Praying the Lord's Prayer - Part 2 - "Hallowed Be Thy Name"
- Rebecca Montrone
- 14 hours ago
- 8 min read
First, let me apologize for the delay in getting back to this! As many of you know, my husband Dale passed away in February, and there's been lots of extra things to do since then. I am blessed with continued joy and expectation as I consider him in his new "dwelling place!" I think of us as true spiritual partners - his feet established in absolute perfection in heaven beholding the face of Jesus Christ and mine still grounded here by gravity and imperfection on the earth imagining the face of Jesus Christ but dedicated to His purposes and glory. May He be praised in all things, everywhere, and at all times!
Anyway, last time, we talked about how the first lines of The Lord's Prayer establish two important points.
God is our Father
God's home is in heaven
The very next line is perhaps the most significant of the entire prayer, as it tells us His NAME is to be hallowed - revered, loved, adored, held sacrosant. I say that it is perhaps the "most significant" because it says that His name is above all other names, and it simply is. IT. IS. This is a rich theme that permeates scripture, from Genesis through Revelation, and there are many delightful treasures to dig up as we dig in!
First, What Does “Hallowed” Mean?
The word hallowed isn't one we use often today, but its meaning is rich and profound. Let's take a deeper look.
The word "hallowed" comes from the Greek verb hagiazō (ἁγιάζω).
This word means:
to make holy
to treat as sacred
to consecrate
to revere
to set apart as holy
It is closely related to the Greek word hagios, meaning holy.
When I pray, "hallowed by Thy name," this is what it means to me. I am:
expressing adoration and all-out love for Him - His "exquisite preciousness," if you will - He is the ultimate treasure!
acknowledging that He is far superior to me - "Your name is to be lifted higher than any name or any thing in all of the universe and beyond... because... IT IS!"
focused on His perfect purity - there is not one speck of a speck of imperfection, moral defect or even "weak spots" in the character and person of my God, and this degree of perfect holiness CANNOT CHANGE. EVER.
feeling a deep sense of security, because the One whose name I love and revere is in charge of all things and loves me with an everlasting love, and, this, too, CANNOT CHANGE. EVER.
The Significance of Names in Scripture
In modern culture, names are often chosen simply because we like how they sound. But in the biblical world, a name carried deep meaning. Names reflected identity, character, destiny, or circumstance.
Sometimes a name captured a moment of grief or hardship.
When the Ark of the Covenant was captured by the Philistines, a child was born and named Ichabod, meaning “the glory has departed.” The name itself became a tragic memorial of that moment in Israel’s history.
Another example occurs when Rachel dies in childbirth. With her last breath she names her son Ben-oni, meaning “son of my sorrow.” But Jacob - his father - immediately renames him Benjamin, meaning “son of my right hand.” What began as a name of grief became a name of honor and strength.
Sometimes God Himself changed someone’s name — and when He did, it often signaled a transformed identity.
· Abram ("exalted father) became Abraham, meaning "father of many nations."
· Sarai ("my princess")became Sarah, which connotates more of a "universal princess."
· Jacob became Israel, meaning "one who wrestles with God."
· Saul became Paul, the Pharisee who became the "apostle to the Gentiles".
A new name often marked a new calling. And... just because I can't resist saying it, though I won't dwell on it at the moment (we'll save for another day!):
“To the one who conquers… I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except the one who receives it.” Revelation 2:17
Hmm.... what do you suppose THAT is all about???!!!!
When Moses Asked God His Name
One of the most powerful moments in Scripture involving God's name occurs in the book of Exodus.
When Moses encounters God at the burning bush, he asks a practical question. When he returns to the Israelites and tells them that God has sent him, what should he say God's name is?
God's answer is astonishing.
“God said to Moses, ‘I AM THAT I AM.’ And He said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
The phrase “I AM” comes from the Hebrew verb hayah, meaning to be.
God is declaring that He simply is.
He IS means that He IS:
Self-existent
Eternal
Dependent on nothing
Unchanging
Every created thing depends on something else for its existence. But God exists by His own nature and power.
Later in the same passage God identifies Himself as the LORD — the divine name often represented in English Bibles by LORD in small capital letters. This name is connected to the same Hebrew root as “I AM.”
It expresses the idea of the eternally existing One — the God who was, is, and always will be.
But then... there are many names of God!
Because God's character is so vast, Scripture reveals Him through many names and titles, each highlighting a different aspect of who He is.
YHWH (Yahweh) “The LORD” — The eternally self-existent God Exodus 3:15
Elohim God the mighty Creator – Genesis 1:1
El Shaddai God Almighty – Genesis 17:1
Adonai Lord or Master – Psalm 8:1
Jehovah Jireh The LORD will provide – Genesis 22:14
Jehovah Rapha The LORD who heals – Exodus 15:26
Jehovah Nissi The LORD my banner – Exodus 17:15
Jehovah Shalom The LORD is peace – Judges 6:24
Jehovah Tsidkenu The LORD our righteousness – Jeremiah 23:6
Each name reveals another beautiful dimension of God's character.
Honoring the Name of the Lord
Scripture repeatedly calls us to honor the name of the Lord.
“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!” Psalm 8:1
“Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” Psalm 29:2
“From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised.” Psalm 113:3
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10
“Give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the peoples.” 1 Chronicles 16:8
The name of the Lord is wonderful beyond wonderful. To honor His name is to honor Him. And so, we can just imagine why it is that Satan hates this name and wants to see and hear it DIS-honored!
Why the Enemy Attacks the Name of Jesus
Because God’s name is so precious, it is also a clear target for the enemy.
Scripture warns:
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”Exodus 20:7
Yet the name of Jesus Christ is frequently used as profanity.
Curiously, people rarely curse using the names of other religious figures. No one shouts “Buddha!” or “Muhammad!” in anger. But the name of Jesus Christ is singled out again and again. That reality alone reveals something profound about the uniqueness of God's name and its power. Jesus - the One True and Only God - has a real enemy.
Satan delights in desecrating what is sacred. Throughout history he has attempted to defile the things of God — His Word, His creation, His people, and especially His name.
Breaking Old Habits
For some, learning to treat God’s name with reverence requires breaking long-standing habits. Many feel terrible when they realize how casually they have used the Lord’s name in the past.
But God understands the process of growth. Old habits can take time to fade. As the Holy Spirit works within a believer’s heart, the impulse gradually weakens. Over time those old patterns fall away. God is patient with all of us and understands the grip of unconscious habit. Sanctification is a journey and an ongoing process!
The Name Above Every Name
All throughout Scripture, the name of the Lord is lifted up — honored, revered, loved, and treasured. It appears in moments of covenant, in cries for help, in songs of praise, and in quiet declarations of trust. His name is not just something spoken; it is something known, something experienced, something deeply personal to those who walk with Him.
But Scripture does not leave us with a general reverence for “God’s name” alone. It leads us, very intentionally, to a name — the name in which the fullness of God is revealed.
The name of Jesus.
The One who spoke to Moses as the great I AM is the same One who stepped into human history, taking on flesh, drawing near to us, and making Himself known in a way that could be seen, touched, and heard. In Jesus, the character of God is no longer simply declared — it is displayed.
And because of who He is, and because of what He has done, His name has been lifted to the highest place.
There is something striking about how that name is treated in the world today. It is spoken casually, sometimes carelessly, even used in mockery. And yet, Scripture tells us that this same name will one day be spoken very differently.
A day is coming when every resistance will fall away, when every doubt will be silenced, and when every heart will recognize what has always been true — though not every heart will rejoice in it! Even those who have rejected Him, resisted Him, and spoken His name with contempt WILL BOW.
Not all in joy, but all in acknowledgment.
“Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9–11
The name that is overlooked now will be unmistakable then.
The name that is dismissed now will be undeniable then.
The name that is misused now will be honored as it always should have been.
And how wondrous it is that we do not have to wait for that day to honor His name! We are given the privilege — right now, in this very moment — to love His name, to speak it with reverence, to lift it up with joy, and to treasure it in our hearts. Not out of obligation, but out of knowing Him; out of recognizing who He is and what He has done.
"My DEAR Father, Who art in heaven, HALLOWED BE THY BEAUTIFUL NAME!"
Interested in knowing how to enter into a personal relationship with God through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Say a Salvation Prayer and Receive Jesus Christ Today.
Of course, the saying of a prayer is the reflection of a monumental and life-changing heart decision, but this is a good guide.
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