Give us this day our daily bread.
That is,
God gives daily bread indeed without our prayer even to the wicked; but we pray in this petition that He would help us to appreciate His benefits, that we may receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
By daily bread is meant all those things which are needed for our support and well-being in life, as food and clothing, home and property, happy family relations, a good government, favorable weather, peace and health, faithful friends, good neighbors, and the like.
THE FIFTH PETITION.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
That is,
We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor, on account of them, deny our prayer, for we are not worthy of anything we ask, neither have we deserved it; but we pray that He would give it to us out of His mercy; for we sin every day, and deserve nothing but punishment.
And we on our part will heartily forgive those who have sinned against us, and return good for evil.