What does the Bible say about praying too much? I don't understand how these verses:

&quot;Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few.&quot; - Ecclesiastes 5:2
&quot;And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.&quot; - Matthew 6:7

Can be reconciled with Luke 18:1-8 where Jesus gives a parable about praying with persistence.
Is it possible to pray too much about something?  Is it possible to pray continually yet with few words?
What do other parts of the bible have to say on this issue?
The Bible in no place says that you can possibly pray too much.  In fact, it says just the opposite.  Not only in the passage in Luke, but also in 1 Thessalonialns 5:17, which says we should be praying continually.

Like most "contradictions' this one is simple to resolve by showing that the problem arises from taking verses out of context.  (See Rules behind resolving alleged Biblical discrepancies.)

Take a look again at Ecclesiastes 5 with the surrounding verses:


  1 Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to
  listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools, for they do not
  know that they are doing evil. 2 [b] Be not rash with your mouth, nor
  let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in
  heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a
  dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words.
  
  4 When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no
  pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should
  not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Let not your mouth
  lead you[c] into sin, and do not say before the messenger[d] that it
  was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the
  work of your hands? 7 For when dreams increase and words grow many,
  there is vanity;[e] but[f] God is the one you must fear.


This is not talking about not praying, it's talking about not speaking rashly and carelessly to God.  

This is backed up by most commentaries.  Here's a small sampling to show that this is an established teaching/understanding of the verses, and not just my opinion:


  Benson Commentary
  
  Be not rash with thy mouth — Speak not without due consideration; and
  let not thy heart be hasty — Do not give way to every sudden motion of
  thy heart, nor suffer it to break out of thy lips till thou hast well
  weighed it. We must think, and think twice, before we speak, when we
  are to speak, either from God in preaching, or to God in prayer, or in
  solemn vows and promises made in his presence; which were very much in
  use in those times, and of which he speaks in the following verses.
  For God is in heaven — Is a God of infinite majesty, holiness, and
  knowledge, and therefore not even to be thought of, and much more not
  to be worshipped, without profound veneration, great solemnity, and
  much serious consideration; and thou upon earth — Thou art a poor worm
  of the earth, infinitely below him, and therefore oughtest to stand in
  awe of him, and fear to offend him; therefore let thy words be few —
  1st, In prayer: use not vain repetitions, nor a multitude of words, as
  if they were necessary to inform God of thy wants, or to prevail with
  him to grant thy requests; or as if thou shouldest certainly be heard
  upon that very account: see Matthew 6:7. 2d, In vowing: be not too
  prodigal in making more vows and promises than thou art either able or
  willing and resolved to perform. Remember that God looks down from
  heaven, hears all thy vows, and expects a punctual accomplishment of
  them.
  
  Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
  
  5:1-3 Address thyself to the worship of God, and take time to compose
  thyself for it. Keep thy thoughts from roving and wandering...
  
  Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
  
  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter
  any thing before God,....