What is the origin of the word “amen”? Why do the devout use it so frequently? In a day when so many terms and phrases can be taken for granted and become mere cliches, this is your invitation to embrace a richer sense of this ubiquitous word.

 “Amen”

Whispered, shouted, said, sung—people use this word in numerous ways daily. There are a remarkable number of melodies for singing the word in liturgies. The famous hymnist John Stainer even wrote an entire hymn composed solely of the word “amen” sung repeatedly. It is probably one of the most “religious” words that can pass a person’s lips. In many cases, “amen” is little more than a religious buzzword, as its overuse has diluted its meaning. However, you might be surprised to discover that “amen” did not originate with the New Testament or church liturgy.

Biblical and Hebrew Contexts

Its first use in the Bible is Numbers 5:21-22, “Then the kohen is to have the woman swear under this oath of a curse, and say to the woman—’then let Adonai cause you to be cursed and denounced among your people when Adonai causes your thigh to rot and your belly to swell. May this water which brings a curse enter your body and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to rot.’ The woman is to say, ‘Amen, amen!'”

That unusual passage details the curse of the bitter waters. If we are honest, most of us today probably would not think of answering “amen” to the pronouncement of a curse over us. Perhaps such an unusual usage can provoke our curiosity to study this term further. After all, this biblical instance does not describe a moment of worshipful bliss during a church service. “Amen” comes from the Hebrew root אמן (aman). Strongs defines this root word as “assurance, believe, bring up, establish, be faithful, trust.” It’s an intriguing term describing faith, proper building, and physical training or instruction. With this etymological foundation of faith, truth, and establishment swirling around, the word “amen” emerges. Strong’s defines it as “sure, agreement, faithfulness, truly, so be it, truth.”

Now, if we go back to the first biblical appearance of “amen” (Numbers 5), the woman in question essentially said of the pronounced curse that she agrees, it is sure, and let it be. Again, most of us probably wouldn’t offer such a reply. But bear in mind that this exchange is part of a trial. The woman has been accused of adultery without evidence and is just as likely to be calling out for God to prove her true. It is thus a declaration, not so much of her faith in the curse but in the trustworthiness of God’s righteous judgment.  

“Amen” as a Catalyst

Consider the scene in 1 Chronicles 16. We read of King David bringing the Ark of the Covenant back into Jerusalem. Asaph and his relatives sang a song that would eventually become Psalms 96 and 118. Note how the people responded: “Then all the people said ‘Amen,’ and ‘Praise Adonai” (v 36). In the days before overheads and LCD screens, books were hand-crafted artifacts—rare and expensive. Hence, there weren’t many songbooks to facilitate congregational singing. That said, there were creative ways to encourage group participation. One would be to have them listen and then respond with “Amen”—their vocal assertion of agreement with what those leading had just sung.

What’s fascinating about the use of “amen” in 1 Chronicles 16 and the Psalms is that unlike in our more modern usage, it served as a beginning, not a conclusion. As mentioned above, with the limits of Bronze Age technology, congregational singing along with the band was logistically challenging. The band was more of an opening act to stir up and focus the people. Hence, following the declaration of “amen,” the people would praise the Lord in their own way (and presumably with their own words). In that way and in a certain sense, terms like “Amen” and “Selah” served as liturgical markers encouraging the people’s response.  

In many formal services or contemporary liturgical settings, worshipers’ utterance of “amen” (e.g., “All God’s people say: Amen”) typically signals the end of part or whole of the service. Conversely, the biblical description of worship suggests that “amen” functioned as a transition or catalyst, the leader essentially saying to the people, “Now it’s your turn.” Perhaps we see something similar in some of today’s more charismatic-style churches at times when the band goes quiet or plays something atmospheric while the congregation continues praising on its own accord. It appears that the biblical “amen” was a signal for that sort of congregational praise.

“Amen” and Prayer

I have a close friend who likes to, seemingly randomly, say (or shout) “Agree!” while praying in a corporate setting. It is his shorthand for “I agree.” It is based on the verse, “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst” (Matthew 18:19-20). For a long time, I thought he was just a bit weird. Then it clicked for me: essentially, he was saying “amen” in a thoroughly informal way. Fundamentally, the Israelites were doing this when they would say “amen.”

So I desire all men to pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without anger and argument. –1 Timothy 2:8

When they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “O Sovereign Master, ‘You made heaven and earth and the sea, and everything in them.'” –Acts 4:24

The Bible states that God highly values unified prayer, whether “two or three” or more of a congregational setting (like Acts 4 above). What is the best way to do this? On the one hand, there are formal liturgical prayers we can memorize and repeat. Kaddish in Judaism and the Lord’s Prayer (which seems to resemble Kaddish closely) are examples of this. That said, praying informally together can be, at least on its surface, challenging. More specifically, difficulties can arise when we branch off into spontaneous or personal prayers in a corporate setting—confusion, distraction, inappropriate content, etc

There are several options to help us navigate such challenges. One would be for everyone to pray simultaneously on the same subject. Another approach entails listening attentively and repeating the words of the person currently praying. There is yet another tactic, one that is relevant to the topic at hand: listen attentively and make occasional verbal assent. The Jewish—and by extension, “Christian”—way of doing this is to say, “amen.” Especially concerning its liturgical usage, it is vital to understand this aspect of “amen.” Jewish law predicates saying “amen” on hearing and understanding the phrase you are responding to.  

Hopefully, this quick overview of “amen” and its various uses within the formal liturgy and informal worship framework will make your personal use more meaningful. “Amen” is a powerful concept, and our conscious implementation of it in prayer and worship can profoundly affect our lives.