Charles Spurgeon Commentary Luke 11

It seemed to this disciple as if he did not know how to pray after he had heard Christ pray. The prayer of Jesus was so infinitely above anything that he had ever reached that he said, "Lord, teach us to pray"; and, as if he felt that he needed a precedent for asking such hallowed instruction, he said, "Teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."

We must all feel that if we are to pray properly, we must be taught of God, by his Holy Spirit. We are full of infirmities, and if there is any time when our infirmities are felt most, it is when we engage in prayer, but the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as are ought (Romans 8:26).

Let us, then, breathe this prayer to our great Teacher, "Lord, teach us to pray."

When we come to God in prayer, we are inclined to think first of our own necessities. But if we came rightly, in the spirit of sonship, truly saying, Our Father who are in heaven, we should begin our prayer like this: Hallowed be your name. May all people honor, reverence, and adore your holy name. Your kingdom come. We are not satisfied that you should be anything less than king; our heart's desire is this: Reign, gracious God, over us and over all people. Your will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Your will be done, rather than ours.

Now comes a prayer for ourselves:

"Give us, O Lord, what we really need; not that which would be a luxury, but that which is a necessity. Give us, as we will need it day by day, what we will then actually need, our daily bread." We are not warranted in asking much more than this in temporal matters. They are all comprehended in this petition as far as they are necessary, but God has not given us carte blanche to ask for wealth, or honour, or any such dangerous things. There is no harm in asking for bread, and He will give us that.

And forgive us our sins;

We also need to pray this prayer; I do not think that our Savior ever anticipated a time when his disciples on earth would not need to pray, Forgive us our sins.

For we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation;

"Lord, do not try us and test us more than is absolutely necessary, for we are so apt to fall: Lead us not into temptation; but, if we must be tempted," —

Deliver us from evil.

"If some good end is to be answered by our being thus tested, then let it be so, but, O Lord, deliver us from evil, and especially from the evil one; do not let us fall into his hands in the hour of temptation."

This man was in a sad plight; his friend was faint and hungry, and he himself was willing enough to entertain him, but he had nothing to set before him. So he acts very wisely; he goes to a friend, and asks him to lend him three loaves.