Amen is a word of response. It literally means truth, reliable, trusted. When we say “amen” we are affirming the truth of what came before. Its usage is so common that it is even heard and understood in secular contexts as a statement of agreement.
Then all the people shall say, “Amen!” Deuteronomy 27:16
The people of Israel shouted their agreement to the commands of God that Moses put forth. They would suffer a curse if they disobeyed. They signaled that these commandments were just and right.
Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen. Psalm 89:52
Amen is frequently used in the Psalms as an agreement to the praise. It attests to the certainty of what is proclaimed. We do the same when we sing our amens as a church or exclaim them together as God’s truth is preached. When I respond with an amen in church, my heart not only agrees but also declares submission. “Lord, let it be true in me, too.”
Most familiarly, amen is used at the end of a prayer. It can feel like simply the final punctuation at the end of my prayer if I am not being mindful. But when I say amen thoughtfully, I am really testifying to being heard by God and the certainty that God will act in accordance with His character and will.
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. Revelation 3:14
Jesus said He is the Amen. He is the ultimate response to all of God’s promises. He is certainty and He is truth.
And blessed be His glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory; Amen, and Amen. Psalm 79:18
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