Heidelberg Catechism Week 47

122. Q. What does the first request mean? A. "Hallowed be Your name" means, Help us to really know You, to bless, worship, and praise You for all Your works and for all that shines forth from them: Your almighty power, wisdom, kindness, justice, mercy, and truth. And it means, help us to direct all our living - what we think, say, and do - so that Your name will never be blasphemed because of us but always honored and praised.

My reflections on the reading from the book...

DeYoung: "Jesus teaches us that the first thing we ought to pray for, before we ask for anything else, is that God would be glorified and set apart as holy... Jesus would have us understand that the point of prayer is God's glory... 'Our Father in heaven, the concern nearest to my heart and the one that shapes all other requests is that Your name would be regarded as holy, that Your fame would be heralded in the earth, that You would be honored among the nations, that Your glory would be magnified for all to see. O Lord, be pleased to cause men everywhere to take pleasure in You, that You might be praised now and forever."

When we pray "Hallowed be Thy name," we are not praying for God's name to become "sanctified" or "made holy," for holiness is already one of God's perfections. Rather, we are asking for the Lord to make the greatness of His name displayed and magnified even further. "From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised" (Ps. 113:3).

Am I in any way hindering the Lord’s name from being magnified and praised? I should consistently be examining my life for areas that that might be bringing wrong honor and glory to myself instead of the name of the Lord. 

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:16)

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for the sake of Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness!" (Psalm 115:1)