We may observe first that this prayer contains all we can reasonably or innocently pray for. There is nothing which we need to ask of God, nothing which we can ask without offending him, which is not included, either directly or indirectly, in this comprehensive prayer.

Second we may observe that it contains all we can reasonably or innocently desire; whatever is for the glory of God, whatever is needful or profitable, not only for ourselves, but for every creature in heaven and earth. Indeed, our prayers are the proper test of our desires because nothing is fit to have a place in our desires which is not fit to have a place in our prayers. And we should not desire what we should not pray for.

Third we may observe that this prayer contains all our duty to God and man." It contains all things that are pure and holy, all things God requires of men, all things that are acceptable in his sight, and all things that may profit our neighbor.

The preface, "Our Father which art in heaven," lays a general foundation for prayer; comprising what we must first know of God, before we can pray in confidence of being heard. It likewise points out to us all those tempers with which we are to approach to God, which are most essentially requisite, if we desire either our prayers or our lives should find acceptance with him.

4. "Our Father:" -- If he is a Father, then he is good and loving to his children. And here is the first and great reason for prayer. God is willing to bless, so let us ask for a blessing. "Our Father;" -- our Creator and the Author of our being. He raised us from the dust of the earth, and breathed into us the breath of life, and we became living souls. Since he made us he will not withhold any good thing from from us when we ask. "Our Father;" -- our Preserver; who, day by day, sustains the life he has given. From his continuing love we receive life and breath and all things at every moment. So let us come boldly to him and we shall "obtain mercy, and grace to help in time of need." Above all, this means that he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and of all that believe in him. He is the one who justifies us "freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus. "  He has "blotted out all our sins, and healed all our infirmities." He has received us as his own children, by adoption and grace, and, "because" we "are sons, he has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father. " He also "has begotten us again of incorruptible seed", and "created us anew in Christ Jesus." So we know that he always hears us, and therefore we pray to him without ceasing. We pray, because we love; and "we love him because he first loved us."

5 . "Our Father:" -- He is not my father only, but ours in the most extensive sense. He is the God and Father of angels and men. Even the heathens acknowledged him to be The Father of the universe and of all the families both in heaven and earth. He loves all that he has made, and He delights in those that fear him and put their trust in his mercy. He delights in those that trust in him through the Son of his love, knowing they are "accepted in the Beloved." And so, "if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." Yes we ought to love all mankind because "God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son", even to die that they "might not perish, but have everlasting life”

6. "Which art in heaven:" -- this means High and lifted up. He is God over all, blessed forever. He sits on the circle of the heavens, and sees all things both in heaven and earth. His sees the whole sphere of created being and of uncreated things. he knows all the works of every creature, not only "from the beginning of the world," but also from all eternity, from everlasting to everlasting. He who commands the host of heaven, as well as the children of men, to cry out with wonder and amazement: "O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! Which art in heaven!" These words also mean that he is the Lord and Ruler of all, superintending and disposing all things. He is the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the blessed and only Potentate. He is strong and girded about with power, doing whatever he pleases. He is the Almighty; for whatsoever he wills do is accomplished. "In heaven:" -- These words mean that he is eminently there. Heaven is His throne, "the place where Your honor particularly dwells." But You, Lord, are not there alone; for you fill heaven and earth and the whole expanse of space. "Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Glory be to thee, O Lord, most high!"

Therefore should we "serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with reverence." Therefore should we think, speak, and act, as if we are continually seen by, and in the immediate presence of, the Lord, the King.

"Hallowed be thy name." -- This is the first of the six petitions that make up the Lord's prayer. The name of God is God himself. His name is his nature. His name includes his existence and all his attributes or perfections; That he is eternal is signified by his great and incommunicable name: JEHOVAH. The Apostle John translates this name as: "the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; He which is, and which was, and which is to come." -- By the "name" of God we also mean His fullness of being. Which is denoted by his other great name, I AM THAT I AM! -- These words also mean His omnipresence and His omnipotence. God is indeed the only Agent in the material world because all physical matter is incapable of moving or changing itself, but must ultimately be moved and changed by God. Moreover he is the spring of action in every creature, visible and invisible, which could neither act nor exist, without the continual influx and agency of his almighty power; -- These words also praise God's wisdom which is clearly seen from the created good order of the universe. -- We also here praise that he is a Trinity in Unity, and Unity in Trinity. That God is a trinity is taught to us by the very first Hebrew words of Scripture: bara' 'elohim. This literally means "the Gods created," joining a plural noun with a singular verb. That God is a Trinity is also taught in every part of scripture by all his holy Prophets and Apostles; -- Finally these words mean that he is essentially pure and holy, and above all, he is loving, which is the very brightness of his glory.

In praying that God, or his name, may "be hallowed" or glorified, we pray that he may be known, by all that are capable of knowing him. We pray that he will be known and loved by all intelligent beings, and that that he may be duly honored, and feared, and loved, by all in heaven above and in the earth beneath.

"Thy kingdom come." -- This has a close connection with the preceding petition. In order that the name of God might be hallowed, we pray that his kingdom, the kingdom of Christ, may come. This kingdom then comes to a particular person when he repents and believes the gospel. It also comes when he is taught by God to know himself and to know Jesus Christ and him crucified. So the kingdom of God begins here when a person gains eternal life through the knowledge of God and Jesus Christ whom God has sent. "the Lord God Omnipotent" then reigns, when he is known through Christ Jesus. He then goes on conquering the soul until he has put all things under his feet-- until "every thought is brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."

It is right for all those who love the return of Christ, to pray that he would hurry to return. It is right to pray that his kingdom, the kingdom of grace, may come quickly, and swallow up all the kingdoms of the earth. And it is right to pray that all mankind would receive him as their King, truly believe in his name, and be filled with righteousness, and peace, and joy, and with holiness and happiness.

With the words, "Thy kingdom come" we also pray for the perfection of earth. We pray for the final renovation of all things. That God would put an end to misery and sin and infirmity and death, and that God would take all things into his own hands, and set up his kingdom which will endure throughout all ages.

"Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." -- Wherever the king of God has come it is the necessary and immediate consequence that his will be done. Wherever God dwells in a soul by faith, and Christ reigns in a heart by love his will is done.

Many people probably imagine that this is merely an expression of resignation, or a request for willingness to suffer the will of God, whatever it may be. This is unquestionably a divine and excellent attitude. It is even a gift of God, but this is not primarily what we pray for in this petition. Instead of a merely passive acceptance we here pray for the strength to actively conform to the will of God.

When we pray that the will of God may "be done on earth as it is in heaven," we ask that all mankind may do the will of God just as willingly as the holy angels do it, and that they may do it continually and perfectly. We also pray that "the God of peace may make all men perfect in every good work to do his will, and work in them all that is well-pleasing in his sight through the blood of the everlasting covenant.

In other words, we pray that we and all mankind may do the whole will of God in all things; and nothing else. We pray that we may do the whole will of God as he wills and in the manner that pleases him. And, lastly, we pray that we may do his will for the sole reason that it is his will.

"Give us this day our daily bread." -- In the three former petitions we have been praying for all mankind. We now pray more particularly for our own needs. Yet, even here, we are not directed to pray only for ourselves, but in this and all the following petitions we are directed to pray for the whole Church of Christ. 

By "bread" we may understand all things needful, whether for our souls or bodies. We here pray for the things pertaining to life and godliness. So we pray not only for physical bread but much more for the grace of God which is spiritual bread that grants everlasting life.

Many church Fathers understood this to also mean the sacramental bread of the Lord’s supper which was received daily and, until many in the church lost their love of it, believed to be the channel by which the Holy Spirit gave grace to our souls. 

The word we render “daily” has been differently explained by different commentators. But the most plain and natural sense of it seems to be this: That which is sufficient for this day; and so for each day.

We pray "Give us," for we do not claim to have any right, instead we ask this of God’s free mercy. We do not deserve the air we breathe, nor the fruit of the earth, nor the sun that shines upon us. We admit the only thing we deserve is hell. But God loves us freely; therefore, we ask him to give us our daily bread. We cannot procure it for ourselves, nor merit it from his hands.

Now, the goodness or the power of God is not a reason for us to be idle. He wills that we should be diligent in all things, and that we should act as if our success were the natural result of our own wisdom and strength. But then, as though we had done nothing, we are to depend on Him, the giver of every good and perfect gift.

We say "This day," because we are to take no thought for the morrow. This is why our wise Creator divided life into these little portions of time, so that we might look on every day as a fresh gift of God. Each day is like another life which we may devote to his glory. Every evening may be seen as the close of life beyond which we are to see nothing but eternity.

"And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us." This petition naturally follows the former (“Give us this day our daily bread”) because only sin can hinder God’s bounty from flowing onto every creature. So we here pray that all sin be removed so that we may more clearly trust in the God of love for everything that is good. 

The word “trespasses” means our debts. Scripture frequently represents our sins as debts since every sin puts us under a new debt to God. Of course, we already owe God an unpayable debt, so what then can we say when he says, "Pay me the debt you owe!" We are utterly insolvent; we have nothing to pay; we have wasted all our substance. Therefore, if God were to deal with us justly according to the letter of his law, he would command that we be "bound hand and foot, and delivered over to the tormentors."

Indeed our sin binds us hand and foot. As far as we are concerned they are unbreakable chains of iron. They are wounds by which the world, our flesh, and the devil have mangled us. They are diseases that drink up our blood and spirits. And they bring us down to the grave. And as far as God is concerned they are immense and numberless debts. Seeing this we should cry out to him to “frankly forgive us all!”

The word translated “forgive” implies either to forgive a debt, or to remove a chain. And if our debts are forgiven, then the chains fall off our hands. As soon as we receive forgiveness of sins through the free grace of God in Christ, we also receive a place among those who are sanctified by faith in him. Sin has lost its power. It has no dominion over those who are under grace and who have favor with God. Since “there is now no condemnation for them that are in Christ Jesus,” they are free from sin and from guilt. "The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in" them, and they "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

"As we forgive them that trespass against us." -- These words clearly show us the condition upon which and the degree to which we may look to God to be forgiven. All our sins are forgiven, if we forgive, and as we forgive, others. This is an important point! Jesus even repeats it later in his sermon (Matt. 6:14-15).

God forgives us as we forgive others. If we retain any malice or bitterness, any unkindness or anger, and do not clearly, fully, and from the heart forgive all men their sins, then we are cut short of God’s forgiveness of us. God cannot clearly and fully forgive us. He may show us some degree of mercy, but we will not allow him to blot out all our sins, and forgive all our iniquities.

Further, if we do not forgive our neighbors from the heart, then by praying these words we are openly defying God. We are daring him to do his worst. We are saying in essence, “Do not forgive us at all! Remember our sins and give us your wrath.” But can you seriously offer such a prayer to God? How has he not yet cast you into hell? O do not tempt him any longer! Now, even now, by his grace, forgive as you would be forgiven! Now have compassion on your fellow-servant, as God has had, and will have pity, on you!

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." The word translated “temptation” means any kind of trial, not just temptation to sin. St. James uses the word in both these senses. In the first sense he says, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; For when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life" (James 1:12-13.) He then immediately uses the word in the second sense when he adds, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does he tempt any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust." 

A person is only properly enticed by sin when he is drawn “out of God,” in whom alone he is safe. Then temptation covers him like a cloud. It spreads over his whole soul. Then it is very hard to escape out of the snare! Therefore, we beseech God "not to lead us into temptation," that is. not to allow us to be led into temptation, since God himself does not tempt anyone. 

"But deliver us from evil." This means, deliver us from the “evil one," who is unquestionably Satan, who is called the prince and god of this world. He who works powerfully in the children of disobedience, but all who are the children of God by faith are delivered out of his hands. He will fight against them, but he cannot conquer them unless they betray their own souls. He may torment them for a time, but he cannot destroy them, because God is on their side, and God will not fail to "avenge his own elect, that cry unto him day and night" in the end. 

Lord, when we are tempted, do not allow us to enter into temptation! Make a way for us to escape, that the wicked one may not touch us!

The conclusion of this divine prayer, commonly called the Doxology, is a solemn thanksgiving, and a complete acknowledgement of the attributes and works of God. 

"For thine is the kingdom:" God, you have sovereign right over all things that are and ever were. Your kingdom is everlasting and your rule will endure throughout all ages. 

“The power:” God, you are the governor of all things. You does whatever pleases you in all places. 

"And the glory:"  God, all creatures owe you praise  for your power and might, and for all your wonderful works which you have done, and will do, world without end, "for ever and ever! Amen!"