What is the five-finger prayer?

from the old testament

• Praying for others and oneself is part of the five-finger method. The Old Testament contains many examples of people making supplications for themselves and others. For example, Abraham’s prayer to spare the righteous in the land of Sodom (Genesis 18:22-33) is a good example of praying for others, while Hannah’s prayer for God to grant her a son (1 Samuel 1:9-18) is a good example of praying on behalf of oneself.

from the new testament

• The pinky part of the five-finger prayer is supported by Matthew 6:8-13 in which Jesus emphasizes praying for oneself. Moreover, we should “not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).
• We should also pray for “all the saints” Ephesians 6:18-19, not just ourselves. Since the five-finger prayer focuses so much on praying for others, the method is biblically grounded so long as our prayers to God go beyond just supplication.
• First Timothy 2:1-2 emphasizes praying for those in high places of authority, which is the focus of the middle finger in the five-finger prayer.
• James 5:14 says, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” The ring finger part of the five-finger method specifically focuses on praying on behalf of others who are ill, but if we are sick we should follow James’ instructions and seek out the elders in our church to pray for us.

implications for today

The five-finger prayer is a mnemonic device used to teach a way to structure prayers. Often, though not always, it is used with children. By working around the five fingers in succession, we can learn to not only pray for ourselves but for others in our lives and in the world.

Thumb: The thumb is the finger closest to the heart and is often associated with praying for the people closest to you, such as your family and friends.

Pointer Finger: The pointer finger is what we point with when we give directions. This is to remind us to pray for people who give instruction, such as teachers, doctors, coaches and pastors.

Middle Finger: The tallest finger on the hand is usually the middle finger, which helps us think of those in authority or leadership, like our government or business owners.

Ring Finger: The weakest finger on the hand is usually the ring finger. This finger is used to pray for those who are sick, lonely, homeless, or poor.

Pinky: The smallest finger is for yourself. This helps you put the needs of others before yourself in loving humility. Typically it is prayed last.

There are many variations on this, and many sources cite Pope Francis as the one who either originated the mnemonic or made it popular. However, it is not considered a Roman Catholic prayer and can be used to teach prayer or structure a prayer time for any Christian. It is not demonstrated anywhere in the Bible, but is a helpful tool when learning how to pray not only for ourselves but for others. That said, our prayers should also include worship of God, praising Him, and thanking Him for the work He has done. Not all prayers fit neatly into the five categories, so it’s most important that we pray sincerely and in submission to God’s will.