Hallowed be Thy name.

What is meant by this Petition?

The name of God is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition that it may be hallowed also by us.

How is this effected?

When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, lead holy lives in accordance with it; to this may our blessed Father in heaven help us. But whoever teaches and lives otherwise than as God's Word prescribes, profanes the name of God among us; from this preserve us, heavenly Father.

In this Petition we pray for grace to hallow God's name[7] by the pure teaching of His Word and by childlike obedience to it.[Footnote 7: There is a parallel between this Petition and the Second Commandment. We here pray for grace to avoid what the Second Commandment forbids, and to do what it commands.]

THE NAME OF GOD means not only the names by which we address Him, but all by which He is known to us. Compare the Second Commandment.

IS INDEED HOLY IN ITSELF. [Ps. 99:3] God's name is holy, because He is holy. We cannot increase or diminish God's holiness by anything that we do. This petition does not imply, therefore, that we are to make God's name holy.

BUT WE PRAY IN THIS PETITION THAT IT MAY BE HALLOWED ALSO BY US. We hallow God's name when we regard and treat it as holy; in other words, when we honor and glorify God by worshiping and serving Him in accordance with the revelation which He has given of Himself in His Word. [John 17:6+, Ps. 100:2, 3]

1. WHEN THE WORD OF GOD IS TAUGHT IN ITS TRUTH AND PURITY. God has revealed Himself to us in His Word, and it is only from that Word that we can learn to know Him and worship Him aright. [John 1:18+] Those, therefore, who in the Church, the school, or the home, teach God's Word, as well as those who gladly hear, read, and learn it, hallow His name. [John 17:17+] But the Word must be taught in its truth and purity; that is, it must be taught as it is recorded in the Scriptures, with nothing added, taken away, or changed. [Gal. 1:9, Rev 22:18, 19]

AND WE AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD LEAD HOLY LIVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH IT. In order to hallow God's name, we must not only hear but obey His Word. [Jas. 1:22+, Matt. 5:16] As God's children we should think, speak, and act according to the rule which He has laid down in His Word, and thus glorify His name.

TO THIS MAY OUR BLESSED FATHER IN HEAVEN HELP US. We cannot preserve God's Word in its truth and purity against its foes, nor believe and obey it by our own strength: hence we pray for God's help.

FROM THIS PRESERVE US, HEAVENLY FATHER. We pray thus, because we are by nature inclined to error and sin, and have need of God's grace to preserve us from profaning His name.

QUESTIONS.—1. What do we pray for in this first petition? 2. What does the name of God mean? 3. Why is God's name holy in itself? 4. What does it mean to hallow God's name? 5. How is God's name hallowed? 6. Why do we pray for God's help? 7. How is God's name profaned? 8. Why do we pray God to preserve us from profaning His name?

SCRIPTURE VERSES.—John 17:6. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.

John 1:18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

John 17:17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Jas. 1:22. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

READING.—The Name of Jesus, Acts 4:1-21.