Module # 3- Kingdom of God

Ryleigh Richard

Similarities and Differences Between The Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 22

Similarities Differences
- Both begin with addressing God in a - The tone of The Lord’s Prayer is one of
personal relationship sense (“Our praise and petitions to God, while the
Father…” and “My God, My God”) tone of Psalm 22 is one of laments, and
- Both ask God to save them from Evil only turns to when God answers his
(“But deliver us from evil” and petitions
“Deliver my soul from the sword… my - The Lord’s Prayer, although containing
life from the power of the dog…Save me petitions, petitions are less urgent than
from the mouth of the lion…”) those that are petitioned in Psalm 22
- Both contain petitions for God (“Lead - The Lord’s Prayer asks God for
us not into temptation, but deliver us forgiveness and the strength to forgive
from evil” and “Do not be far from me, others (“And forgive us our trespasses as
for trouble is near and there is no one to we forgive those who trespass against
help” us”), while Psalm 22 does not ask for
- Both speak of God being holy and forgiveness
sacred (“Hallowed be thy name” and “Yet - Psalm 22 contains a verse where the
you are holy, enthroned on the praises of writer feels as if God has abandoned him
Israel” (“My God, my God, why have you
- Both speak of praise of God at the end forsaken me? Why are you so far from
(“For Thine is the kingdom and the saving me, so far from my cries of
power and the glory forever and ever”, anguish”) while in The Lord’s Prayer
and “I will tell of your name to my there is no sense of abandonment from
brothers and sisters; in the midst of the God
congregation I will praise you: You who
fear the LORD, praise him!”)

Both The Lord’s Prayer and Psalm 22 have noticeable differences and
similarities. However, probably the most prominent difference between the two is
the tone. While the tone of The Lord’s Prayer is one of praise to God, and petitions to
God, Psalm 22 has a tone of lament and anguish, but also praise once God answers
the writer’s petitions. The writer begins Psalm 22 with a question to God, allowing
the reader to feel a sense of abandonment, but ends with the writer praising God
after He has answered his petitions. Another difference between the two is that in
The Lord’s Prayer, there is a petition for forgiveness and the strength to forgive
others, while there is no mention on that in Psalm 22. A few similarities between the
two are: they both begin with a personal address to God, giving the sense that there
is a deeper relationship between both. Another major similarity is that both are
petitions, and make numerous petitions to God, asking for help and strength. One
final similarity is that both the prayer and the psalm end with high praise of God.
 The Lord’s Prayer reflects a distinctively Christian outlook as it the prayer
that Jesus initially gave to his disciples when showing them how to pray to God. The
petitions asked in The Lord’s Prayer are in accordance to how we strive to live as
Christian people (forgive others, stay away from temptation, stray from evil, etc.).
They reflect ways in which we should act as we try to be children of God. It also
petitions to help us stray from sin, which is a reminder of the Original Sin mentioned
in Genesis. Overall, The Lord’s Prayer is reflects a distinctly Christian outlook as the
petitions truly exemplify the beliefs we hold of how to act as children of God.