Heavenly Language (Romans 8:26-27, 34; 1 Corinthians 14:13ff; Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20; 1 Timothy 2:1; Hebrews 7:25; Acts 2:4)

Romans 8:26 says, "... the Spirit also helps our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

This verse was always a puzzle to me, in that even those Greek scholars who did not practice speaking in other tongues, quoted this verse as referring to speaking in other tongues; [ with other scriptural texts (1 Cor. 14:13ff; Eph. 6:18; Jude 20) in the sense of the Holy Spirit putting into the Believer's mouth what he should pray for] yet the text says "which cannot be uttered". If something cannot be uttered, than obviously it is not spoken, in tongues or otherwise. The Greek text gives understanding to the apparent contradiction.

HELPS - This compound word in the Greek, is formed from three words, meaning:

1) to take hold of

 a]. to come to the aid of or support, when referring to people.

b]. to take possession of , when referring to things, as in this context.

2) against... something or someone

3) with.. i.e., not by one individual effort, but a joint effort.

INFIRMITIES - This word is actually singular, and not in the plural as the KJV has it, and refers, in this context, not to physical weakness of any kind, but rather, our inability or weakness, spiritually, in prayer.

KNOW - This word is not knowledge that is gained by experience, but rather, that form of knowledge that is intuitive; natural to the individual or person.

WHAT - Literally, the text says, "... the what..." with the definite article. In other words there is a specific "what" being referred to.

AS WE OUGHT - Literally, "... as it is necessary..", in the case. 

MAKES INTERCESSION - This word means "to intercede or intervene, for as a representative of".

This is the only place this word is used in the NT, but the word group, significantly, is used:

1) for us coming before the King, on the behalf of others, to present requests to meet their needs, with full confidence, that because of our relationship to the King, the requests will be granted. (1 Tim. 2:1)

2) for Jesus presenting requests, to the Father, for us (Rm. 8:34; Heb. 7:25), again, with full confidence that the requests will be granted.

3) for, as in this verse, the Holy Spirit, acting as our representative, on our behalf, as a lawyer, to present our case before the King. [Father God]. (Rm. 8:26,27).

GROANINGS - This word refers to something that is deeply internal. The word comes from the word meaning to be pressed or squeezed by circumstances and therefore a person groans or moans. It is the expression of oppression. [ Approximately 1/3 of all OT uses of this word in the LXX refer directly or indirectly to prayer.]

WHICH CANNOT BE UTTERED - This is all one word in the Greek, and literally means "not spoken". However, the meaning is not what is 'not spoken', but what cannot be expressed in understandable words. There are other Greek words that could have more than adequately conveyed the meaning of something not spoken. This word, which is only used here in the scriptures, refers to the 'sounds" rather than actual "words" spoken. it is used in ancient literature, of the sound of birds; musical instruments; and specifically, of the utterances of babies or infants, which though they express a definite form of communication, the sounds are not understood by the listener.

The imagery of this verse is set in the confines of coming before the royal court to speak to the king. Specifically, we wish to obtain our hope (8:25). and the Holy Spirit of God, our Comforter in the earth, "helps" us in our "infirmity" or inability to maneuver in the spiritual court room, to take possession with us, against our adversary, or opposing lawyer [prosecuting attorney, the devil].He "knows", because He is naturally and intuitively acquainted with the spiritual realm, the specific "what' to pray for "as it is necessary", and so He, as our representative, on our behalf, comes before the the King, and we with Him convey our deep spiritual groanings, of our hope unrealized, through the medium of tongues.

This is not something we understand as we speak, but these sounds given utterance by the Holy Spirit,(Acts 2:4), enable us to obtain with Him, as our legal representative, the specific requests desired. Often when we do not know how or what to pray for as it is necessary, this avenue of prayer, through the Holy Spirit, more than gets the job done.

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours.