A Closer Look: The Lord's Prayer
The prayer Jesus actually taught.
Line by line through Matthew 6.
The big idea
Jesus' model prayer is short, plain, and mostly not about us.
Opening scripture
“So pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honoured.”
What does “A Closer Look: The Lord's Prayer” walk through?
First, Go In Private
Matthew 6:6 · KJV
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
In plain English
When you pray, go into your room, shut the door, and pray to your Father who is unseen. He sees in secret and will reward you.
Before The Words, A Room
Jesus talks about where to pray before he says what to pray. The setting is not incidental — it removes the audience, which changes the prayer.
Our Father
Matthew 6:9 · KJV
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
In plain English
So pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honoured.
Our, Not My
Even alone in a closed room, the prayer is plural. You are never praying only for yourself.
Your Kingdom Come
Matthew 6:10 · KJV
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
In plain English
May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
“The first requests are about God's name and God's will. Ours comes third.”
Daily Bread
Matthew 6:11 · KJV
Give us this day our daily bread.
In plain English
Give us today the bread we need for today.
Forgive Us As We Forgive
Matthew 6:12 · KJV
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
In plain English
And forgive us what we owe you, as we forgive those who owe us.
A Dangerous Line
This is the one clause Jesus goes back to explain. The forgiveness we ask for is tied to the forgiveness we hand out.
Pray
Father, teach me to pray like this — small, honest, and not mostly about me. Amen.
Write it down
Which line of this prayer is hardest for you to mean?
Pray it slowly
One line at a time, until you mean it.
Which passages does this journey use?
5 passages, drawn from Matthew 6:9, Matthew 6:6, Matthew 6:10, Matthew 6:11, Matthew 6:12. Every verse appears here in the King James text with a plain-English line beside it, so you can read it without a commentary open. Allow about 9 minutes for the whole thing, or 10 short sittings.
- Matthew 6:9
- Matthew 6:6
- Matthew 6:10
- Matthew 6:11
- Matthew 6:12
Read any of these in full on the complete KJV, or look the wording up independently at Blue Letter Bible.
More in A Closer Look
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A Closer Look: The Love Chapter
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A Closer Look: Psalm 139
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A Closer Look: Psalm 23
One verse. A whole picture of God.
A Closer Look: John 3:16
The most quoted verse, slowed down.
A Closer Look: Do Not Fear
Sitting with Isaiah 41:10.