"Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours." — 1 Chronicles 29:11
Is the doxology, the ending, part of the Lord's Prayer? It depends on which church you ask.
Several years ago, a friend of mine attended the funeral of a work colleague's family member and had something embarrassing happen to him. This funeral was in a Catholic church, and since my friend grew up in a Protestant church, he was unfamiliar with many of the different elements of the liturgy in the service. Thus, he was excited when it came time to recite the Lord’s Prayer (or the “Our Father,” as it would be called in that church), as it was something that he knew was an element shared by Catholics and Protestants. But rather than an encouraging moment in the service, it turned into an embarrassing moment for him, as he and his wife were the only ones in the congregation who said the line “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever and ever, Amen.”
Protestant folks are often surprised to learn the ending we are so familiar with was not part of the original Lord’s Prayer. At least, that is accurate based on the earliest manuscripts of the New Testament. If you look at modern translations, you’ll notice some differences in wording like ‘forgive us our sins’ vs. ‘forgive us our debts.' However, the ending, or doxology, is missing in both Matthew and Luke. What do we make of this?
The ESV and NIV translations of Matthew chapter 6 (and many others) include a footnote that says, “Some late manuscripts add, ‘For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen.’ ”
Even though the conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer was probably not part of the Bible, it is very biblical. These words are rich with meaning that bring glory and praise to God.
The traditional term for expressing glory and praise is “doxology.” You may know The Common Doxology, which sometimes concludes a service or church meeting – "Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Praise Him, all creatures here below! Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts! Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.”
The Bible is filled with doxologies as God’s people are moved to give glory and praise to God for who He is and what He has done. In Revelation 7, we have the great doxology of the multitude gathered around the throne (kingdom), worshipping God and saying, “Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength be to our God forever. Amen!” In Revelation 19, the multitude shouts, “Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God … Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!”
In Daniel chapter 7, Daniel mentions the kingdom, the power, and the glory that belongs to God, also ascribed to the Son of Man.
In 1 Chronicles 29:11, King David prayed, “Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”
The conclusion to the Lord’s Prayer continues in the Christian church as a fitting statement of faith and praise, to which we can fully say, “Amen.” It is a rich and biblical part of our liturgical heritage, embedded into our prayer and worship life that ascribes to God His greatness, goodness, and saving kingdom that we pray would come among us also. To God be the glory!
I am confident there is no harm or foul in using this ending or not. Either way, giving glory to God is meant to be a big part of my prayer life and yours.
Please Thank God For: Leah’s quinceañera.
Please Pray: for Kathy, who is waiting for an organ donation.
Please Thank God For: That Keith has found a new job.
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Please Pray: for Melissa Davis and her two young children, who were recently evicted from their apartment.
Please Pray: for Joey Diaz, whose home caught fire recently. We thank God that no lives were lost.
Please Pray: for Sandy and a quick recovery from surgery.
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Please Pray For: Chris, and all those who struggle to forgive someone.
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Please Pray For: Kathy Duitsman, who has breast cancer.
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Please Pray For: those who serve in this place as they enthusiastically tackle diverse ministries such as the altar guild, food pantry, and serving our local school.
Please Pray For: Julie, who is battling brain cancer and 4 additional tumors.
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Please Pray For: for those who are facing financial difficulties. Father, guide them in their search for employment and grant them the wisdom and resources they need to overcome their challenges.”
Please Pray For: Keith and Kim, as they continue to seek God’s will.
Please Pray For: for William Izzo, that God would Strengthen him.
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Please Pray For: Joshua, who has been moved to palliative care. Pray for peace and a knowledge of God’s mercy for him and those gathered around him in these final days.