Prayer and the “Amen”
Introduction. All over the world, regardless of country or language, every public and private prayer ends with Amen. Prayers before Bible classes, in the worship assembly, in the home and at any type of gathering all conclude with Amen. If we know the history and meaning of Amen, then our Amen has an important purpose. Sadly, some may think that Amen simply signals that the prayer has come to an end. In some congregations, when the person wording the prayer says Amen everyone else also says Amen. The building is filled with Amen as everyone proclaims their hearty agreement. In other assemblies after the Amen is spoken publicly, people may echo Amen out of habit and know why, or there is only silence.
The purpose of this article is help us better understand the use and meaning of Amen. First, we will examine the meaning and proper emotions and attitudes that should be in our hearts when we say Amen. Second, we will assess whether Amen should be spoken aloud by all those who hear, or to simply be thought in the mind.
It is an interesting fact that Amen has seldom been translated. Although pronounced differently in some languages, it was Amen in Hebrew and Aramaic, Amen in Greek and Latin, and it is still Amen in nearly every language in the world today. It was introduced by God when He gave Moses detailed instructions that would make their visit to the valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim as solemn as possible. When they arrived, they were to construct an altar out of stones and then “Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali … shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse.” God wanted Israel to curse with the Amen after each of the twelve laws God had told them to read.
This event both confirmed the curses and laid the foundation and purpose for Amen. The Levites were to “speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel.” They were to proclaim the curses God would bring upon them if they violated these Laws. After each of the twelve curses spoken by the Levites, God commanded: “all the people shall answer and say, Amen.” It is important to ask why did God repeat “all the people shall say Amen” twelve times? Each time the Levites spoke a curse, God wanted all the people to answer and respond by saying the word Amen:
Clearly this was a dialogue and a conversation. God was demanding that all those who heard these curses verbally acknowledge them. While obviously important, the full meaning of Amen merits further examination.
Within the word Amen is both agreement and commitment as well as anyone saying it places themselves under each curse. That was God’s intent by commanding them to use that word. A careful reading of the use in Scripture and the definitions reveal that Amen means “to confirm”, “support”, and “be faithful to.” It had two purposes, first “to acknowledge our affirmation of a statement” and second to “confirm the preceding words and invoke their fulfillment” with “so be it.” The following definitions confirm all that was said above:
When anyone says Amen, they affirm and confirm what the speaker just said. The word is literally “may it be so” or “so it is.” When anyone uses this word, they are accepting, confirming and binding themselves to those words. It is very close to what is done in swearing an oath. Once the words are uttered, whether curse, praise, intercession or request, our Amen seals it and makes it ours. That prayer uttered by another is now seen by God as being spoken by ourselves.
The curse and Amen were a dialogue between the Levites reading a curse and all the people accepting it. The Levites were to “speak with a loud voice and say to all the men,” and then “all the people shall answer and say, “Amen!” The loud voice of the Levites was answered with an Amen. It is clear that God commanded everyone to respond with Amen.
Every passage in the OT confirms Amen was always spoken as confirmation and commitment. Every passage also shows it was spoken out loud by all the people. Think about it. Would there be any real purpose in saying Amen only in their mind? God knowing people’s hearts already knew whether anyone agreed or not. This Amen was for the one speaking and all the hearers. In this respect it follows the same path as our singing. We are “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing,”. Thus, singing is “to one another.” We all hear and thus are all active in “teaching and admonishing one another.” (Col. 3:16). Each must be singing out loud to fufill this command. That is why along with the singing God also commands the “making melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:19). God doesn’t need an “Amen,” but it is very important that others hear it. That way everyone knows it has been affirmed and confirmed. The context can’t be clearer: the Levites spoke with a loud voice and everyone responded by saying “Amen”.
Once we see this as the foundation, everything else written in the OT shows it became an established custom in Israel. It began with Moses and continued through to the end of the OT. They always spoke Amen to “confirm, affirm and commit” to the words previously spoken. The command that “ALL the people shall answer and SAY, ‘Amen!’” was observed in the days of Moses, David, Solomon, Jeremiah and Nehemiah.
This history of Amen in the OT is essential to understand Amen today. The only words about Amen the Holy Spirit placed in the NT are only a negative example. Yet from these we must gain all we can about the Amen. They are the only inspired Scripture in the NT about using Amen in the worship assembly of the Lord’s church on the first day of the week.
Yet that single verse revealed and made crystal clear, nothing had changed. The example in the early church exactly mirrored what God commanded Israel to do. Since Amen was already an established custom among Israel, no further explanation was needed. Because Amen was an affirmation and confirmation of all that the one praying had said, it would be impossible for anyone to say Amen if the prayer was not understood. Paul needed no explanation because they were obviously already doing this. The Amen was spoken, but only by those who have heard and wanted to affirm and make that prayer their own. Hence just as Amen was part of a dialogue between the speaker and the hearers in the OT, it is also part of the dialogue between the one praying and the hearers in the church.
Jesus was recorded saying Amen over 100 times in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Although some are the same events in the different books, it doesn’t change the truth that Jesus used Amen nearly four times more than is found in the entire OT. Since He was still under the Law, His use confirms that it was still being practiced to confirm and affirm the truth of any statement by another. The only difference is that the Word who become flesh was confirming and affirming the truth of His own words. Amen verifies, certifies, and assures the hearer.
It’s other uses in the NT Scriptures follow the use Jesus made of Amen and the same pattern as the Psalms. It was added to solemn words to give even more assurance and confirmation.
In the symbolic book of Revelation, the use of Amen seals the truth that Amen never changed its meaning and use from the time it was given until the completion of NT revelation. It should not have changed today.
Conclusion. From the beginning of revelation to its end, God gave Amen to His people so they would have a means to express their most solemn commitment and affirmation to a prayer or to any words spoken that they wanted emphasized. It is a precious opportunity to express to our brethren, children, visitors, and God our complete agreement and confirmation of the prayer. We are not unlearned! We listen carefully to the prayer so we can say Amen, completely understanding what was said and are in complete agreement. Since there is not a single reference in the Old Testament to the word Amen being spoken only within the heart, since God doesn’t need to hear the Amen as He already knows exactly what is in the heart (1Sam. 16:7), and since in the spoken Amen both the speaker and the hearers are impressed with the solemnity of the commitment they were making, it should be obvious to all that unless there are extreme circumstances, the word Amen should be spoken with reverence and respect to the words just spoken, and if we truly mean it, Amen should be spoken out loud.
The purpose of this article is help us better understand the use and meaning of Amen. First, we will examine the meaning and proper emotions and attitudes that should be in our hearts when we say Amen. Second, we will assess whether Amen should be spoken aloud by all those who hear, or to simply be thought in the mind.
It is an interesting fact that Amen has seldom been translated. Although pronounced differently in some languages, it was Amen in Hebrew and Aramaic, Amen in Greek and Latin, and it is still Amen in nearly every language in the world today. It was introduced by God when He gave Moses detailed instructions that would make their visit to the valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim as solemn as possible. When they arrived, they were to construct an altar out of stones and then “Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali … shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse.” God wanted Israel to curse with the Amen after each of the twelve laws God had told them to read.
This event both confirmed the curses and laid the foundation and purpose for Amen. The Levites were to “speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel.” They were to proclaim the curses God would bring upon them if they violated these Laws. After each of the twelve curses spoken by the Levites, God commanded: “all the people shall answer and say, Amen.” It is important to ask why did God repeat “all the people shall say Amen” twelve times? Each time the Levites spoke a curse, God wanted all the people to answer and respond by saying the word Amen:
- these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. 14 "And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: 15 'Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.' "And ALL the people shall answer and SAY, 'Amen!' 16 'Cursed is the one who treats his father or his mother with contempt.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 17 'Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor's landmark.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 18 'Cursed is the one who makes the blind to wander off the road.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 19 'Cursed is the one who perverts the justice due the stranger, the fatherless, and widow.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 20 'Cursed is the one who lies with his father's wife, because he has uncovered his father's bed.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 21 'Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 22 'Cursed is the one who lies with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 23 'Cursed is the one who lies with his mother-in-law.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 24 'Cursed is the one who attacks his neighbor secretly.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 25 'Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to slay an innocent person.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!' 26 'Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law.' "And ALL the people shall SAY, 'Amen!'" Deut. 27:14-26
Clearly this was a dialogue and a conversation. God was demanding that all those who heard these curses verbally acknowledge them. While obviously important, the full meaning of Amen merits further examination.
Within the word Amen is both agreement and commitment as well as anyone saying it places themselves under each curse. That was God’s intent by commanding them to use that word. A careful reading of the use in Scripture and the definitions reveal that Amen means “to confirm”, “support”, and “be faithful to.” It had two purposes, first “to acknowledge our affirmation of a statement” and second to “confirm the preceding words and invoke their fulfillment” with “so be it.” The following definitions confirm all that was said above:
- ‘āmēn An adverb meaning verily or truly. The word is used more often as the declaration “May It Be So.” It comes from a root meaning to confirm; to support; to be faithful. The major idea behind this word is constancy and reliability. It is used as a declaration to acknowledge affirmation of a statement (1 Kings 1:36); acceptance of a curse (Neh 5:13); affirmation of a prophecy (Jer 28:6). It is also used in response to worship and praise (1 Chron 16:36; Neh 8:6). The English word Amen comes from this word and means, "I agree; may it be so." (Complete Word Study Dictionary: OT:543)
- amén; transliterated from the Hebrerew ’āmēn. Amen, to be firm, steady, truth worthy. ... In the OT used often at the end of a sentence as an adv. meaning truly, surely, certainly. It thus confirms the preceding words and invokes their fulfillment: "so be it," Used also in oaths or imprecations being equivalent to a binding promise (Neh 5:13; Deut 27:15-26,... In the NT, it indicates affirmation, in truth, verily, it is so ...” (Complete Word Study Dictionary: NT:281)
When anyone says Amen, they affirm and confirm what the speaker just said. The word is literally “may it be so” or “so it is.” When anyone uses this word, they are accepting, confirming and binding themselves to those words. It is very close to what is done in swearing an oath. Once the words are uttered, whether curse, praise, intercession or request, our Amen seals it and makes it ours. That prayer uttered by another is now seen by God as being spoken by ourselves.
The curse and Amen were a dialogue between the Levites reading a curse and all the people accepting it. The Levites were to “speak with a loud voice and say to all the men,” and then “all the people shall answer and say, “Amen!” The loud voice of the Levites was answered with an Amen. It is clear that God commanded everyone to respond with Amen.
Every passage in the OT confirms Amen was always spoken as confirmation and commitment. Every passage also shows it was spoken out loud by all the people. Think about it. Would there be any real purpose in saying Amen only in their mind? God knowing people’s hearts already knew whether anyone agreed or not. This Amen was for the one speaking and all the hearers. In this respect it follows the same path as our singing. We are “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing,”. Thus, singing is “to one another.” We all hear and thus are all active in “teaching and admonishing one another.” (Col. 3:16). Each must be singing out loud to fufill this command. That is why along with the singing God also commands the “making melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:19). God doesn’t need an “Amen,” but it is very important that others hear it. That way everyone knows it has been affirmed and confirmed. The context can’t be clearer: the Levites spoke with a loud voice and everyone responded by saying “Amen”.
Once we see this as the foundation, everything else written in the OT shows it became an established custom in Israel. It began with Moses and continued through to the end of the OT. They always spoke Amen to “confirm, affirm and commit” to the words previously spoken. The command that “ALL the people shall answer and SAY, ‘Amen!’” was observed in the days of Moses, David, Solomon, Jeremiah and Nehemiah.
- may this water that causes the curse go into your stomach, and make your belly swell and your thigh rot." 'Then the woman shall SAY, "Amen, so be it." Num. 5:21-22
- Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and SAID, "Amen! May the Lord God of my lord the king SAY so too. 1Kings 1:36-37
- On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord: And ALL the people SAID, "Amen!" and praised the Lord. 1Chr 16:36
- Then I called the priests, and required an oath from them that they would do according to this promise. 13 Then I shook out the fold of my garment and said, "So may God shake out each man from his house, and from his property, who does not perform this promise. Even thus may he be shaken out and emptied." And ALL the assembly SAID, "Amen!" and praised the Lord. Then the people did according to this promise. Neh. 5:12-13
- And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 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. Neh. 8:5-6
- Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let ALL the people SAY, "Amen!" Praise the Lord! Ps. 106:48
- 'Obey My voice, and do according to all that I command you; so shall you be My people, and I will be your God,' 5 that I may establish the oath which I sware unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then answered I, and SAID, Amen, O Jehovah. Jer. 11:4-5
- and the prophet Jeremiah SAID, "Amen! The Lord do so; the Lord perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the Lord's house and all who were carried away captive, from Babylon to this place. Jer. 28:6-7
- Even the Holy Spirit in inspired Scripture used Amen to affirm as truth and confirm the blessedness of God.
- Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen. Ps. 41:13
- Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things! 19 And blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen. Ps. 72:18-19
- Blessed be the Lord forevermore! Amen and Amen. Ps. 89:52
This history of Amen in the OT is essential to understand Amen today. The only words about Amen the Holy Spirit placed in the NT are only a negative example. Yet from these we must gain all we can about the Amen. They are the only inspired Scripture in the NT about using Amen in the worship assembly of the Lord’s church on the first day of the week.
- Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed SAY "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you SAY? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 1Cor. 14:16-17
Yet that single verse revealed and made crystal clear, nothing had changed. The example in the early church exactly mirrored what God commanded Israel to do. Since Amen was already an established custom among Israel, no further explanation was needed. Because Amen was an affirmation and confirmation of all that the one praying had said, it would be impossible for anyone to say Amen if the prayer was not understood. Paul needed no explanation because they were obviously already doing this. The Amen was spoken, but only by those who have heard and wanted to affirm and make that prayer their own. Hence just as Amen was part of a dialogue between the speaker and the hearers in the OT, it is also part of the dialogue between the one praying and the hearers in the church.
Jesus was recorded saying Amen over 100 times in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Although some are the same events in the different books, it doesn’t change the truth that Jesus used Amen nearly four times more than is found in the entire OT. Since He was still under the Law, His use confirms that it was still being practiced to confirm and affirm the truth of any statement by another. The only difference is that the Word who become flesh was confirming and affirming the truth of His own words. Amen verifies, certifies, and assures the hearer.
It’s other uses in the NT Scriptures follow the use Jesus made of Amen and the same pattern as the Psalms. It was added to solemn words to give even more assurance and confirmation.
- For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. AMEN. Rom. 11:36
- Now the God of peace be with you all. AMEN. Rom. 15:33
- to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. AMEN. Rom. 16:27
- For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him AMEN, to the glory of God. 2Cor. 1:20-21
- our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. AMEN. Gal. 1:4-5
- 18 Brethren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. AMEN. Gal. 6:18
- to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. AMEN. Eph. 3:21
- 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. AMEN. Phil. 4:20
- to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. AMEN. 1 Tim 1:17
- who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. AMEN. 1 Tim 6:16
- To Him be glory forever and ever. AMEN! 2 Tim 4:18
- to whom be glory forever and ever. AMEN. Heb 13:21
- to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. AMEN. 1 Peter 4:11
- To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. AMEN. 1 Peter 5:11-12
- To Him be the glory both now and forever. AMEN. 2 Peter 3:18
- To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever AMEN. Jude 25
In the symbolic book of Revelation, the use of Amen seals the truth that Amen never changed its meaning and use from the time it was given until the completion of NT revelation. It should not have changed today.
- Then the four living creatures SAID, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever. Rev. 5:14
- All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 SAYING: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen." Rev. 7:11-12
- And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, SAYING, "Amen! Alleluia!" Rev. 19:4-5
- He who testifies to these things SAYS, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Rev. 22:20
Conclusion. From the beginning of revelation to its end, God gave Amen to His people so they would have a means to express their most solemn commitment and affirmation to a prayer or to any words spoken that they wanted emphasized. It is a precious opportunity to express to our brethren, children, visitors, and God our complete agreement and confirmation of the prayer. We are not unlearned! We listen carefully to the prayer so we can say Amen, completely understanding what was said and are in complete agreement. Since there is not a single reference in the Old Testament to the word Amen being spoken only within the heart, since God doesn’t need to hear the Amen as He already knows exactly what is in the heart (1Sam. 16:7), and since in the spoken Amen both the speaker and the hearers are impressed with the solemnity of the commitment they were making, it should be obvious to all that unless there are extreme circumstances, the word Amen should be spoken with reverence and respect to the words just spoken, and if we truly mean it, Amen should be spoken out loud.