“This, then, is how you
should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name,” Matthew 6:9 NIV (emphasis added)
Last article I spoke of the names of God
which were also some attributes of God’s character. The point of listing all those names was to
show you that God covers all our needs.
He is the only one who can hear and answer our prayers. So now you know to whom to address your
prayers, let me tell you why.
The second part of verse nine is “Hallowed
be Your Name,”. Hallowed is defined by Merriam-Webster as 1: Holy, Consecrated. 2. Sacred, Revered.[1] Another definition is given at www.biblestudytools.com in which the
original word is qadhash which means “set apart,” “devote,” “consecrate,”[2]
and much more.
So the prayer now goes “Our
Father, the Lord God Almighty, the most High God, Lord and Master, Lord my
Banner (of victory) and Shepherd who heals, the Lord who is there, my Righteousness,
my Sanctifier, Everlasting God, Jealous God who provides, who gives peace, the
Lord of hosts in heaven, holy,
consecrated, sacred, revered, set apart, devoted is your name.
Hallowed
is the earned reverent respect due to God. God’s
name is set apart from this world for He created the world. It is intended for God to receive the glory
or to be glorified. As Matthew Henry
states “We give glory to God; it may be taken not as a petition, but as an
adoration; as that, the Lord be
magnified, or glorified, for God’s
holiness is the greatness and glory of his perfections.”[3]
That is some fancy speak for we as the
created should look upon God the Creator with reverence. That the name or names of God are holy
because God is holy and God is glorified in our devotion to Him and bringing
our prayers and petitions to Him.
[1] "Hallowed."
Merriam-Webster.com. Accessed August 3, 2016.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hallowed.
[2] Orr, James,
M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'HALLOW; HALLOWED'".
"International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". 1915.
[3]
Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Vol V. New York.
Fleming H. Revell Company
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