The Lord’s Prayer
But deliver us from the evil one. Matthew 6:13
Martin Luther writes in his Large Catechism: “In the Greek text this petition reads, ‘Deliver or preserve us from the evil one,’ or ‘the hateful one.’ It looks like Jesus was speaking about the devil, like He would summarize every petition in one. So the entire substance of all our prayer is directed against our chief enemy. For it is he who hinders among us everything that we pray for: God’s name or honor, God’s kingdom and will, our daily bread, a cheerful good conscience, and so forth. Therefore, we finally sum it all up and say, ‘Dear Father, grant that we be rid of all these disasters.’ But there is also included in this petition whatever evil may happen to us under the devil’s kingdom: poverty, shame, death, and, in short, all the agonizing misery and heartache of which there is such an unnumbered multitude on the earth…”
This last petition then can be regarded as dealing with both our spiritual and physical welfare. The evils in this world started with the fall of man into sin, causing all manner of troubles that touch our lives: sickness and disease, natural disasters, human conflicts and wars, etc. We look to our heavenly Father to deliver and protect us from all harm and danger that affect our bodies and souls, because everyone and everything is subject to Him. The believer Job, who was troubled by all kinds of afflictions, said of God’s deliverance, “He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword.” (Job 5:19-20)
And we know and trust that because God is loving and merciful. If He allows any bad thing to afflict us, He will work it out for our good, even our eternal welfare. The final deliverance from evil is when God takes us home to heaven.
From evil, Lord, deliver us;
The times and days are perilous.
Redeem us from eternal death,
And when we yield our dying breath,
Console us, grant us calm release,
And take our souls to Thee in peace. Amen.
The Lutheran Hymnal 458:8