Deliver us from evil is a prominent and disturbing element
in the shortest but most pregnant prayer there is
Gram Parsons wrote in Hickory Wind that trouble is real
It is and this prayer acknowledges that we can fall into it
Trouble becomes evil when it willfully harms others
with words or deeds
Harm can be defined by leading to or involving death
We do not have the right to kill
Evil is human-made
So this prayer makes no bones about it
Deliver us means rescue us
Deliver us means save us
It is no accident that the previous line of the prayer is
Lead us not into temptation
When we are in trouble
and close to being enveloped by evil
we need to see the harm that we are doing by our actions -
including our silence
This should create remorse
It should lead one to be thankful
that we have this twelve line prayer
a gift to every last human being on the planet
A prayer that asks simply
that you live a life that
forgives others as you are forgiven
