seems to be just as efficient but your passenger may not even know.

Jesus gave us a model prayer and told us to pray in private. But does posture matter? Should it be like in reverence of a King or like a relationship with a friend?

I believe outward expression does matter Partly because what we are told
it is necessary to confess with our mouth along with believing in our heart

I don’t think outward expression matters. it’s ultimately a personal thing but I don’t think it matters either way as long as we pray.



Matthew 6:6

English Standard Version



6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

First of all, I can't believe that you started this thread today because I was thinking about this exact question earlier today myself.

I'll be curious to see how people answer here.

That said, I'd like to offer the example of Hannah as a possible answer to your question:

I Samuel chapter 1

[1] Now there was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim, of mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephrathite:
[2] And he had two wives; the name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah: and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.
[3] And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.
[4] And when the time was that Elkanah offered, he gave to Peninnah his wife, and to all her sons and her daughters, portions:
[5] But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
[6] And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
[7] And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
[8] Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
[9] So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
[10] And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
[11] And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no rasor come upon his head.
[12] And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli marked her mouth.
[13] Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
[14] And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
[15] And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.
[16] Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
[17] Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
[18] And she said, Let thine handmaid find grace in thy sight. So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.
[19] And they rose up in the morning early, and worshipped before the LORD, and returned, and came to their house to Ramah: and Elkanah knew Hannah his wife; and the LORD remembered her.
[20] Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

Here, Hannah "prayed unto the LORD" and "vowed and vow" as "she spake IN HER HEART...but her voice was not heard".

Despite not speaking any words audibly, "the LORD remembered her" and "granted her the petition that she had asked of him".

since God made us in his image and he speaks creation forth I personally think speaking it matters , but also what about the dumb who can’t speak ? I think individual circumstance matters also.

mans design is to hear the word and understand the word and also speak and communicate by the word. But I don’t think it’s a hardened rule or anything some literally can’t speak I’m sure the lord hears us however we speak to him.

I do think the design is for us to act on Gods ways d one of his ways is through words expressed outwardly that originate within the heart and mind.

and in a relationship of reverence toward a father would be in my view the right disposition reverent fear but recognizing he deeply loves us. Like a smaller child with thier father. Not afraid but reverent and always respectful and thankful.

One thing that anyone who’s been imprisoned will attest to is there is a real lack of privacy, this by design. It was likely difficult or impossible to pray his accustomed way without notice. If he was observed in his confinement, praying his normal way, then, was he was following scripture or should he have hidden his prayers from his tormentors?
What does scripture say about this?

God hears our thoughts so it wouldn't matter with Him hearing your heart.
That being said, it would matter to everyone who would hear you as it's a witness to them.
Imagine if Jesus only prayed in His mind... lots of precious teachings would have been lost, because nobody would have heard him.

I suppose he used prayer as an evangelist method.

I was watching a documentary on a man who had been tortured and imprisoned for 14 years due to his faith. Every night he would pray and every night he was beaten. He would be seen on his knees, hands folded, and head bowed.

I was thinking couldn't he just pray without outward expression? Wouldn't the prayer still be heard.

But I suppose he was using the outward expression to try and evangelize the guards and give hope to other prisoners.

Daniel was seen in his usual outward expression of prayer through his window of his private room. That of course, led to his night in the lion's den.

Jesus was seen in the garden face down in prayer.

It has me thinking does outward expression matter? Saying a prayer while driving seems to be just as efficient but your passenger may not even know.

Jesus gave us a model prayer and told us to pray in private. But does posture matter? Should it be like in reverence of a King or like a relationship with a friend?

But Jesus also said it was better to pray in silent. But teaching is different than prayer.

I was watching a documentary on a man who had been tortured and imprisoned for 14 years due to his faith. Every night he would pray and every night he was beaten. He would be seen on his knees, hands folded, and head bowed.

I was thinking couldn't he just pray without outward expression? Wouldn't the prayer still be heard.

But I suppose he was using the outward expression to try and evangelize the guards and give hope to other prisoners.

Daniel was seen in his usual outward expression of prayer through his window of his private room. That of course, led to his night in the lion's den.

Jesus was seen in the garden face down in prayer.

It has me thinking does outward expression matter? Saying a prayer while driving seems to be just as efficient but your passenger may not even know.

Jesus gave us a model prayer and told us to pray in private. But does posture matter? Should it be like in reverence of a King or like a relationship with a friend?

I was watching a documentary on a man who had been tortured and imprisoned for 14 years due to his faith. Every night he would pray and every night he was beaten. He would be seen on his knees, hands folded, and head bowed.

I was thinking couldn't he just pray without outward expression? Wouldn't the prayer still be heard.

But I suppose he was using the outward expression to try and evangelize the guards and give hope to other prisoners.

Daniel was seen in his usual outward expression of prayer through his window of his private room. That of course, led to his night in the lion's den.

Jesus was seen in the garden face down in prayer.

It has me thinking does outward expression matter? Saying a prayer while driving seems to be just as efficient but your passenger may not even know.

Jesus gave us a model prayer and told us to pray in private. But does posture matter? Should it be like in reverence of a King or like a relationship with a friend?