Salt is mentioned several times in the Bible.  A few familiar verses that speak of salt are:

  • Matthew 5:13, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”
  • Colossians 4:6, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
  • Job 6:6, “Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?”

In these few examples, we see the purpose of salt is twofold…as a flavoring and as a preservative.  It is used in a spiritual sense to describe the value of the believer in the world and to instruct us to use our words wisely and in such a way as to minister God’s truth and love to others.

Admittedly, I knew little about the practice of using salt in our prayers, so I had to spend some time researching this topic.  This is what I read on one particular website about this topic: “By learning how to pray with salt in the Bible, you can deepen your connection with God and experience a renewed sense of spiritual cleansing and protection. This age-old tradition not only helps to purify your intentions and words but also serves as a reminder of your commitment to walking in faith and righteousness. Explore the transformative impact of incorporating salt into your prayers and unlock a deeper level of intimacy with the Divine.”

Although this may be an “age-old tradition” that doesn’t mean it is scriptural.  To think that sprinkling salt on the ground when we pray will “deepen your connection to God” is preposterous at best.  To deepen our connection with God, we need to approach Him in our prayers with the proper attitude and desire for His will.  We read in Isaiah 66:2, “For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.”  To be poor means to be humble.  To have a contrite spirit means to be broken, crushed, or deeply affected by sin. It is in contrast to a spirit that is proud, haughty, self-confident, and self-righteous.  To tremble at God’s Word means one who fears, or greatly reveres, God’s Word.  THIS, my friend, is how we have a deeper connection with God…not by sprinkling salt. 

Thinking that salt “serves as a reminder of your commitment to walking in faith and righteousness” only sets aside the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  John 14:26 teaches us, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”  It is the work of the Spirit to teach and remind us of the powerful, life changing words of God. 

With all that said, I would like to point us to 2 Kings 2:19-22 which says, “And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake.”

Some who teach that we should apply salt in our prayers have used this portion to teach this practice.  However, in doing this, the wonderful typology in this lesson is lost.  In this instance, salt would be a most inappropriate remedy because salt naturally makes waters briny and makes land unfertile.  The needed lesson here shows that this miracle was achieved solely by Divine power, which could work either without means, or against natural means.  This lesson DOES NOT show us we should sprinkle salt when we pray.  It teaches us that the Lord can work through the most unlikely means to show us His power and purpose.  (CC)  (698.6)