(Heidelberg Catechism. part 5)
Of Prayer
45. Lord's Day
Q. 116.
Why is prayer necessary for christians?
A.
Because it is the chief part of thankfulness
which God requires of us: (a)
and also, because God will give his grace and Holy Spirit
to those only,
who with sincere desires continually
ask them of him, and are thankful for them. (b)
(a) Ps.50:14,15. (b) Matt.7:7,8; Luke 11:9,10,13; 1 Thess.5:17.
Q. 117.
What are the requisites of that prayer,
which is acceptable to God, and which he will hear?
A.
First, that we from the heart pray (a)
to the one true God only,
who has manifested himself in his word, (b)
for all things, he has commanded us to ask of him; (c)
secondly, that we rightly and thoroughly know
our need and misery, (d)
that so we may deeply humble ourselves
in the presence of his divine majesty; (e)
thirdly, that we be fully persuaded
that he, notwithstanding that we are unworthy of it,
will, for the sake of Christ our Lord, certainly hear our prayer, (f)
as he has promised us in his word. (g)
(a) John 4:24; Ps.145:18. (b) Rev.19:10; John 4:22-24. (c) Rom.8:26;
1 John 5:14; James 1:5. (d) 2 Chron.20:12. (e) Ps.2:11; Ps.34:19;
Isa.66:2. (f) Rom.10:14; James 1:6. (g) John 14:13,14; John 16:23;
Dan.9:17,18. (h) Matt.7:8; Ps.27:8.
Q. 118.
What has God commanded us to ask of him?
A.
All things necessary for soul and body; (a)
which Christ our Lord has comprised in that prayer
he himself has taught us.
(a) James 1:17; Matt.6:33.
Q. 119.
What are the words of that prayer? (a)
A.
Our Father which art in heaven,
1 Hallowed be thy name.
2 Thy kingdom come.
3 Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
4 Give us this day our daily bread.
5 And forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors.
6 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power,
and the glory,
for ever.
Amen.
(a) Matt.6:9-13; Luke 11:2-4.
46. Lord's Day
Q. 120.
Why has Christ commanded us
to address God thus: "Our Father"?
A.
That immediately,
in the very beginning of our prayer,
he might excite in us a childlike reverence for,
and confidence in God,
which are the foundation of our prayer:
namely, that God is become our Father in Christ,
and will much less deny us
what we ask of him in true faith,
than our parents will refuse us earthly things. (a)
(a) Matt.7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13.
Q. 121.
Why is it here added, "Which art in heaven"?
A.
Lest we should form any earthly conceptions
of God's heavenly majesty, (a)
and that we may expect from his almighty power
all things necessary for soul and body. (b)
(a) Jer.23:23,24; Acts 17:24,25,27. (b) Rom.10:12.
47. Lord's Day
Q. 122.
Which is the first petition?
A.
"Hallowed be thy name";
that is,
grant us, first, rightly to know thee, (a)
and to sanctify, glorify and praise thee, (b)
in all thy works,
in which thy power,
wisdom, goodness, justice,
mercy and truth, are clearly displayed;
and further also, that we may so order and direct
our whole lives,
our thoughts, words and actions,
that thy name may never be blasphemed,
but rather honoured and praised on our account. (c)
(a) John 17:3; Jer.9:24; Jer.31:33,34; Matt.16:17; James 1:5;
Ps.119:105. (b) Ps.119:137; Luke 1:46,47,68,69; Rom.11:33-36. (c)
Ps.71:8; Ps.115:1.
48. Lord's Day
Q. 123.
Which is the second petition?
A.
"Thy kingdom come";
that is,
rule us so by thy word and Spirit,
that we may submit ourselves more and more to thee; (a)
preserve and increase thy church; (b)
destroy the works of the devil, and all violence
which would exalt itself against thee;
and also all wicked counsels
devised against thy holy word; (c)
till the full perfection of thy kingdom take place, (d)
wherein thou shalt be all in all. (e)
(a) Matt.6:33; Ps.119:5; Ps.143:10. (b) Ps.51:18; Ps.122:6-9. (c)
1 John 3:8; Rom.16:20. (d) Rev.22:17,20; Rom.8:22,23. (e) 1 Cor.15:28.
49. Lord's Day
Q. 124.
Which is the third petition?
A.
"Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven";
that is,
grant that we and all men
may renounce our own will, (a)
and without murmuring obey thy will,
which is only good; (b)
that every one may attend to,
and perform the duties of his station and calling, (c)
as willingly and faithfully as the angels do in heaven. (d)
(a) Matt.16:24; Tit.2:11,12. (b) Luke 22:42; Eph.5:10; Rom.12:2. (c)
1 Cor.7:24. (d) Ps.103:20,21.
50. Lord's Day
Q. 125.
Which is the fourth petition?
A.
"Give us this day our daily bread";
that is,
be pleased to provide us with all things necessary for the body, (a)
that we may thereby acknowledge thee
to be the only fountain of all good, (b)
and that neither our care nor industry,
nor even thy gifts,
can profit us without thy blessing; (c)
and therefore that we may withdraw our trust from all creatures,
and place it alone in thee. (d)
(a) Ps.104:27,28; Ps.145:15,16; Matt.6:25,26. (b) James 1:17; Acts
14:17; Acts 17:27,28. (c) 1 Cor.15:58; Deut.8:3; Ps.37:3-5,16;
Ps.127:1,2. (d) Ps.55:23; Ps.62:11; Ps.146:3; Jer.17:5,7.
51. Lord's Day
Q. 126.
Which is the fifth petition?
A.
"And forgive us our debts
as we forgive our debtors";
that is,
be pleased
for the sake of Christ's blood,
not to impute to us poor sinners,
our transgressions,
nor that depravity, which always cleaves to us; (a)
even as we feel this evidence of thy grace in us,
that it is our firm resolution
from the heart to forgive our neighbour. (b)
(a) Ps.51:1-7; Ps.143:2; 1 John 2:1,2; Rom.8:1. (b) Matt.6:14,15.
52. Lord's Day
Q. 127.
Which is the sixth petition?
A.
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil";
that is,
since we are so weak in ourselves,
that we cannot stand a moment; (a)
and besides this, since our mortal enemies,
the devil, (b)
the world, (c)
and our own flesh, (d)
cease not to assault us,
do thou therefore preserve and strengthen us
by the power of thy Holy Spirit,
that we may not be overcome in this spiritual warfare, (e)
but constantly and strenuously may resist our foes,
till at last we obtain a complete victory. (f)
(a) John 15:5; Ps.103:14. (b) 1 Pet.5:8; Eph.6:12. (c) John 15:19. (d)
Rom.7:23; Gal.5:17. (e) Matt.26:41; Mark 13:33. (f) 1 Thess.3:13;
1 Thess.5:23.
Q. 128.
How dost thou conclude thy prayer?
A.
"For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
forever";
that is,
all these we ask of thee,
because thou,
being our King and almighty,
art willing and able
to give us all good; (a)
and all this we pray for,
that thereby not we,
but thy holy name, may be glorified for ever. (b)
(a) Rom.10:11,12; 2 Pet.2:9. (b) John 14:13; Jer.33:8,9; Ps.115:1.
Q. 129.
What does the word "Amen" signify?
A.
"Amen" signifies,
it shall truly and certainly be:
for my prayer is more assuredly heard of God,
than I feel in my heart
that I desire these things of him. (a)
(a) 2 Cor.1:20; 2 Tim.2:13.
End of the Catechism
(...end, Heidelberg Catechism)
----------------------------------------------------
file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-03: hbctch-5.txt
.
