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Orthodox Doctrine (Summary of Christian Divinity)

Metropolitan Platon of Moscow, tr. Pinkerton, 1814

16. Part 3, Section 16: Of the Lord’s Prayer

What we ought to ask from the merciful God in our prayers, is all contained in the following prayer of the Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven.

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.¹

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Though this prayer, which our Lord Jesus Christ taught us himself, is very clear; yet, as it contains in itself all that a man can ask from God, an illustration of it will therefore be useful.

An Illustration of the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father who art in heaven.

Almighty God and our Creator, who, according to thy nature, art not confined to any place; yet in heaven particularly revealest thy glorious presence: thou hast loved us thine enemies, according to thine unutterable mercy; and through the mediation of thine own beloved and only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, hast adopted us to thyself, and by thy Spirit in our hearts criest, Abba, Father! And by this unutterable cry thou assurest us, that sooner shall an earthly parent forsake her children, than that thou, most merciful Father! shouldest despise the prayers of thy sons, united to thee through grace, and not hearken with bowels of mercy to their needy requests. Through this infinite goodness we are animated by hope, and in deep humility offer up to thee the prayer of faith.

Hallowed be thy name.

Bring us to the knowledge of thy truth: open our eyes to behold wonders out of thy law: give peace unto thy church, which thou hast formed by the light of the ark of thy truth; and for the attainment of this, may all the lights of thy law be preserved from error, and gathered into thine only flock, to thee the only Pastor. Also save us from wicked works, by which thy blessed name is offended; and grant us to increase in love unto thee, and in virtue, so that the world may behold our good works, and glorify thee our heavenly Father.

Thy kingdom come.

Thou hast brought us out of darkness into thy marvellous light, and hast established our hearts with the hope of eternal life; we being governed here by thy word and spirit, hasten in our desires to thy eternal rest; only, do thou remove snares, and convince those of their great guilt who oppose thy gospel, that we may live quiet and peaceable lives; and at last leaving this present world and valley of tears, may be transported into those blessed and holy habitations, where thou thyself art all and in all.

Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

And though our corrupt will lead us from thy saving way, and we attach ourselves to fading beauties, and are vexed with raging passions; yet do thou, by the all powerful influence of thy Spirit, subdue it to thine own will, which is good and perfect; that we may obey all thy commandments with joy and without murmuring, and firmly believe, that thou directest all things by infinite wisdom, and overrulest them for good. Bestow also strength upon our weakness, that we may perform here on earth the duties appointed us by thee, faithfully and cheerfully, even as thy holy angels fulfil thy will in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And as we still bear along with us a wearisome life, and wear a body loaded with infirmities, do thou condescend to bestow upon this weak frame of ours a part of thy bounty, granting us the necessaries of life; bestow fruitful seasons, increase the fruits of the earth, bless our labours and callings, strengthen our bodies with health, that we may know thereby that thou art the only fountain from which all blessings flow, and that without thy blessing all our cares and labours are vain.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Yet, notwithstanding that we partake of thy innumerable blessings, we do not render unto thee, our benefactor, due gratitude. We transgress thy divine law every hour, and do not subject ourselves to thy holy will; we abuse thy liberal gifts, and thereby we offend the more against thy goodness, so that we remain debtors, and are subject to thy just wrath on account of our sins. But, O Lord! enter not into judgment with thy servants, for no flesh living shall be justified in thy sight. According to thine inexpressible mercy, forgive all our sins, for the sake of the infinite merits of that blood shed for us on the cross, of thine only begotten and well-beloved Son, our precious Mediator, Jesus Christ. For which, as a token of our gratitude, we resolve and earnestly desire to forgive joyfully all the sins of those who have trespassed against us, or offended us; only let thy ready grace be our help.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Forgive not only our past transgressions, but keep us in future from falling into sin. Thou knowest the nature of our weakness, so prone to sin, and seest with how many waves of misery we are encompassed in the ocean of this world; the flesh enticeth us through passions, the world by its charms, the devil through his wiles; preserve us, most gracious Lord, from being taken in these snares. Remove temptations, and quench the darts of the wicked one, that none of us may be overcome of them, and fall into the abyss of despair. But if it be thy paternal will, for our correction, to suffer us to fall into temptation,—thy will be done! Only support our spiritual weakness by thy omnipotent hand, that we may not fall back in our blessed course, and that thy strength may be made perfect in our weakness.

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

We also believe that thou wilt not despise our prayer, O heavenly Father! Thou art all-powerful, and canst do all things, and thou art also infinitely good, and desirest to bestow upon us all good. Thou hast assured us by thine own blessed voice in the gospel, that we undoubtingly may hope to receive all that we ask from thee, in the name of thy well-beloved child Jesus. But, above all, we pray that the blessings which we receive from thee may not be unto our, but unto thy glory. Amen.

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