This is one of the petitions in the Lord's prayer. That prayer has in it, brief as it is, the germs of all prayer. It recognizes paternity; not a despot afar off, not a fate, but our father, heavenly Father. Then comes reverence: “Hallowed be thy name;” the outflowing of it from every individual heart may be just as wide and various as the riches or the exigencies of every heart require. “Thy kingdom come;” that is, the outgoing of benevolent desire for the universality of God's government, inclining rather, I think, to our conception of the benevolent development on earth of the abounding wisdom and goodness of God as represented in his “kingdom.” “Thy will be done;”, that is, the sovereignty of our Father; our allegiance, fidelity, loyalty, together with a desire that it may be experienced by everyone. Thus far is communion; it is the soul's conversation with God upon the highest themes that can be brought before the human mind; God, his relation to myself; the laws of his administration, the identification of ourselves with them. Then come more particularly the petitions. “Give us this day our daily bread.” That is enough; support, maintenance, everything that continues life, the germ of all supplication for outward want. Then, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors;” imploring pardon from a consciousness of sin; the germ of all confession and of all imploration for forgiveness.