9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:9-15 NIV)
The Lord’s prayer
When Christ had corrected what was wrong, he directed them to do better; his corrections are instructions. Because we do not always know how to pray as we should, he helps us by giving us words to say: “After this manner therefore pray,” Matthew 6:9. Many corruptions had entered into prayer among the Jews, so Christ found it necessary to provide a new guide for prayer, showing his disciples what should be included and how it should be structured. He gives this in words that can be used as a form, summarizing the key elements of prayer.
However, we are not restricted to using only this form or required to use it every time. We are told to pray in this manner, meaning with these words or with this structure in mind. Though it differs slightly in Luke’s Gospel and we do not see it used by the apostles, it has been widely accepted in the church from early centuries. It is our Lord’s prayer—his own composition and instruction—both concise and comprehensive. The content is essential, the structure is instructive, and the wording is clear. It contains much in a few words, and we must understand its meaning and use it sincerely, avoiding empty repetition.
The Lord’s Prayer, like every prayer, is a letter sent from earth to heaven. It has an address—”Our Father”; a destination—”in heaven”; a body containing requests; a closing—”For thine is the kingdom”; a seal—”Amen”; and even a date—”this day.” The Three Parts of the Lord’s Prayer are:
The Preface: “Our Father who art in heaven”
Before making our requests, we must approach God properly—”Our Father.” This reminds us that prayer is not only personal but also communal; we pray with and for others. It teaches that prayer is directed to God alone, not to saints or angels, for they cannot grant what we seek. We are taught how to address God—not emphasizing his majesty alone, but his kindness, so we may come boldly to the throne of grace.
- “Our Father”—We must acknowledge God as our Father. He is the Creator of all (Malachi 2:10; Acts 17:28) but, in a special way, the Father of believers through adoption and regeneration (Ephesians 1:5; Galatians 4:6). This is a great privilege. Seeing God as our Father encourages us to approach him with confidence, knowing he pities our weaknesses (Psalm 103:13), spares us (Malachi 3:17), and blesses us with what is good (Luke 11:11-13). We have bold access to him and an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. When we repent of sin, we come to him as the prodigal son did (Luke 15:18; Jeremiah 3:19); when we ask for grace and blessings, we approach him as a loving, reconciled Father (Jeremiah 3:4).
- “In heaven”—Though God is everywhere, he reveals his glory in heaven (Psalm 103:19). Since Christ, our Mediator, is in heaven (Hebrews 8:1), our prayers should be directed there. Prayer must be spiritual, lifting our hearts above the world (Psalm 5:1). Heaven is pure, so we must pray with clean hearts and reverence (Leviticus 10:3). From heaven, God sees all people (Psalm 33:13-14), knowing our needs and struggles. He has the power to help us abundantly, supplying all we need. We approach him boldly as our Father but reverently as our heavenly Father (Ecclesiastes 5:2). Prayer aligns with our ultimate goal—to be with God in heaven.
The Petitions
The six petitions are divided into two parts: the first three concern God’s honor, and the last three are our needs. This order teaches us to seek first God’s kingdom and trust that our needs will be provided.
1. “Hallowed be thy name”—We pray that God’s name—his character, attributes, and works—will be honored by us and others. This is both a declaration of praise and a request that God be glorified. All other requests should serve this ultimate goal.
2. “Thy kingdom come”—We pray for God’s reign in the world. This includes the spread of the gospel, the growth of the church, and the submission of all people to Christ. The kingdom of God has come in part, but we long for its fullness. We echo Christ’s promise, “Surely I come quickly,” with “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
3. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”—We pray that God’s will would be followed on earth as perfectly as it is in heaven. This means both submission to God’s providence (“Lord, do what pleases you”) and obedience to his commands. Our goal is to become more like the holy angels, joyfully doing God’s will.
4. “Give us this day our daily bread”—After seeking God’s glory, we ask for daily provision. “Bread” represents the necessities of life, teaching contentment and dependence on God.
- We ask for “bread,” not luxuries, teaching moderation.
- We ask for “our bread,” emphasizing honest work.
- We ask for “daily bread,” teaching us not to worry about tomorrow.
- We ask God to “give” it, recognizing all provision comes from him.
- We pray for “us,” not just ourselves, encouraging concern for others.
- We ask for it “this day,” renewing our trust in God daily.
5. “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”—Just as we need daily bread, we need daily forgiveness.
- Our sins are debts—We owe obedience to God, but when we fail, we incur a debt that deserves punishment.
- We plead for pardon—Through Christ’s sacrifice, we ask that this debt be erased.
- We forgive others—Asking for forgiveness while refusing to forgive others is hypocrisy. Our willingness to forgive is evidence that we understand God’s grace.
6. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”—We pray to be kept from sin.
- “Lead us not into temptation”—God does not tempt us to sin, but we ask him to protect us from circumstances that would lead us astray.
- “Deliver us from evil”—We ask for protection from sin, the devil, and all harm, seeking God’s strength to resist temptation.
The Conclusion
“For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.” This closing is both a plea and a declaration of praise. As a plea, it grounds our requests in God’s sovereignty, power, and glory, strengthening our prayers by reminding us of His ability to answer. As a praise, it acknowledges that all authority belongs to God, making this doxology a fitting conclusion that lifts our hearts in worship. Finally, “Amen” affirms our faith in what we have prayed, expressing both sincerity and confidence in God’s promises.
Thus, the Lord’s Prayer is a perfect model, teaching us to put God first, trust him for our needs, seek his forgiveness, and depend on his protection—all for his glory.
Lastly, to all this, we are taught to affix our Amen, which means ‘so be it’. When God says Amen, it is a grant, meaning, “It shall be so.” Our Amen is a summary desire that say to God, “Let it be so.” It is a token of our desire and assurance that we will be heard. Amen refers to every petition before it, gathering up what we may have lost in the details. Since time immemorial, it has been the practice of good people to say Amen audibly at the end of every prayer, and it is a commendable practice when done with understanding and sincerity, as the apostle directs (1 Cor. 14:16).
Most of the petitions in the Lord’s Prayer were commonly used by the Jews in their devotions, but the clause in the fifth petition—”As we forgive our debtors”—was new. Therefore, Jesus explains why He added it. God, in forgiving us, takes into account our willingness to forgive those who have wronged us. When we pray for pardon, we must mention our commitment to this duty—not only to remind ourselves but to bind ourselves to it. See the parable in Matthew 18:23-35. Since human nature resists this, Jesus reinforces it in Matthew 6:14-15.
This is a promise: “If you forgive, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” However, this is not the only condition for forgiveness; repentance, faith, and obedience are also required. However, forgiving others is strong evidence of sincerity in our faith. He who has compassion toward his brother shows true repentance toward God. The prayer calls sins “debts,” while here they are called “trespasses”—wrongs done to us in body, property, or reputation.
Using a softer term for offenses can help us forgive. We should not call them treasons but trespasses; not deliberate injuries but mistakes. Perhaps it was an oversight (Gen. 43:12), so we should view it in the best light. We must not only avoid malice and revenge but also refuse to remind our brother of his wrongs or rejoice in his troubles. Instead, we should be ready to help him and do him good. If he repents and seeks reconciliation, we must welcome him as before.
This is a warning: “But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Not forgiving others is a sign you lack the necessary qualities for God’s forgiveness. Your Father, whom you call Father and who offers you grace on reasonable terms, will not forgive you. And if you are sincere in other areas but greatly fail in this, you cannot expect the comfort of pardon. Instead, you may be humbled by trials until you learn this duty.”
Those who seek God’s mercy must show mercy to others. We cannot expect Him to extend His favor to us if we approach Him with impure hearts filled with wrath (1Ti 2:8). If we pray in anger, we may be answered in anger. It has been said, “Prayers made in wrath are written in gall.” Why should God forgive us our great debts if we refuse to forgive the small debts of others? Christ came as the great Peacemaker—not only to reconcile us to God but also to one another. We must follow His example. It is dangerous to disregard what Christ has emphasized.