Lord'S Prayer The

Lord'S Prayer The

Lord's Prayer, The. The prayer which Jesus taught his disciples.  Matthew 6:9-13;  Luke 11:2-4. "In this prayer, our Lord shows his disciples how an infinite variety of wants and requests can be compressed into a few humble petitions. It embodies every possible desire of a praying heart, a whole world of spiritual requirements; yet all in the most simple, condensed and humble form, resembling, in this respect, a pearl on which the light of heaven plays." - Lange.

"This prayer contains four great general sentiments, which constitute the very soul of religion, - sentiments which are the germs of all holy deeds in all worlds.

(1) Filial reverence: God is addressed, not as the great unknown, not as the unsearchable governor, but as a father, the most intelligible, attractive and transforming name. It is a form of address almost unknown to the old covenant, now and then hinted at, as reminding the children of their rebellion.  Isaiah 1:2;  Malachi 1:6, or mentioned as a last resource of the orphan and desolate creature,  Isaiah 63:16, but never brought out in its fullness, as indeed it could not be, till he was come, by whom we have received the adoption of sons." - Alford.

(2) "Divine loyalty: 'Thy kingdom come.'

(3) Conscious dependence: 'Give us this day,' etc.

(4) Unbounded confidence: 'For thine is the power,' etc." - Dr. Thomas' Genius of the Gospels.

The doxology, "For thine is the kingdom," etc., is wanting in many manuscripts. It is omitted in the Revised Version; but it, nevertheless, has the authority of some manuscripts, and is truly biblical, almost every word being found in  1 Chronicles 29:11 and is a true and fitting ending for prayer.