Okay, let’s be clear here. We do have a six month rule. We don’t revisit a blog more than twice a year. And it’s only been three weeks. But last night I found myself back at Glen Scrivener’s blog with the unusual name, The King’s English. People often wonder about the differences between how The Lord’s Prayer is recited in Catholic versus Protestant churches. So here’s the 411 on that. But let’s do Glen a favor and click through to read at source. (You’ll find a whole series on the prayer.)
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen
1 Chronicles 29:10-22; Matthew 6:5-15
Modern translations put this verse in footnotes. It does not appear in Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer, nor in the earliest manuscripts of Matthew that we have. It does appear in the Textus Receptus and so, for 300 years it appeared in all the English translations from Tyndale onwards. In that time it has taken root, most particularly in Protestant Churches where it is said as part of the Lord’s Prayer.
It is a doxology (word of praise) that bears a resemblance to the prayer of David from 1 Chronicles:
“Thine, O LORD is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11)
It is a glad-hearted affirmation of the LORD’s all-sufficiency. And perhaps it’s significant that the Lord’s Prayer ends this way. The prayer that begins “Father” ends on a note of power and glory.
The person who rests in the Son and is brought to the Father will, in the end, confess His power and glory. To such a Father as this we ascribe all majesty, and gladly so. But this is the way around which Jesus would have it. He does not ask us to approach the glorious Potentate and then to seek fatherly care in Him. That would be quite a different spirituality. No, Jesus our Brother introduces us to His Father and invites us to call Him “our Father.” As a little child we pray for His Kingdom to come and, as we wait, we ask for daily provision, pardon and protection. Then, knowing His Fatherhood and our own littleness, we confess “Thine is the kingdom!”
This total self-abnegation is not the precondition for prayer. If it were, it would be something we drum up in ourselves, therefore not self-abnegation at all. Instead what Jesus calls us to is a joyful outflow from delight in a Father who will indeed provide, pardon and protect. How happily we place the kingdom in His hands, knowing who He is!
So, this is the Lord’s Prayer. And Jesus says, “After this manner therefore pray ye.” (Matthew 6:9)
Is this the manner in which you pray?
CS Lewis compared the Lord’s prayer to a Christmas tree. The lines of the prayer are like the boughs and our own personal prayers are like the decorations that we hang. That’s good advice. When we pray, perhaps we can use the Lord’s Prayer like that. At each line we pause, adding our own prayer, decorating the Christmas tree. And as we put words to our desires and needs we can enjoy, in a deeper way, our union with Jesus and the Fatherhood of God. Then we’ll gladly declare “Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”
I wanted to add a performance of Thine Be The Glory here; the one with the clearest fidelity featured a slide of Easter eggs the whole time!
This song appears in some hymnbooks as Thine Is The Glory
Thine is the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son;
Endless is the victory, Thou o’er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave clothes where Thy body lay.
Thine is the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, Thou o’er death hast won.
Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
Lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
Let the church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing;
For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting.
Thine is the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, Thou o’er death hast won.
No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of life;
Life is naught without Thee; aid us in our strife;
Make us more than conqu’rors, through Thy deathless love:
Bring us safe through Jordan to Thy home above.
Thine is the glory, risen conqu’ring Son,
Endless is the vict’ry, Thou o’er death hast won.
Christianity 201 
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