Anne Murray - Lord's Prayer Lyrics
Lyrics
Our Father
Which art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done on earth
As it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom
And the power
And the glory, forever,
Amen
Video
The Lord's Prayer ~ Anne Murray ~ lyric video
Meaning & Inspiration
Anne Murray’s rendition of the Lord's Prayer, featured on her 1999 album *What a Wonderful World (26 Inspirational Classics)*, offers a profoundly moving sonic interpretation of one of Christianity's most foundational prayers. Rather than a simple musical recitation, Murray imbues the familiar words with a sense of solemn reverence and deeply personal connection, making it more than just a song, but an invitation to contemplation and spiritual reflection. The strength of this track lies in its unwavering focus on the message of the prayer, allowing the timeless words to resonate with unadorned power. Murray’s vocal delivery, characterized by its purity and gentle strength, acts as a conduit, guiding the listener through each petition with earnest sincerity. The emphasis here is squarely on the profound theological and relational aspects embedded within the prayer, transforming it from a rote exercise into a vibrant dialogue with the Divine.
The enduring significance of the Lord's Prayer, as taught by Jesus in Matthew 6:9-13 and echoed in Luke 11:2-4, is fully realized in Murray's performance. The opening invocation, "Our Father," immediately establishes a relational intimacy, a concept central to the Abrahamic faiths, highlighting God not just as a sovereign ruler but as a loving parent. The desire for His name to be hallowed and His kingdom to come underscores a yearning for divine order and righteousness in the world, a sentiment found throughout Scripture, as seen in Jesus' own teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. When the prayer shifts to "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," it speaks to a profound surrender and trust in God's perfect plan, a theme prevalent in the Old Testament where prophets and kings alike sought to align themselves with God's purposes.
The subsequent petitions reveal the practical outworking of this divine relationship. The request for "daily bread" is not merely a plea for physical sustenance but a recognition of our utter dependence on God for all our needs, a concept Jesus himself addressed when urging his followers not to worry about material possessions (Matthew 6:25-34). The core of the prayer, the plea for forgiveness of trespasses as we forgive others, is a powerful articulation of the reciprocal nature of divine and human mercy. This is directly aligned with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:14-15, where he states, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." This mirrors the principle of "do unto others as you would have them do unto you," the Golden Rule, which underpins so much of Christian ethical teaching.
The final petitions, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," express a deep awareness of human fallibility and the pervasive spiritual battles we face. This calls to mind biblical narratives of temptation and the need for divine protection, as exemplified in the Psalms and the Apostle Paul's exhortations to stand firm against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). The prayer concludes with a powerful doxology, "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen," which serves as a resounding affirmation of God's ultimate sovereignty, authority, and eternal glory. This concluding praise echoes the grandeur of prophetic visions and the worship described in the book of Revelation, reinforcing the belief in God's supreme and everlasting reign. Murray’s interpretation, therefore, transcends mere melody, offering a deeply thoughtful and biblically grounded meditation on faith, forgiveness, and the unfailing love of God.