Praising God helps us remember that no matter what predicament we might face, no problem is too big for God; He can and will help us get through it. God wants us to lean on Him more and rely less on ourselves and our own limited strengths.
The instruction to “glorify” God is woven throughout the Bible. A verse that might immediately come to mind is 1 Corinthians 10:31, which says “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” This verse has been inscribed on bumper stickers, notecards, magnets, shirts, mugs, and various home décor items, indicating just how popular it is.
In the book of Psalms, numerous passages tell us to “give glory” to God’s name or similarly, to “magnify” God …
Psalms 29:2, Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.
Psalms 34:3, Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
Psalms 35:27, Let them shout for joy and be glad, who favor my righteous cause; and let them say continually, “Let the Lord be magnified.”
Psalms 40:16, Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You;
Let such as love Your salvation say continually, “The Lord be magnified!”
You may also want to look at Psalms 69:30, 70:4 and 115:1.
Many well-loved hymns are based on these verses.
And then, in our daily conversations, we might use expressions like “Give the glory to God” and “Glory be to God.” The challenge for us is these phrases can become so familiar that we just gloss over the words or hear them without stopping to think about what they really mean.
The Hebrew words for glorify and magnify (kabod and gadal) and the Greek word for glorify (doxazo) all carry the idea of bestowing high esteem, honor or respect, or lifting up and exalt. We glorify or magnify God, or give glory to God, when we recognize, admire, value, or extol His attributes and acts — His holy righteous character, creative brilliance, miraculous works, and boundless wisdom. We certainly can’t make God any greater than He already is, but we can point out His majesty and when we do, we glorify Him. We also give glory to God when we live our lives in ways that please Him and reflect His goodness.
We can glorify God …
· By singing praises
· Through prayer
· By obeying God’s commands
· When we follow Jesus’ example
· Through giving
· When we work hard (using our gifts)
· By taking care of our bodies
As we think through ways we might glorify God, it becomes clear why He wants us to do this. It’s certainly not that God needs us to magnify Him, or that we are to do it to benefit Him. The true benefactors are us.
So, while it is true that God doesn’t need us to glorify Him, He is surely very pleased when we do. He knows we will live a much more hope-filled, joyous, and positive life when we look up to Him.
Excerpts from “What it Means to Glorify God” by Becky Sweat
