Lamentations 3:41

Lamentations 3:41

Let us lift up our heart with [our] hands
Lifting up of the hands is a prayer gesture, and is put for prayer itself; see ( Psalms 141:2 ) ( 1 Timothy 2:8 ) ; but the heart must go along with it, or it is of no avail; the soul must be lifted up to God; there must be an ascending of that unto him, in earnest desires after him; in affection and love to him; in faith and dependence on him; and in hope and expectation of good things from him, ( Psalms 25:1 ) ; this is the way in which men return to God, even by prayer and supplication. The Targum is,

``let us lift up our hearts, and cast away rapine and prey out of our hands;''

and Jarchi and Abendana mention a Midrash, that paraphrases it,

``let us lift up our hearts in truth to God, as a man washes his hands in purity, and casts away all filthiness from them;''

see ( Hebrews 10:22 ) ; unto God in the heavens;
who has made them, and dwells in them; and therefore prayer must be directed to him, as being there; so our Lord taught his disciples to pray, ( Matthew 6:9 ) ; and which is a very great encouragement to faith in prayer; when it is considered that God is the Maker and possessor of heaven and earth; and that our help is in and expected from him who made all these; and besides the saints have a High Priest, an Advocate with the Father there, to plead their cause for them; and many great and good things are there laid up for them.