What does supplication mean?

Supplication is one of several words in the Bible referring to prayer. The word is found 60 times in the Bible: 39 times in the singular and 21times in the plural; or, 53 times in the Old Testament and seven (7) times in the New Testament. It is a synonym of "prayer" and of the 58 verses where supplication is used, 31 of these verses also have some form of the word pray or prayer.

However, although supplication is prayer, it must have a specific meaning to itself. According to the word history of supplication, it refers to a bending down and indicates a bowing or kneeling in submission. 1 Kings 8:34Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.
See All... states, "And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven." By extension of this picture, to supplicate is to ask for humbly and earnestly. It refers most to the attitude of our prayer.

As a study aid to help understand the meaning of a Bible word, I often look at other words often found with the word I am studying. The word, supplication, is found seven (7) times in connection with crying out to God (1 Kings 8:28Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day:
See All...; 2 Chronicles 6:19Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee:
See All...; Psalm 28:2Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle.
See All...; 30:8
See All...; 31:22
See All...; 142:1
See All...; Hebrews 5:7Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
See All...). Consider especially Psalm 142:1I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.
See All..., which states, "I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication." The word is also used with the idea of weeping in three (3) passages (Jeremiah 3:21A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.
See All...; 31:9
See All...; Hosea 12:4Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;
See All...).

Supplication, therefore, is the attitude or spirit of prayer. We bend down to God and cry out to Him for an answer. We submit to His will and to His authority. We earnestly seek His help. In this way, we make supplication to God in our prayers. May follow our example, the Lord Jesus, who "offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears" (Hebrews 5:7Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
See All...).