What does it mean to hallow the name of God in the Lord’s Prayer?
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches his disciples to begin with adoration: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). To modern ears, the word “hallow” feels unfamiliar, almost archaic. Yet it carries a profound biblical weight. To hallow means to honor as holy, to set apart as sacred, to treat with ultimate reverence. When Jesus places this petition at the start of the prayer, he shows that the sanctity of God’s name is foundational to Christian life.
Anthony Delgado explains that hallowing is not about making God more holy—he already is perfect in holiness. Instead, it is about our recognition, our response, and our formation. By praying these words, we ask that God’s name would be honored in our hearts, our lives, and in the world. This article will explore what it means to hallow God’s name, why it matters, and how it shapes our participation in the Gospel story.
1. Hallowing as an Activity of Worship
The first point is that hallowing God’s name is an activity, not simply an acknowledgment.
Recognition of God’s character: We confess that God is holy, sovereign, righteous, and good.
Setting apart his name: To hallow is to treat God’s name as ultimate, higher than every other allegiance.
Living response: Worship is not only verbal but lived—honoring God in work, relationships, and obedience.
Delgado emphasizes that many Christians can articulate doctrines like God’s sovereignty without allowing those truths to shape their lives. Hallowing the name of God transforms abstract belief into embodied reverence.
2. Hallowing as Daily Formation
The second point is that hallowing God’s name is a process of spiritual formation.
Formation of the heart: Daily prayer reshapes our affections. Instead of clinging to self-sufficiency, we learn to depend on God as provider.
Formation of the mind: Meditation on God’s holiness trains us to think biblically. We learn to interpret life as gift rather than as self-achievement.
Formation of habits: By continually praying “Hallowed be your name,” believers cultivate practices that reflect God’s holiness—acts of integrity, justice, and mercy.
Hallowing becomes a rhythm of discipleship. It does not leave believers unchanged but conforms them to Christ’s likeness (Romans 8:29).
3. Hallowing as Witness to the World
The third point is that hallowing God’s name has a public dimension.
The nations and God’s reputation: In Ezekiel 36:23, God declares, “I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations.” The prayer reflects this biblical theme: God’s people are called to display his holiness before the world.
Resisting blasphemy: When Christians live in hypocrisy, God’s name is dishonored. Paul laments, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (Romans 2:24).
Positive witness: To hallow God’s name is to live in such a way that others see his greatness. As Jesus later says in the Sermon on the Mount, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
In this way, the prayer is missionary in character. It asks God to make his holiness visible through the life of his people.
4. Hallowing in Light of the Kingdom
The petition also anticipates the coming kingdom of God.
Connection to the next petition: “Hallowed be your name” flows naturally into “Your kingdom come.” The sanctity of God’s name and the arrival of his reign are inseparable.
Eschatological hope: Hallowing is not fearful but hopeful. It anticipates the day when every knee bows and every tongue confesses Christ as Lord (Philippians 2:10–11).
Present participation: By hallowing God’s name now, believers live in the reality of the kingdom that is breaking into the world through the Gospel.
Delgado notes that this perspective reshapes how we view mission and eschatology. Instead of despairing at the world’s brokenness, we hallow God’s name by engaging in his kingdom work—feeding the hungry, forgiving debts, and proclaiming Christ’s reign.
5. Hallowing as Personal and Corporate Prayer
Finally, to hallow God’s name is both a personal commitment and a corporate calling.
Personal dimension: Each believer prays that God’s holiness would shape their heart, habits, and desires.
Corporate dimension: The prayer begins with “our.” To hallow God’s name is something the church does together, in liturgy, worship, and mission.
Spiritual warfare dimension: To honor God’s name is to reject rival powers. Praying this petition is a pledge of allegiance to the true King, over against the spiritual forces of darkness.
Hallowing God’s name therefore encompasses intimacy, reverence, unity, and warfare. It reminds us that our lives are lived under the banner of the holy God.
Conclusion
To pray “Hallowed be your name” is to embrace the heart of the Lord’s Prayer. It is more than a recognition of God’s holiness; it is a request for God’s name to be revered in our lives and in the world. It forms us as disciples, sends us as witnesses, and binds us together as the church.
In the Gospel, this petition finds its fulfillment. Through Christ, believers are adopted as children of the Father, shaped by the Spirit, and called to live as holy witnesses until the kingdom is fully revealed. Every time we pray these words, we ask that God’s holiness would reshape us and bring glory to his name.
Bible Verses on Hallowing the Name of God
“Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.’” (Matthew 6:9)
“I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations.” (Ezekiel 36:23)
“The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2:24)
“Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)
“From the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations.” (Malachi 1:11)
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” (Psalm 29:2)
“At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” (Philippians 2:10)
“Our Father who loves us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace.” (2 Thessalonians 2:16)
