Tephillāh derives from the verb pālal (H6419), which in the Hithpael form means 'to pray, intercede, mediate.' The word appears 77 times in the Hebrew Bible and is the primary term for formal prayer. It encompasses petition (asking God for something), intercession (praying on behalf of others), confession, and praise. The great prayers of Scripture — Solomon's dedication prayer (1 Kings 8), Hannah's prayer (1 Samuel 2), Daniel's prayer (Daniel 9), Nehemiah's prayer (Nehemiah 1) — are all tephillāh. Psalms 17, 86, 90, 102, 142, and 143 are titled 'tephillāh' (a prayer of David, Moses, etc.).
Tephillāh reflects Israel's conviction that God hears and responds to human speech. Prayer in the Hebrew Bible is never a mechanical ritual but a genuine relational encounter — bold, honest, persistent. Moses 'stood in the breach' (Psalm 106:23) interceding for Israel; Abraham bargained with God over Sodom; Hezekiah spread a threatening letter before the LORD. The Psalms are Israel's prayerbook — 150 compositions that model how to address God in every emotional register. Jesus taught his disciples 'how to pray' (Matthew 6:9-13), and the early church was devoted to prayer (Acts 2:42). The NT equivalent, proseuche (G4335), carries the same weight.