The Our Father Prayer Explained: Meaning and How to Pray It

The Our Father holds a unique place in Christian prayer. It was given directly by Jesus as a model of how we should speak to God. When we pray it, we pray with the very words of Christ.

What Is the Our Father

The Our Father is both a prayer and a lesson. It teaches trust, humility, forgiveness, and dependence on God. Every line invites the believer into a deeper relationship with the Father.

Line by Line Meaning

Our Father who art in heaven
We acknowledge God as a loving Father who is above all things.

Hallowed be Thy name
We honor and praise God as holy.

Thy kingdom come
We ask for God’s reign of justice and love to grow in the world and in our hearts.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
We surrender our will to God’s plan.

Give us this day our daily bread
We ask for both physical needs and spiritual nourishment.

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us
We seek mercy and commit to mercy.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
We ask for strength against sin and protection from harm.

The Our Father in the Rosary

The Our Father is prayed at the beginning of the rosary and before each decade. It sets the intention and focuses the heart before meditation begins.

A Prayer of Trust

Every time we pray the Our Father, we place ourselves fully in God’s care. It is a prayer of confidence and surrender.