Domini Lucas Jul 22, 2021:

@Oliver :-)

Oliver Simões (asker) Jul 22, 2021:

@Domini Very helpful, indeed. Thank you for the references.

Domini Lucas Jul 22, 2021:

@Oliver Hope the extra references are of some help to you in making your decision. :-)

Domini Lucas Jul 22, 2021:

@Oliver re throwing up hands Hello again. I've just skim-read the Yadah link you cited. It hasn't changed my sense that in English we normally use "throw up our hands" with a negative slant, whatever he says the original Hebrew means. Outside the article's context, it sounds out of kilter. cf. e.g. this link explaining Yadah where they stick with raising/lifting hands. https://godtv.com/one-of-the-7-hebrew-words-for-praise-yadah... Here https://christlikeministriesnwa.com/2013/02/10/7-hebrew-word... there is also reference to the original meaning "throw out the hand", but in general praise and lift is used. I can't vouch for these articles from a scholarly point of view as I don't know their reliability on the Hebrew end of things (they came from a quick Google), and my Bible Dictionaries are being unhelpful. However a reliable Bible commentary on my bookshelf refers to Ps 63:4 as follows: "To lift up ...hands or eyes to heaven was to give the body its share in expressing worship or supplication." (Derek Kidner, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries). All this to reiterate that I suggest steering away from throwing and using one of the more general suggestions.

Domini Lucas Jul 21, 2021:

Bible verses Here's a couple of examples:
Psalm 63:4 "I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands."

Psalm 134: 2: "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
and praise the Lord."

(NIV version of the Bible - you can find them via biblegateway.com)

Charismatic Christians also speak of lifting up hands in worship. If you google 'lifting up hands in worship' you will find various references/articles.

There is a sense of surrender to God who is "so much greater", but it's in a sense of praise rather than limited to thankfulness specifically.

However, I'm not sure this is what you need here. Are you able to provide more context?

In any case, it's also worth adding that the Bible also uses 'lifting up hands' in the context of lifting up prayers to the Lord, e.g.
Lamentations 2: 19:
Arise, cry out in the night,
as the watches of the night begin;
pour out your heart like water
in the presence of the Lord.
Lift up your hands to him
for the lives of your children, ..."

1 Tim 2:8:
"Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing."

Best to have more context if possible.

Domini Lucas Jul 21, 2021:

@Oliver Hi Oliver, from a church perspective, we don't normally speak of 'throwing up our hands in praise'. The Bible speaks of lifting up hands in praise. Throwing up hands definitely has a negative slant in English and would normally
be out of context in a praise related setting. Or in terms of thanksgiving, whether religious or figurative. I haven't had time to read the blog link yet, but suspect that it only works with him making a specific point in context. And, as a UK native, I still read the snippet as 'throwing up hands' in surrender with a sense of despair or frustration. I'll try to read the full piece if I get a chance later if it´s needed to comment specifically/accurately on his choice of words. But I do wonder if you are better off with something more general rather than as religious as this. Hence my query re context if you´ve got it. I can see you are asking questions re various idioms, so is it just a list of idioms with definitions without context?

Oliver Simões (asker) Jul 21, 2021:

Yadah " Friends, I know for all of us there is a place of throwing up our hands. There is a sense of not only surrender, but a big outward showing of what’s inside.

-For some we may have had our sense of worship damaged. Perhaps we have allowed the enemy to come in and destroy the heart of worship.

Yadah-Not just lifting our hands but throwing them up!"

http://www.larryssermonblog.com/439056425

Based on Douglas' suggestion and the above, I came up with "throw up one's hands in praise". That's the literal meaning. I'll also add his translation of the figurative meaning.