Die voorkoms en betekenis van gebede in die Ou Testament

Abstract

In this article the most important elements of prayers in the Old Testament are used to serve as indicators for our present-day prayers. The key words and phrases for prayer in the Old Testament are discussed, while the form and contents of prayers in different periods of the Old Testament are considered to establish the main trends in the development of prayer according to different situations in the history of the people of Israel. A random selection of prayers from the different periods, with the exception of the prayers in the book of Psalms, are analysed to suggest some important indicators in understanding our relation toward God in our own prayers.