Two versions of the Lord's prayer are recorded in the gospels: a longer version in Matthew and a shorter one in Luke. Lutheran theologian Harold Buls has suggested that both were original, the Matthew version spoken by Jesus early in his ministry in Galilee, and the Luke version one year later, "very likely in Judea".^[4]

The prayer has been called "the summary of the gospel" and has been a core part of church liturgy since the very beginning. While I reject many of the doctrines from the church that initially recorded this version of the prayer, I don't believe that any denomination or even heretic gets to claim and then taint scripture for their own purposes in such a way that God won't use His word in faithful churches.

I don't think it's essential for every song to be word-for-word from the ESV, and there is massive benefit in songwriters aimed at the gathering using their creative abilities to write songs that speak to real life struggles and celebrations. The word of God interacts with every sphere of life, and I would argue that authenticity (as defined biblically and not culture) is more important now than ever before. Artists in every local church have the opportunity to bridge the Sunday experience and the everyday stuff of life.

If you need a moment to connect yourself to the history of the saints that have gone before us, sing along with this one.