The Prayer Points of Esther
A Reflection on the Prayer Points of Esther
Do you ever sit down to pray and then not know how to begin? Me, too. Where do we go for help and inspiration?
The Bible, of course. Yes, we know in Matthew 6 that Jesus taught the Apostles the Our Father. But the Bible is a great resource to help us learn how others prayed as well. When we look closely in the Bible, there are many passages that teach us how to pray.
One such passage is found in Esther 14: 3b-14 (RSV). Queen Esther shows us a formula we can use in our own prayers. In her prayer, she beseeches God to save the Jewish people from Haman’s plot to destroy them.
Here is the first part of her prayer:
Prayer of Queen Esther
“My Lord, who alone is our King, help me, a solitary woman, for there is no other helper but you.
My peril is close at hand.
I have heard from my father that you, Lord, chose Israel from among all nations and our fathers from among all their former ancestors, to possess them as an everlasting inheritance, and you have done for them just as you said.
We have sinned in your sight, and therefore you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies, for we have worshipped their gods. You are just, O Lord.
And now they are not content to oppress us with a very difficult servitude, but attributing the strength of their hands to the power of their idols, they want to alter your promises, and erase your inheritance, and close the mouths of those who praise you, and extinguish the glory of your temple and your altar, so that they may open the mouths of the nations, and praise the strength of idols, and proclaim a worldly king in perpetuity.
Lord, do not hand over your scepter to that which does not exist, lest they laugh at our ruin, but turn their counsel upon themselves and destroy him who has begun to rage against us.
Be mindful, Lord, and show yourself to us in the time of our tribulation, and give me faith, Lord, King of gods and of every power.
Grant fitting words to my mouth in the sight of the lion, and transform his heart to hate our enemy, so that both he, and the others who conspire with him, may perish.
But free us by your hand, and help me, who has no other helper but you, Lord, who holds the knowledge of all things.”
Esther’s Prayer Formula
Esther uses a prayer formula we can use in our own prayers. Here is an outline of her prayer to God:
- Recognize who GOD is: characteristics of God and what He has done.
- Bless God.
- Ask God for help. (Here, Esther mentions the risk she is about to take and asks God to help her.)
- Compliment God. (Esther mentions an attribute of God’s that she admires.)
- Request God’s help. (Esther is specific in asking God what she wants His help for.)
- State dependence on God.
- Tell God the prayer request again.
The Prayer Formula in the Bible Text
Now that you have read the Bible passage and the points in Esther’s prayer formula, we’ll put them together.
“My Lord, who alone is our King, help me, a solitary woman, for there is no other helper but you.
(Recognize who GOD is: characteristics of God and what He has done.)My peril is close at hand.
I have heard from my father that you, Lord, chose Israel from among all nations and our fathers from among all their former ancestors, to possess them as an everlasting inheritance, and you have done for them just as you said.
We have sinned in your sight, and therefore you have delivered us into the hands of our enemies, for we have worshipped their gods. You are just, O Lord. (Bless God.)
And now they are not content to oppress us with a very difficult servitude, but attributing the strength of their hands to the power of their idols, they want to alter your promises, and erase your inheritance, and close the mouths of those who praise you, and extinguish the glory of your temple and your altar, so that they may open the mouths of the nations, and praise the strength of idols, and proclaim a worldly king in perpetuity.
Lord, do not hand over your scepter to that which does not exist, lest they laugh at our ruin, but turn their counsel upon themselves and destroy him who has begun to rage against us. (Ask God for help.) Be mindful, Lord, and show yourself to us in the time of our tribulation, and give me faith, Lord, King of gods and of every power. (Compliment God.)
Grant fitting words to my mouth in the sight of the lion, and transform his heart to hate our enemy, so that both he, and the others who conspire with him, may perish. (Request God’s help.) But free us by your hand, and help me, who has no other helper but you, Lord, who holds the knowledge of all things.” (State dependence on God. Tell God the prayer request again.)
God helps us in Queen Esther’s Prayer
In Esther’s prayer, God shows us one formula we can use to pray.
The Bible has so many examples of ways to pray. We can learn so much by diving into God’s word.
Is there a Bible passage you like that helps you to pray? If so, please leave a comment below and share it with us. We can help each other grow in faith.
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