Q. 190. What do we pray for in the first petition?
A. In the first petition, (which is, Hallowed by thy name,) acknowledging the utter inability and indisposition that is in ourselves and all men to honor God aright,[l] we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to
know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem him,[m] his titles,[n] attributes,[o] ordinances, Word,[p] works, and whatsoever he is pleased to
make himself known by;[q] and to glorify him in thought, word,[r] and deed:[s] that he would prevent and remove atheism,[t] ignorance,[v]
idolatry,[w] profaneness,[x] and whatsoever is dishonorable to him;[y] and, by his over-ruling providence, direct and dispose of all things to his own glory.[z]
A. In the first petition, we acknowledge the utter inability and indisposition that is in ourselves and all men to honor God aright,[l]
| [l]. 2 Cor. 3:5; Ps. 51:15 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, Psalm 51:15 O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. |
we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem him,[m]
| [m]. Psalm 67:2-3 That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. {3} Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. |
Checklist of Scriptural affirmations of God's intent to fill the earth with the knowledge of Him. |
we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem his titles,[n]
| [n]. Psalm 83:18 That they may know that You, whose name alone is the LORD, Are the Most High over all the earth. |
The Names and Attributes of God |
we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem his attributes,[o]
| [o]. Psalm 86:10-13 For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God. {11} Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. {12} I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore. {13} For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. {15} But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. |
Arthur Pink lists the following attributes of God:
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we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem his ordinances, Word,[p]
| [p]. 2 Thess. 3:1; Ps. 147:19-20; Ps. 138:1-3; 2 Cor. 2:14-15 2 Thessalonians 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, Psalm 147:19-20 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and His judgments to Israel. {20} He has not dealt thus with any nation; And as for His judgments, they have not known them. Praise the LORD! Psalm 138:1-3 I will praise You with my whole heart; Before the gods I will sing praises to You. {2} I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. {3} In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. {15} For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. |
we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to know, to acknowledge, and highly to esteem his works, and whatsoever he is pleased to make himself known by;[q]
| [q]. Psalm 145 throughout; Psalm 8 throughout | |
| Psalm 145 David's Psalm of praise. {1}I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. {2} Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. {3} Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. {4} One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. {5} I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. {6} And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. {7} They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. {8} The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. {9} The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. {10} All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. {11} They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; {12} To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. {13} Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. {14} The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. {15} The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. {16} Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. {17} The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. {18} The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. {19} He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. {20} The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy. {21} My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever. |
Psalm 8 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. {1}O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. {2} Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. {3} When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; {4} What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? {5} For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. {6} Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: {7} All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; {8} The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. {9} O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! |
we pray, that God would by His grace enable and incline us and others to glorify Him in thought, word,[r]
| [r]. Ps. 103:1; Ps. 19:14 Psalm 103:1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer. |
we pray, that God would by his grace enable and incline us and others to glorify him in deed:[s]
| [s]. Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, {11} being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. |
we pray, that God would by his grace prevent and remove atheism,[t]
| [t].Psalm 67:1-4 God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us. Selah {2} That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations. {3} Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. {4} Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy! For You shall judge the people righteously, And govern the nations on earth. Selah |
According to "The Larger Catechism" it is the duty of Christians in the first petition of the Lord's Prayer to pray "that [God] would prevent and remove atheism, ignorance, idolatry, profaneness, and whatsoever is
dishonorable to him. . . ." Such a prayer must necessarily involve removing all constitutional protection of such blasphemous violations of God's moral law in a nation that has been enlightened by the gospel. Biblical Civil Government Versus the Beast; and, the Basis of Civil Resistance by Greg Price |
we pray, that God would by his grace prevent and remove ignorance,[v]
| [v].Ephesians 1:17-18 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, {18} the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, |
we pray, that God would by his grace prevent and remove idolatry,[w]
| [w]. Psalm 97:7 Let all be put to shame who serve carved images, Who boast of idols. Worship Him, all you gods. | Can you define "idolatry?"
(1 Samuel 15:23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. |
we pray, that God would by his grace prevent and remove profaneness,[x]
| [x].Psalm 74:18 Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O LORD, And that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name. {22} Arise, O God, plead Your own cause; Remember how the foolish man reproaches You daily. {23} Do not forget the voice of Your enemies; The tumult of those who rise up against You increases continually. |
and we pray, that God would by his grace prevent and remove whatsoever is dishonorable to him;[y]
| [y].2 Kings 19:15-16 Then Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: "O LORD God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. {16} "Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. |
and, we pray, that God would by his over-ruling providence, direct and dispose of all things to his own glory.[z]
| [z]. 2 Chron. 20:6, 10-12; Psalm. 83 throughout; Ps. 140:4, 8 2 Chronicles 20:6 and said: "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? {10} And now, here are the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir; whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them; {11} here they are, rewarding us by coming to throw us out of Your possession which You have given us to inherit. {12} O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." Psalm 140:4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from violent men, Who have purposed to make my steps stumble. {8} Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; Do not further his wicked scheme, Lest they be exalted. Selah |