The kingdom, the power and the glory

Read 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

The Lord’s Prayer concludes with a doxology i.e. an ascription of glory, honour and praise to God. (doxa means glory in Greek.) This isn’t part of the prayer in either Matthew or Luke but it was soon added as an appropriate way to bring our prayers to a great conclusion, attributing the kingdom, the power and the glory to God alone.

.

Perhaps there is a veiled allusion in these words to the Trinity, reflecting that our daily bread comes from the Father's creation, the forgiveness of our sins through the Son’s sacrificial death, and our spiritual victory through the Spirit’s indwelling power. In any case, it reminds us that the glory of God is the object of all our prayers (Eph.3:20-21; Jn.14:13).

.

It was standard Jewish practice to end prayers with a doxology like this, hence its early addition to the Lord’s Prayer. The words echo this magnificent prayer of David (1 Ch.29:10-13), which praises God for the greatness, power, glory and majesty of his kingdom (11). All things belong to him, ourselves included. Both by creation and redemption we are his, and so in all we do we are “to be for the praise of his glory” (Eph.1:12,14; 1 Cor.6:20; Rev.4:11; Rev.5:10,13).