Our Father Who Are in Heaven—IIa
Our Father who art in heaven
This hymn presents Luther's understanding of the Lord's Prayer as the fundamental Christian petition, grounding prayer in God's fatherly relationship with believers. It exemplifies Lutheran catechetical theology by making this prayer accessible and memorable through hymnody.
History & Background
Luther composed this metrical paraphrase of the Lord's Prayer as part of his catechetical materials in the 1530s-1540s. The hymn appears in various German hymnals and was subsequently translated into English for Lutheran worship.
Hymnal Appearances
- Lutheran Service Book — 958
Translation
Bulletin Note
Luther's 1539 catechetical hymn on the Lord's Prayer. Set to the tune 'Vater Unser,' it makes this ancient prayer singable, memorable, and accessible to all believers—young and old—as foundational Christian speech.
Preaching Connection
This hymn transforms the Law's exposure of our need into Gospel petition, showing how Luther understood prayer as the believer's joyful response to God's fatherhood—the place where conviction of sin meets assurance of grace.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: from human dependence and sinfulness through petition for daily provision and forgiveness, to confident trust in God's fatherly care and doxological affirmation of the Trinity
Themes
The Lord's Prayer Divine fatherhood Petition and intercession God's kingdom Catechetical teaching