Wednesday 29 January 2014

GIVING GLORY AND STRENGTH TO GOD?

Psalm 29 begins with these words: ” Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, Give unto the LORD glory and strength.” (New King James Version)

Sounds fine… until you stop and think about it. How can anyone give glory and strength to God who is already infinite in these things?

I see at least three possible answers to this.

Firstly, the word 'give' can also mean ‘ascribe’. If we ascribe glory and strength to God, we don't actually give Him anything but we acknowledge the strength and glory that He already has. 

Secondly, it can mean that our praise to God somehow enhances Him in the eyes of others around us. As we testify of the goodness and power of God in our lives, there’s a sense in which His glory and strength grow into hearts that may not have acknowledged these things before. Hence - more glory for God.

“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God (2 Cor 4:15).”

But thirdly, it can also mean that we bring the best of our glory and strength and lay it all down before Him. Not that our glory and strength adds anything to God, even if we are, as David suggests, “mighty ones”. We bow in awe before this God. Rather than big-noting ourselves, we give our best to Him in an act of adoration and worship.

People of this world seek and love glory, the admiration of others. The promise of God is infinitely better because, in Christ, we get to be partakers of His glory in the final wash-up of all things (1 Pet 5:1,4).

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