Holy be Your name

God is aloft and yet very close to us. What do you feel about the following words of His?
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:8-11). Majestic, aren't they? God is holy indeed. Amen.
Psalm 34 consists of 22 verses (not counting the heading which explains that David feigned madness before Abimelech to escape). There are 22 Hebrew alphabets and indeed, Psalm 34 is an alphabetical psalm, each verse begins with a Hebrew alphabet in order. Structurally, I think it is chiastic. The form is ABCDEE'D'C'B'A'. You can locate the theme in the centre. The fear of the Lord brings good life. There are many possible permutations and I hope you enjoy the following rearrangement. In ordinary time, I love the 7-16 group best. Verses 18-19 are best for now. Message me when you come up with another one.
"Come, O sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the LORD" (Psalm 34:11).
What man is there who desires life, and covets many days, that he may enjoy good? (34:12).
O fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want! (34:9)
The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing (34:10).
Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit (34:13).
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it (34:14).
O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him! (34:8)
The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry
(34:15).
The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them (34:7).
The face of the LORD is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth (34:16).
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles (34:6).
When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles (34:17).
I sought the LORD, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears (34:4).
Look to him, and be radiant; so your faces shall never be ashamed (34:5).
The LORD is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit (34:18).
Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the LORD delivers him out of them all (34:19).
O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together! (34:3)
He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken (34:20).
My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and be glad (34:2).
Evil shall slay the wicked; and those who hate the righteous will be condemned (34:21).
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth (34:1).
The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned (34:22).

Matthew teaches the Lord's Prayer today (Matthew 6:9-13). Pope Benedict XVI devotes a whole chapter in his book Jesus of Nazareth. It would be presumptuous of me to comment on this prayer. But I would like to meditate on 'Holy be Your name ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου'.
Jews do a good job in venerating God's name. There is a commandment to forbid taking God's name in vain. Whenever they have to pronounce the 4 alphabets (יהוה) of God's name in their Scripture, they say Adonai (the Lord) or Elohim (God) instead. (Just a point of interest, after her death, Empress Dowager Cixi was honoured with a title of 25 characters  孝欽慈禧端佑康頤昭豫莊誠壽恭欽獻崇熙配天興聖顯皇后, to sing praises of her virtues!) God is extremely economical in naming Himself, allowing a lot of room for scholars to speculate on the nature of His divinity.
God is holy. Everything His is holy. But why did Jesus teach us to venerate holy His name only? Probably, it had to do with the Jewish religious beliefs of his days. As for me, God is holy.

Holy, Holy, Holy God. Holy, Holy, Holy God. Holy, Holy, Holy God. No string of holies is enough to express my awe. May Your holiness shine forth and inspire fear in my heart to tame it. Amen.