The First Petition
[35] Hallowed be Thy name.
[36] This is, indeed, somewhat difficult, and not expressed in good German. For in our mother tongue we would say, “Heavenly Father, help us in every way so that Your name may be holy.”
[37] “But what does it mean to pray that His name may be holy? Is it not holy already?”
Answer, “Yes, it is always holy in its nature, but in our use it is not holy.” For God’s name was given to us when we became Christians and were baptized [Matthew 28:19]. So we are called God’s children and have the Sacraments, by which He connects us with Himself so that everything that belongs to God must serve for our use [Romans 8:16–17].
[38] Now, here is a great need that we ought to be most concerned about. This name should have its proper honor; it should be valued holy and grand as the greatest treasure and holy thing [Heiligtum; relic] that we have. As godly children we should pray that God’s name, which is already holy in heaven, may also be and remain holy with us upon earth and in all the world.
[39] “But how does it become holy among us?”
Answer, as plainly as it can be said: “When both our doctrine and life are godly and Christian.” Since we call God our Father in this prayer, it is our duty always to act and behave ourselves as godly children, that He may not receive shame, but honor and praise from us.
[40] Now, God’s name is profaned by us either through our words or in our works. (For whatever we do upon the earth must be either words or works, speech or act.) [41] In the first place, then, God’s name is profaned when people preach, teach, and say in God’s name what is false and misleading. They use His name like an ornament and attract a market for falsehood. That is, indeed, the greatest way to profane and dishonor the divine name. [42] Furthermore, men, by swearing, cursing, conjuring, and other such actions, grossly abuse the holy name as a cloak for their shame [1 Peter 2:16]. [43] In the second place, God’s name is profaned by an openly wicked life and works, when those who are called Christians and God’s people are adulterers, drunkards, misers, enviers, and slanderers [1 Corinthians 5:11]. Here again God’s name must come to shame and be profaned because of us. [44] It is a shame and disgrace for a flesh-and-blood father to have a bad, perverse child that opposes him in words and deeds. Because of that child the father suffers contempt and reproach. In the same way also, it brings dishonor upon God if we are called by His name and have all kinds of goods from Him, yet we teach, speak, and live in any other way than as godly and heavenly children. People would say about us that we must not be God’s children, but the devil’s children [1 John 2:29].
[45] So you see that in this petition we pray for exactly what God demands in the Second Commandment. We pray that His name not be taken in vain to swear, curse, lie, deceive, and so on, but be used well for God’s praise and honor. For whoever uses God’s name for any sort of wrong profanes and desecrates this holy name. This is how it used to be when a Church was considered desecrated, when a murder or any other crime had been committed in it. Or a monstrance or relic was desecrated—as though they were holy in themselves—when they became unholy by misuse. [46] So this point is easy and clear if only the language is understood: to hallow means the same as to praise, magnify, and honor both in word and deed.
[47] Here, now, learn what great need there is for such prayer. Because we see how full the world is of sects and false teachers, who all wear the holy name as a cover and sham for their doctrines of devils [1 Timothy 4:1], we should by all means pray without ceasing [1 Thessalonians 5:17] and cry out and call upon God against all people who preach and believe falsely. We should pray against whatever opposes and persecutes our Gospel and pure doctrine and would suppress it, as do the bishops, tyrants, enthusiasts, and such [2 Thessalonians 2:3–4]. Likewise, we should pray for ourselves who have God’s Word but are not thankful for it, nor live like we ought according to the Word. [48] If you pray for this with your heart, you can be sure that it pleases God. For He will not hear anything more dear to Him than that His honor and praise is exalted above everything else and that His Word is taught in its purity and is considered precious and dear.