Our Father, Who from Heaven Above

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you." (John 16:23)  Luther's great catechetical hymn on the Lord's Prayer is rich for our personal reflection and devotion. 

Introduction to the Lord's Prayer

1.  Our Father, who from heav'n above

     Bids all of us to live in love

        As members of one family

        And pray to You in unity,

     Teach us no thoughtless words to say

     But from our inmost hearts to pray.

First Petition

2.  Your name be hallowed.  Help us, Lord,

     In purity to keep Your Word,

        That to the glory of Your name

        We walk before You free from blame.

     Let no false teaching us pervert;

     All poor deluded souls convert.

Second Petition

3.  Your kingdom come.  Guard Your domain

     And Your eternal righteous reign.

        The Holy Ghost enrich our day

        With gifts attendant on our way.

    Break Satan's pow'r, defeat his rage;

    Preserve Your Church from age to age.

Third Petition 

4.  Your gracious will on earth be done

     As it is done before Your throne,

        That patiently we may obey

        Throughout our lives all that You say.

     Curb flesh and blood and ev'ry ill

     That sets itself against Your will. 

Fourth Petition 

5.  Give us this day our daily bread

     And let us all be clothed and fed.

        Save us from hardship, war, and strife;

        In plague and famine, spare our life,

     That we in honest peace may life,

     To care and greed no entrance give.

Fifth Petition

6.  Forgive our sins, Lord, we implore,

     That they may trouble us no more;

        We too will gladly those forgive

        Who hurt us by the way they live.

     Help us in our community

     To serve each other willingly.

Sixth Petition

7.  Lead not into temptation, Lord,

     Where our grim foe and all his horde

        Would vex our souls on ev'ry hand.

        Help us resist, help us to stand

     Firm in the faith, a mighty host,

     Through comfort of the Holy Ghost.

Seventh Petition

8.  From evil, Lord, deliver us;

     The times and days are perilous.

        Redeem us from eternal death,

        And, when we yield our dying breath,

     Console us, grant us calm release,

     And take our souls to You in peace.

Conclusion to the Lord's Prayer

9.  Amen, that is, so shall it be.

     Make strong our faith in You that we

        May doubt not, but with trust believe

        That what we ask we shall receive.

     Thus in Your name and at Your Word

     We say, "Amen, O hear us, Lord!"