For Yours Is the Kingdom, the Power, and Glory Forever

1. Meaning.

These words contain a reason of all the former petitions: whereby we are moved to crave things needful at God's hand.

[Your is] Earthly kings have kingdom power, and glory (Daniel 2:37), yet not from themselves, but from God, whose vice-gerents they are on earth. Therefore, to make a difference between God's kingdom, power, and glory, and those of earthly kings, it is said, your is the kingdom, &c. that is, God has all these in himself, and from himself, and they from him.

[The kingdom] These words (1 Chronicles 29:11) are fully expounded: Your, O Lord, is greatness, power, and victory, and praise: for all that is in heaven and earth is your: your is the kingdom, and you excellest as head over all, &c. The kingdom is said to be God's, because he is absolute possessor, and owner of all things that are; and also has sovereign rule over all things at his will. Now out of this first property of God, we may gather a strong motive, to induce us to pray to him alone. For seeing all things are his, both in heaven and earth whatever; therefore, we must come to him for the graces and blessings which we desire.

[The power] Oftentimes, earthly princes have kingdoms, yet want power: but God has kingdom, and power also: yes, his power is infinite, and he can do all that he will, and more than he will: as for those things which come of impotence; he cannot do them, for if he could, he should not be omnipotent. And as he is omnipotent in himself, so all the power which any creature has, is from him alone. Question. How can this be, seeing the devil has power to sin; which is not from God? Answer. To sin is no power, but rather a want of power: otherwise, all the strength and power that Satan has, is of God.

And from this second property, is taken another motive, to move us to pray to God. Because all power being his, we can never do any of the things which we ask, but by power received from him.

[Your is the glory.] This third property of God arises from the two former, for seeing the title and interest in all things, and the power whereby they are disposed and governed, is of God: therefore it follows, that all glory is his: yes, in him is fullness of glory, and the glory of the creature is all of him. To sinful men belongs nothing, but shame and confusion (Daniel 9:7).

This third property ministers a third motive to induce men to pray to God alone. For seeing all glory by right is his: therefore we must invoke his holy name; that in so doing, we may give him the glory due to him.

[For ever,] The words in the original are, for ages. Now an age signifies the space of a hundred years: but here it is taken for eternity; because eternity is nothing but the multiplication of ages. And as eternity is here noted by ages: so on the contrary we read, that eternity is taken for a certain and distinct time. God promises Abraham (Genesis 17:8) to give him the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession: that is, for a long season. For else Abraham's seed should inherit the land until this time, which it does not. Therefore, as often the whole is put for the part, namely, eternity for a certain time: so here the part is put for the whole, an age for eternity. This also makes a difference between earthly princes, and the mighty Jehovah, they have kingdom, power, and glory for a short time, but he absolutely and for ever.

2. The uses.

1. Here we learn in prayer, to abase ourselves before God, and utterly to deny all that is in us. Kingdom, power, and glory, is all his, not ours: we are no better than rebels and traitors to him: if we have any good thing, it is from him, even the grace whereby we pray. And he that in prayer will not confess this, shall no more be heard, than the insolent beggar that will not acknowledge his want.

2. Secondly, again in prayer we learn, that we must be persuaded of two things, and build upon them, God's power and will: his power, in that he is able, his will, in that he is careful to perform our requests, as it was noted in the preface: the first of these, is set out in his kingdom, and power. The second is noted, in that glory is his (2 Corinthians 1:20): for all the promises of God in him are yes, and Amen, to the glory of God.

3. And hence we gather, that prayer and thanksgiving must go together; for as in the six petitions we made request to God; so in these words, we give him thanks and praise him (Philippians 4:6): but in all things, let your requests be showed to God in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. There is none, but in want he will be ready to pray: but when we have received, we are slack in giving of thanks: but he which will pray aright, must join them both together. And the sum of all God's praise stands in these three points. 1. That he is an absolute King. 2. Secondly, that he has absolute power to rule all things. 3. That having power and a kingdom, he has glory also, which appears in the holding of his kingdom, and the showing of his power in governing of it.

4. Whatever we ask, we must refer it to God's glory: this is the first thing, which we were taught to crave, and the [illegible] we are to perform, because it is noted both in the beginning and end of the prayer.

Thus much of the use of these words altogether. Now let us make use of them particularly. First, whereas we say, Your is the kingdom: magistrates and rulers must know, that all the authority and rule which they have is from the Lord; and therefore they must remember to order themselves as God's vicegerents, using their power to bring men in subjection to God's laws: and referring all their callings to his glory.

2. Where we say, Your is the power: we are admonished, when we are to perform any work, as to do service to God, to walk in our callings, that we have no power of ourselves: and for this cause we must ask power at God's hands, that we may be enabled to walk uprightly before him, and do our duties.

3. In saying, Your is the glory, we learn, that if we would have a good report and praise among men: we must above all things, seek God's glory, not regarding so much our own. If he give you praise among men, give him thanks: if not, be content, because all glory is his.