A dispute exists among scholars about whether this last line should be included in the Lord’s model prayer.  Some look at the manuscript evidence and conclude that it is merely a “scribal gloss”, a bit of commentary added into the margin by some ancient copyist and recopied over and over by others until it came to be a part of the text.  Other scholars contend that sufficient evidence exists to treat the words as Scripture, spoken by Jesus and divinely breathed into Matthew’s gospel.  Our purpose is neither to join in this argument nor to take one side or the other.  Whether an accurate translation of the actual original manuscript of Matthew or the unfortunate inclusion of an old typographical error (albeit long before the advent of typography), the line speaks truth for us.  It is remarkably similar to several other passages within God’s word.  All ascribe kingdom, power and glory to God.

After forty years as king of Israel, David passed the throne to his son, Solomon.  It was Solomon who was to realize the dream of his father to build a permanent temple where the people could come to worship God.  David had solidified the kingdom, subdued its enemies, extended its borders and finally established peace and prosperity.  But, because he was a man of war, who had lived a life full of violence, God denied him the actual construction of his temple.  That privilege was to be left to Solomon.

Nonetheless, David led the nation in preparation for the building and in providing the materials needed.  As the collection is made, David is confronted with his own extraordinary wealth and the affluence of his kingdom.  This man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22) attributes all to God.  His prayer recognizes, as ours should also, the authority, majesty and power of God.

“Praise be to you, O LORD,
God of our father Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.

Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.”

(1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

Daniel, far from the promised land, in Babylonian captivity, is blessed with visions of the future; his future, and even after all these millennia, our future as well.  In one of his visions he is moved by the Spirit to describe the coming kingdom of the Messiah.

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.  He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13-15)

This king and kingdom are the same as later to be described by the apostle John …

“To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”  (Revelation 1:5,6)

With Scriptures such as these in mind, we do not go wrong to end our prayer time with God in contemplation again of his essential attributes and proper place in our lives.

Our Father

in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

And lead in not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Matthew  6:9-13

For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen