What does 'hallowed be thy name' in the Lord's Prayer mean?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

“Hallowed be thy name” in the Lord’s Prayer is a profound declaration that God is holy, perfect, and worthy of all praise. It reflects a deep reverence for God’s character and asks that His name—and thus His glory—be honored and made known on earth. Rooted in Jewish understanding of names representing identity, this phrase echoes the reverence shown to God’s sacred name, YHWH, and calls for God to actively reveal His holiness (Exodus 3:14). Jesus teaches us to pray this way, shifting our focus from ourselves to God’s glory, inviting His power and presence to be displayed in the world (Matthew 6:9-15; Luke 11:2-4). Ultimately, this prayer expresses our desire for God’s greatness to grow as more people recognize His immeasurable worth and holiness.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• In Jewish culture, names were not simply a way to call a person. They reflected a person’s character, declared that person’s destiny, and showed the essence of his or her identity. This cultural practice is seen when God changed Jacob's name after they wrestled through the night. The name Jacob meant "heel catcher" or "trickster" (beckoning back to his birth story); God changed his name to "Israel," meaning "one who strives with God" (Genesis 32:24-28).
• When Moses asked God what name he should tell the Israelites was the name of the God sending him to rescue them from Egypt, God replied, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you'" (Exodus 3:14). The name of God YHWH is linked to this concept of His self-existence. God's name was thought to be so holy that Jews would not utter it aloud for fear of profaning it. YHWH, also called the tetragrammaton or written as Yahweh or Jehovah, simply became known as "the Name" or Ha Shem in Hebrew. Even today, many Jews will write "G–d" rather than "God" in order to show reverence to God's name.
• Psalm 135:13 says, "Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages."

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1), He responded with what has been called the Lord's Prayer, or sometimes the Disciples' Prayer.
• Jesus' model prayer began with, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name" (Matthew 6:9). "Hallowed" in the original Greek is hagiazo and it means "to make, render, or declare as sacred or holy, or to mentally venerate or revere." So when Jesus instructed His disciples to say "hallowed be thy name," He was declaring that God's name is holy and showing reverence to that name.
• The full prayer given in Matthew's account is: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:9-13). Today many conclude the prayer with, "For yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen." The prayer begins and ends with a focus on God's glory and each request in the middle can be understood as another way God can be glorified on Earth. So, the next time we recite the phrase "hallowed be thy name," know that we are declaring that God is holy and worthy of praise and that we are asking Him to increase His glory here on earth with more people who will recognize His immeasurable worth.
• Saying that God's name is holy or expressing reverence toward it is the same as declaring God Himself to be holy and worthy of our worship. The phrase "hallowed be thy name" is meant to remind us that God is perfect, pure, holy, and worthy of all praise and honor. It is a way to echo the angels in heaven who declare, "Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen" (Revelation 7:12).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Jesus begins His prayer recognizing that God is a loving Father who invites us into His presence, but then Jesus quickly draws attention to God's holiness, asking that God increase His renown. He shifts the focus of the prayer from us and places it squarely on God, asking that God would help the world see the extent of His glory. Asking God to "hallow" His name is another way of asking that God would draw people to Himself by demonstrating His glory and power in the world. The context for the rest of the prayer then is this desire for God to be glorified here on earth.

When we pray "hallowed be your name," we are actively inviting His presence and glory to be made known in our lives and in the world around us. This prayer shifts our focus from everyday worries to the greatness of God’s character, reminding us that He alone is worthy of all praise and reverence. He alone is fully good, gracious, loving, true, powerful, wise, and so much more. As we declare God’s name as holy, we join a long line of believers who recognize that His name represents His power, purity, and eternal nature—qualities that deserve our deepest respect and worship. Praying this way also calls us to live in a manner that reflects God’s holiness, allowing His glory to shine through our actions and words. In doing so, we become part of God’s greater purpose to reveal His renown on earth, helping others see and experience His immeasurable worth.

UNDERSTAND

• “Hallowed be thy name” is part of a prayer Jesus taught that declares God’s holiness and calls for His glory to be honored on earth.
• It reflects Jewish reverence for names as revealing identity and asks God to reveal His holiness.
• “Hallowed be thy name” shifts our focus to God’s glory and eternal purposes.

REFLECT

• How does truly recognizing God’s holiness change the way you approach Him in prayer and daily life?
• In what ways do you see God’s name—and therefore His character—being honored or dishonored in your actions and words?
• How can you live more intentionally to reflect God’s holiness so others are drawn to His glory through you?

ENGAGE

• What is the impact of Jesus beginning the Lord’s Prayer by focusing on God’s name and holiness rather than our needs?
• How does understanding the cultural importance of God’s name deepen your reverence for Him?
• In what practical ways can we as believers help each other “hallow” God’s name in our daily lives and witness?