Chapter 9 – The Doxology – “For Thine is the Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen”
“For Your is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen” (Matthew 6:13). This model for Divine worshipers concludes with a doxology or ascription of praise to the One addressed, evidencing the completeness of the prayer. Christ here taught His disciples not only to ask for the things needful to them, but to ascribe unto God what is proper to Him. Thanksgiving and praise are an essential part of prayer, and particularly should this be borne in mind in all public worship, for the adoration of God is His express due. Surely if we ask God to bless us, the least we can do is to bless Him: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us” (Ephesians 1:3)—it is the echo and reflex of His grace toward us. Devout praise, as the expression of elevated spiritual affections, is the proper language of the soul in communion with God.
The perfections of this prayer as a whole and the wondrous fullness of each clause and word in it are not perceived by a rapid and careless glance, but only become apparent by a reverent pondering. This doxology may be considered in at least a threefold way. First, as the expression of holy and joyful praise. Second, as a plea and argument to enforce the petitions. Third, as a confirmation and declaration of confidence that the prayer will be heard. A further word upon the first. Throughout the sacred Psalter, prayer and praise are conjoined. In the New Testament we are directed, “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Philippians 4:6). All the prayers of eminent saints recorded in the Bible are intermingled with the adoration of Him who inhabits the praises of Israel.
In this pattern prayer, God is made both the Alpha and the Omega. It opens by addressing Him as our Father in Heaven; it ends with lauding Him as the glorious King of the universe. The more His perfections are before our hearts, the more spiritual will be our worship and the more reverent and fervent our supplication. The more the soul be engaged with God Himself, the more spontaneous and sincere will be its praise. “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). Ah, is it not our failure at this point which so often withholds blessing from us? “Let the people praise You, O God: let all the people praise You. Then shall the earth yield her increase; and God, even our own God, shall bless us” (Psalm 67:5, 6). If we do not praise God for His mercies, can we expect Him to bless us with His mercies?!
“For Your is the kingdom” by which is meant God’s right and authority over all things, by which He disposes of them according to His mere pleasure. God is supreme sovereign in creation, providence, and grace. He reigns over Heaven and earth, all creatures and things being under His full control. “And the power,” by which is meant His infinite sufficiency to execute His sovereign right and perform His will in Heaven and earth. Because He is the Almighty, He has the ability to do whatever He pleases. He never slumbers nor wearies; nothing is too hard for Him; none can withstand Him. All forces opposed to Him and the Church’s salvation, He can, and will, overthrow. “And the glory,” by which is meant His ineffable excellency: since He has absolute sovereignty over all and commensurate power to dispose of all, therefore is He all-glorious. God’s “glory” is the grand end of all His works and ways, and of it He is ever jealous. To Him belongs the exclusive glory of being the Answerer of prayer. Studies in the Scriptures December, 1938 2
Let us next notice that the doxology is prefaced with “for,” which here has the force of because. “For Your is the kingdom,” etc., is not only an acknowledgment of God’s perfections, but a most powerful plea as to why our petitions should be heard. It is the “for” of argumentation. You are able to grant these requests, for Your is the kingdom, etc. While undoubtedly the doxology belongs to the prayer as a whole and is brought in to enforce all its seven petitions, yet it seems to us to have a special and more immediate reference to the last one: “deliver us from evil, for Your is the kingdom,” etc. The number and power of our enemies is indeed great, rendered the more formidable because of the treachery of our wicked hearts; yet we are encouraged to implore Your assistance against them, because all the attempts made by sin and Satan against us carry in them an invasion of Your sovereignty and dominion over us and Your glory by us.
“For Your is the kingdom,” etc.–what encouragement is here! Two things especially inspire confidence towards God in prayer: the realization that He is willing and that He is able, both of which are here intimated. God is “our Father” which tells of His love and assures of His care for us. God is also the King of kings, possessing infinite power, which tells of His sufficiency and guarantees His ability. As the “Father,” He provides for His children; as the King, He will defend His subjects. “Like as a father pities his children, so the LORD pities them that fear Him” (Psalm 103:13); “You are my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob” (Psalm 44:4). It is for God’s honor and glory to manifest His power, to show Himself strong on behalf of His own. “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us: unto Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20, 21).
What instruction is here! First, we are taught to enforce our petition with arguments drawn from the Divine perfections: God’s kingdom and power and glory are to be turned into so many pleas for obtaining the things required—this is doing as Job said, “I would order my cause before Him, and fill my mouth with arguments” (23:4). Second, it directs us to unite together petition and praise. Third, it intimates we must pray with the utmost reverence: since God is so great and powerful a King, He is to be feared; hence it follows, we are to prostrate ourselves before Him in complete submission to His sovereign will. Fourth, it inculcates full surrender and subjection to Him, for otherwise we do but mock God when we acknowledge His dominion over us. Fifth, it signifies that we make His glory our chief concern, by endeavoring so to walk that our lives show forth His praise.
“Forever”: this is in marked contrast from the fleeting dominion and evanescent glory of earthly monarchs. The glorious Being whom we address in prayer is, “from everlasting to everlasting God.” Christ Jesus, in whom He is revealed and through whom prayer is offered, is the same yesterday and today and forever. When we pray aright we look beyond time into eternity, and measure present things by their connection with the future. How solemn and expressive is this word, “forever”! Earthly kingdoms decay and disappear. Creature power is puny and but for a moment. The glory of human beings and of all mundane things vanishes like a dream. But the kingdom and power and glory of Jehovah are susceptible to neither change nor diminution, and know no end. Our blessed hope is that when the first Heaven and earth have passed away, the Kingdom and power and glory of God will be known and adored in their wondrous reality to all eternity.
“Amen”–which intimates the two things required in prayer, namely, a fervent desire and the exercise of faith, for “Amen” signifies both “so be it” and “it shall be so.” This twofold meaning of supplication and expectation is plainly hinted at in its double mention in, “Blessed be His glorious name forever: and let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and Amen” (Psalm 72:19): God has determined it shall be so, and the whole Church expresses its desire, “so be it.” This “Amen” belongs and applies to each part and clause of the prayer: “Hallowed be Your name—Amen,” and so throughout; expressing both our desire and affirming our confidence. It is itself a condensed and emphatic petition: believing in the verity of God’s promises and resting on the stability of His government, we both cherish and acknowledge our confident hope in a gracious answer.
