Prayer is talking to God FROM A GOD-HONORING HEART. (When people hurl blasphemous utterances toward God I don’t think anyone could define that as prayer, although in a sense they may be talking to God.)  David, the God-honoring king, repentant sinner, psalmist and “man after God’s own heart” talked to God about everything, and especially encouraged God’s people to preface all their prayer with thanksgiving and praise. For our corporate prayer now-a-days, it is useful to recognize that there are other specific kinds of prayer. In the TLV and some other versions, 1 Timothy 2:1-4 lists thanksgiving, supplication, and intercession, as well as general “prayer”. Check out the definitions of those words. Philippians 4:6 adds the word “petition” (requests) which is sometimes used interchangeably with “supplication”. Hebrews 7:25 says that Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Christ) our great eternal High Priest, “always lives to make intercession for them (those who draw near to God through Him)”. Ephesians 6:18 encourages us to use “all kinds of prayers”, and 1 Corinthians 14:14-17 elaborates on this to mention praying “in the Spirit” and praying “with my mind” –  in the corporate context where others can agree and say “Amen”. As if to facilitate necessary prayers even further, Romans 8:26 says, “The Ruach (Holy Spirit) helps in our weakness. For we do not (always) know how to pray as we should, but the Ruach Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.” (Have to stop sharing now. Time to get ready for Shabbat corporate pre-service prayer 🙂  )