Thy Will Be Done

Thy Will Be Done: Commentary

"Thy will be done" is the third of the Lord's prayer's seven petitions (the first three address God, the second four are prayers related to our needs and concerns). The final desire is for God's will to be carried out. Here, we are aligning our will with God's, submitting to Him, and praying for His way to triumph. Notably, Jesus prays these exact words on the Mount of Olives during his final meal with the disciples: "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; but not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42, New International Version) According to what we are informed, his agony was so intense that his sweat resembled blood pouring to the ground (Luke 22:44). 

Therefore, if we are to follow Christ's example and pray "Your will be done," this may come at a high cost. For here we are aligning our hearts with the ways of heaven and setting down our desires and choices. Rather than that, we are saying that God's will is being carried out in our lives - right now. This section of the prayer can also be used to make an intercessory prayer for others: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Thus, as we repeat these lines, global issues such as justice for the poor or peace in war-torn regions may spring to mind, as well as more personal concerns such as prayers for your friends or loved ones. Continue reading this page to gain additional insight into this line of the prayer by reading the writings of Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke, and Albert Barnes.

Albert Barnes's Commentary 

Thy Will Be Done. God's will is for men to obey his law and be holy. The term "will" refers to his law and to what he deems acceptable; that is, righteousness. To pray for the fulfilment of his will on earth as it is in heaven is to pray for the obedience and love of his law, his revealed will. His law is totally obeyed in heaven, and his loyal children long and pray for it to be so on earth as well. 

The purpose of these three first pleas is to glorify God and build his kingdom; thus by being placed first, we learn that God's glory and kingdom are more important than our desires, and that they should take precedence in our hearts and prayers before a throne of grace. (*) 

The following clauses concerning this prayer are available in Jewish sources and were almost certainly familiar during the time of Christ: "That prayer," the Rabbins assert, "that makes no reference to the kingdom of heaven, is not a prayer." "What is a brief prayer?" they inquire. Do thy will in heaven, and grant rest to the spirits who fear thee on earth." Provide us with this day, etc. The Jews had a prayer that went something like this: "The necessities of thy people are numerous, and their understanding is limited, so that they do not know how to communicate their needs: may it be thy good will to grant to each one what is essential for his sustenance," and so on. Deliver us from the forces of evil. 

"Be it thy good will to deliver us from an evil man and an evil event; from wicked passions, from an evil companion and neighbour, from Satan," the Jews pleaded. Jews' prayers were typically concluded with a doxology, or ascription of praise, similar to the Lord's prayer. At the conclusion of the prayer, the congregation generally exclaimed, "Amen!" Barnes' Notes on the New Testament

Matthew Henry's Commentary

Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. We hope that God's kingdom being come, we and others may be brought into obedience to all the laws and ordinances of it. By this let it appear that Christ's kingdom is come, let God's will be done; and by this let is appear that it is come as a kingdom of heaven, let it introduce a heaven upon earth. We make Christ just a nominal Prince, if we call him King, and do not do his will: having prayed that he may govern us, we pray that we may in every thing be ruled by him. Observe, (1.) 

The item requested for, thy will be done; "Lord, do what thou pleasest with me and mine; 1Sa 3:18. I resign myself to thee, and am perfectly convinced that everything thy advise respecting me shall be performed." In this sense Christ prayed, not my will, but thine be done. " Enable me to accomplish what is pleasant to thee; give me that grace that is required to the right knowledge of thy will, and an acceptable obedience to it. Let thy will be done conscientiously by me and others, not our own will, the will of the flesh, or the mind, not the will of men (1Pe 4:2), much less Satan's will (Joh 8:44), that we may neither displease God in any thing we do (ut nihil nostrum displiceat Deo), nor be displeased at any thing God does" (ut nihil Dei displiceat nobis) (ut nihil Dei displiceat nobis). (2.) 

The pattern of it, that it may be done on earth, in this place of our trial and probation (where our job must be done, or it never will be done), as it is done in heaven, that place of rest and joy. We pray that earth may be made more like heaven by the observance of God's will (this earth, which, by the prevalency of Satan's will, has become so close similar to hell), and that saints may be made more like the holy angels in their devotion and obedience. We are on earth, happy be God, not yet under the earth; we pray for the living only, not for the dead that have gone down into stillness. Source: Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume V (Matthew to John)

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