AMEN

The fitting conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer is recorded in Matt. 6:13b:  “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.  Amen.”  This conclusion is not a petition, but a doxology of praise to God.  Without exception, the one who prays this doxology confesses that He alone is sovereign.

The word “Amen” is the same word that Jesus used to denote important truths as He preached, a word which is usually translated in the gospels as “verily” or “truly.”  We conclude our prayers with this word to express that we – and any on whose behalf we are praying – understand what we have prayed, as implied in 1 Cor. 14: 15-16:  “I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also…Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say “Amen” at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?”  The word “Amen” also signifies that we are confident that our Heavenly Father will hear our prayer.  We can be confident “For all the promises of God in Him [Jesus Christ] are yea, and in Him Amen, unto the glory of God by us” (1 Cor. 1:20). 

When our pastor preached on this doxology several months ago, he read first Psalm 145, a fitting commentary on the entirety of the Lord’s Prayer.  Here is a sampling of a few verses from Psalm 145, each paired with a part of the Lord’s Prayer that it brings to mind:

·         Our Father, which art in heaven:  “One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts” (vs. 4).

·         Hallowed be Thy name: “I will extol Thee, my God, O King; and I will bless Thy name forever and ever” (vs. 1).

·         Thy kingdom come:  “Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations” (vs 13).

·         Thy will be done:  “All Thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and Thy saints shall bless Thee” (vs 10).

·         Give us this day our daily bread: “The eyes of all wait upon Thee, and Thou givest them their meat in due season.  Thou openest Thy hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing” (vs. 15-16).

·         Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors:  “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy” (vs. 8).

·         Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:  “The Lord preserveth all them that love Him: but all the wicked will He destroy” (vs.20).

·         For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever:  “They [Thy saints] shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy power” (vs. 11).

·         Amen:  “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.  He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry, and will save them” (vs. 18-19).

And so we come to the end of our brief study of the Lord’s Prayer.  What a privilege, that we can address God as our Father and bring our praise and our petitions to Him!  May we pray “without ceasing” as we anticipate blessing His name forever and ever.  “Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:2).