# “He sets our tears in His sight” by Augustine of Hippo (A.D. 354-430)

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2015/01/20/he-sets-our-tears-in-his-sight-by-augustine-of-hippo-a-d-354-430/
- Published: 2015-01-20T12:00:07-06:00
- Author: tollelege

“Prayer is to be free of much speaking (Matthew 6:7), but not of much entreaty, 
if the fervor and attention persist. To speak much in prayer is to transact a necessary
piece of business with unnecessary words. But to entreat much of Him whom we entreat
is to knock by a long-continued and devout uplifting of the heart (Luke 18:1, 7).

In general, this business of prayer is transacted more _by sighs_ than _by speech_(
Romans 8:26), more _by tears_ than _by utterance_ (Psalm 126:5-6).

But He sets our tears in His sight (Psalm 56:8) and our groaning is not hidden from
Him (Psalm 38:9) who created all things by His Word and who does not need human 
words.”

–Augustine of Hippo, “[Letter 130 (A.D. 412)](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813215595/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0813215595&linkCode=as2&tag=toletaupanre-20&linkId=ABRMY7XX67TLLDKU)”
in [_Letters, Volume 2 (83-130)_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0813215595/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0813215595&linkCode=as2&tag=toletaupanre-20&linkId=ABRMY7XX67TLLDKU),
Trans. Wilfrid Parsons (Washington, D.C.: CUA Press: 1953/2008), 391.

More on [Prayer](https://tollelege.net/category/prayer/)