What is the language of prayer? Is there a specific language to be used in prayer to ensure God hears us? Is it the flowery language of the King James Bible peppered with thees and thous? Is it a specific “prayer language” that is given just to you that no one else can understand but God?

The language of prayer is the language God has given you as your native tongue. If you are an English speaker, the language of prayer for you is English. Spanish speaker, the same, and so on. In the whole of the Bible, every prayer recorded is a prayer that was spoken in the language of the person praying.

Some say that God gives believers a prayer language. They believe this to be the gift of tongues given as a means of praying to God in a heavenly language. This is often called glossolalia. Glossolalia is the phenomenon where people utter unintelligible speech-like sounds. It is a common occurrence in many different Christian and non-christian religions alike. In religious settings, it is identified as speaking in tongues. But it is also something that occurs outside of spiritual practice. For instance, I know of cases in which soldiers have spontaneously spoken in glossolalia in the heat of combat.

But isn’t the idea of a prayer language biblical? First, the words “prayer language” appear nowhere in Scripture. Again, every prayer recorded in the Bible is given in a known language.

Second, the word “glossolalia” is not a biblical word. It is not a Greek word found in the Bible. The word “glossolalia” was coined by a German theologian, F.W. Farrar, in 1879. This was an attempt to identify and categorize the phenomena of utterances that were not a known language, like the biblical gift of tongues.

The biblical gift of tongues was a known language. One of the most concise statements I’ve read recently is by David K. Lowery in The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Speaking of the word tongues (glōssa) in the Bible, he says,

"The same may be said of the meaning of the word glōssa elsewhere in the New Testament. Whether it was used literally of the physical organ (e.g., Mark 7:33; James 3:5; Rev. 16:10) or figuratively of human languages (e.g., Acts 2:11; Rev. 5:9; 7:9; 10:11; 11:9; 13:7; 14:6; 17:15), it nowhere referred to ecstatic speech."

Many contend that Romans 8:26 is speaking of a prayer language. The text says, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” We do not see the words prayer language or tongues (as a biblical gift) here or anywhere in the book of Romans.

In the passage (Romans 8), Paul says creation groans, we groan, and the Spirit groans, all for the deliverance from the sufferings of this world. At times, we have no words. And when we have no words, the Spirit intercedes for us. But the groaning is done by the Holy Spirit, not by us. And clearly, they are groanings too deep for words. The words are not spoken by us and are too deep for words; therefore, they are not a prayer, nor are they words spoken by us at all. They can’t be spoken!

If Romans 8:26 referred to a prayer language as tongues, then the wonderful deep comfort of this verse would only be available to a select few when they are severely suffering. The Apostle Paul made it clear that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts as He wills and that not all speak in tongues (1 Cor 12:11, 30). If you don’t have the gift of a prayer language, there is no comfort in Romans 8:26.

How, then, are we to pray?

Pray in the Spirit. “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18). There is no mention of a prayer language or tongues in all of Ephesians. Praying in the Spirit is part of our spiritual armor. We are to be on the alert. It is the recognition that our battle is spiritual and we do not war against flesh and blood. Praying in the Spirit is praying for others. It takes effort and perseverance to intercede on behalf of those in need.

Pray with your mind and your spirit. Pray as Paul did, “I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also” (1 Cor 14:15). Our minds, as well as our spirits, must be engaged in our praying; otherwise, no one is edified.

Frequently our minds go into neutral, and we just mouth words when we pray. We’ve all experienced our minds being disengaged in church, devotions, praying, and reading the Scriptures. If we pray with the mind and spirit, we will fully engage in prayers that edify others. Jesus’s words in Matthew 6 describe the folly of praying with our minds disengaged,

“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:7)

Finally,

Pray the Scriptures: What would be Jesus’ advice on the language of prayer? He gave us both the example and command to pray with words of meaning. This is what He said to us in Matthew 6:7-13:

“Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
‘Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’”

This, is the language of prayer.