The Petition for the Advancement of God's Glory
Bishop Hopkins. Luke 11:2 And he said to them, When you pray, say, Our Father which are in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done… I. WHAT IS MEANT BY THE NAME OF GOD. The "name" of God is any perfection ascribed to Him, whereby He has been pleased to make Himself known to men. 1. God's titles are His name. 2. God's attributes are His name. And there are two ways whereby God has made known Himself and His name to us: by His works and by His Word. II. WHAT IT IS TO HALLOW THIS NAME OF GOD. We can add nothing to His infinite perfections, nor to the lustre and brightness of His crown; yet then are we said to sanctify and glorify God, when, in our most reverend thoughts, we observe and admire His holiness and the bright coruscations of His attributes; and when we endeavour by all holy ways to declare them unto others, that they may observe and admire them with us and give unto God that holy veneration which is due unto Him. III. WHAT IS CONTAINED IS THIS PETITION. 1. In that Christ hath taught us to make this the first petition in our prayer to God, we may learn that the glory of God is to be preferred by us before all other things whatsoever. 2. In that this petition is placed in the beginning of the Lord's prayer, it intimates to us that in the very beginning and entrance of our prayers, we ought to beg assistance from God, so to perform holy duties that God may be glorified and His name sanctified by us in it. It is a good and needful request to beg of God the aid and help of His Spirit to enable us to hallow His name in the succeeding requests we are to make. 3. Observe that when we present this petition before God we beg three things of Him. (1) Such grace for ourselves as may enable us to sanctify and glorify Him. (2) Graces likewise for others to enable them thereunto. (3) That God would by His almighty providence direct and overrule all things, both good and evil, to the advancement of His own glory. (Bishop Hopkins.) Parallel Verses KJV: And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. WEB: He said to them, "When you pray, say, 'Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come. May your will be done on Earth, as it is in heaven.