Prayer rising like incense - Psalm 141

Let my prayer rise like incense in your sight; let the raising of my hands be an evening sacrifice.

I just love the image of our words rising up to God as we pray with our hands in the open position. Together we each represent an ember in a fire of praise, our words rising up and becoming comingled like smoke rising up from the flames. What prayer would we be praying? The prayer our lord taught us, of course.

St. Augustine, writing on Psalm 141, said,

Prayer offered in holiness from a faithful heart rises like incense from a holy altar. Nothing is more fragrant than the fragrance of the Lord. May all who believe share in this fragrance.

 Our words are not like wood fire smoke but like the smoke that rises out of a pot of sweet incense. The Holy Spirit purifies our words, removing the bitter and acrid odors leaving only the best to rise up the lord.