“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His Name.”
Psalm 29:1
At one time or another, most of us have tried to lose a little weight.
We’ve cut carbs, joined gyms, and participated in popular ‘fad diets.’ You name it, we’ve done it—all in the name of shedding a few pounds.
While losing weight is good for our physical health, there is another type of weight loss that jeopardizes our spiritual health.
Let me explain.
Kabod, the Hebrew word for ‘glory,’ literally means “weight.” Yet, the word wasn’t used to describe physical weight, such as ounces or pounds, but to describe something of significance or importance. It was a term used to designate people of great magnitude and substance. In other words, if you possessed kabod, you were worthy of honor and respect. Your life carried great ‘weight’ in society.
God’s glory is the ultimate ‘weight’ of all He is. It is the sum total of His “splendor and holiness” (Psalm 29:2). The New Testament tells us that Jesus Christ is “the radiance of God’s glory” (Hebrews 1:3). If you really think about it, His glory is the Most Significant, Most Important, Most Worthy entity in the universe. There is nothing more valuable than the exquisite, ineffable glory of God. Everything else pales in comparison.
So, when David exhorts us to “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name,” he’s not telling us to just casually say, “Glory to God,” and move on with our day. No, He wants us to show God the ‘weight’ He deserves, to give Him the honor He is due. Or, to put it another way- if it were possible to put God’s glory on a scale, it should outweigh every other area in our lives- our jobs, relationships, possessions, hobbies, etc. His glory is to hold supreme ‘weight’ in our lives.
Sadly, however, this is often not the case. Because of the sin in our hearts, God’s glory naturally loses its weight and significance. The Apostle Paul even says we “exchange God’s glory” for lesser things (Romans 1:23).
This is why we desperately need David’s words today…and every day. Properly understood, God’s glory realigns our hearts, reshapes our ambitions, and redirects our paths. David’s repetition conveys the seriousness of his plea. Three times in the first two verses, he exhorts us to “Ascribe, Ascribe, Ascribe” or “Give, Give, Give” glory to God.
This does not mean that we are giving God something He lacks. He doesn’t need us to replenish His glory, as if He’s running out. On the contrary, the Lord is eternally glorious. His glory never has or will diminish one bit. When we “ascribe glory to His name,” we are simply aligning ourselves with the truth of who He is and seeing things as they really are.
So, what about you? Is His glory not as important to you as it once was? Have you lost the weight of God’s glory?
Join with David as he and the “mighty ones” of heaven give glory to His name.
I guess, sometimes, it’s good to gain a little ‘weight.’ Right?
Written by Jonathan Munson, Executive Director, RFTH
DIG DEEPER
Read “To Him be the Glory Forever and Ever” by Bryant Wright
