I’ve been asked before why there are some people who raise their hands in church. Growing up seeing this often I’d never really thought anything of it. It wasn’t until one day when the Lord touched my heart in such a way that I lifted my hands in praise submitting all of myself to Him. After the first time of doing so, I no longer felt uncomfortable.
There are two main purposes I see when people raise their hands in praise and worship to God:
- Surrender: This is often subconsciously shown by the person’s palms facing outward—though I should make clear, there are no rules in lifting your hands that I’m aware of. The palms facing outward can be to signify the casting of your cares or submission of yourself or praises to God. It can also be symbolic of blessing the Lord, which is essentially what we’re doing when praising Him.
- Blessing: This seems to be shown by the palms facing toward one’s self as if humbly requesting the Lord fill them with His presence or touch in their life. It seems to acknowledge a need of some sort from God.
Like I said, there are no rules that I’m aware of for raising hands in praise or worship. I’m sure some show surrender to God by palms toward themselves and some show their need for the Lord by the palms outward. The desire to do so depends on the person and often their comfort level in the environment they’re in. Lifting of the hands symbolizes a manifestation of what is going on in someone’s heart. There are other ways people choose to manifest their need for God; some do so by kneeling down and praying, some do so by singing with their whole heart; some do so by prayer, some by other means. God sees our hearts though. He’s not impressed by some people’s need to appear super-spiritual. I encourage you to worship the Lord how you feel is appropriate whether it be with your hands raised or not.
- “And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God. Then all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen!’ while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.” (Nehemiah 8:6)
- “Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You, when I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.”(Psalm 28:2)
- “Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.”(Psalm 63:4)
Scripture reference is quoted from the NKJV.