Untangling Glory: How We Give God What He Already Has
On what it means to "give God glory"
The Bible is filled with examples and exhortations to give God glory. But what do we mean by give? Since God doesn’t need it, what are we doing?
We see the Psalms telling us to “ascribe” glory to God.
Psalm 96:7–9
7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!
Ascribe means “to give.” The NLT translated “ascribe” as “recognize” and “give” and then as “honor” in Psalm 29:1. That helps us see what is happening here, especially with the words “due” in verse 8 and “worship” in verse 9.
God is deserving of glory from us. We aren’t adding to his glory—the public power, grandness, holiness, majesty, the undisputed and unrivaled awesomeness of God—when we give God glory. His glory is radiating from eternity past. And, we give him glory because of his glory. We live for his glory, his name. But how do we recognize and give glory?
So, here’s the knot in our understanding to untangle:
God is glorious. He’s the King of it (Ps. 24:8).
God has glory. He’s the God of it (Ps. 29:3).
God gets glory. He calls for it (Rev 4:11).
God’s glory is our target. We live for it (1 Cor 10:31).
How do these four realities operate together? How do we give God glory? How are we not adding when we ascribe glory to him?
Here’s a brief meditation on what it means to give God glory. 5 things:
1) To Give God Glory is to Apprehend His Glory
First, we must see his glory. We behold it in the Scriptures—his mighty deeds, his character, his promises, his gospel, his love, and Christ’s dying and rising. We see creation declaring his awesomeness. This creates a chain reaction of awe, agreement, alignment, and announcement. We recognize it and respond to it.
2) To Give God Glory is to be in Awe of Him
There’s an emotional response to his glory. We are affected by it. If we truly apprehend or ascertain—see—God’s glory, we are changed by it. We may fall on our faces like Isaiah, repent, or be filled with joy. But the glory of God does something to the beholder. We are transformed (2 Cor 3:18).
3) To Give God Glory is to Agree with Him
There is a mental recognition and praise of God’s awesomeness. “Oh, Lord, you are great! You are loving and good and kind. Your steadfast love endures forever.” Giving God glory is to agree with his majesty. We believe it! “There’s none like you.” I put this after awe because the emotional response of joy, wonder, and delight tends to happen milliseconds before we put words to it. We see glory, savor his glory, and then say things about God’s glory. I’m not trying to be too technical here, but giving contours of what it means to give God glory.
4) To Give God Glory is to Align with Him
Giving God glory includes repentance from sin. It involves changing our thinking and behavior and getting in step with God’s word and ways (Josh 7:19). It involves relocating our hopes, dreams, plans, and wants—our lives—in alignment with God’s glory. This is our obedience to him from the Scriptures. Agreeing and aligning, mental and volitional responses to his glory.
5) To Give God glory is to Announce His Glory to All
We want to share God’s glory with others. We glorify and honor God when we tell about his marvelous deeds and steadfast love and grace to the world (Ps 145:11–12). We give God glory when encourage believers with God’s word, attributes, promises, etc. And we give God glory when we evangelize unbelievers with the glorious gospel of grace.
Summary: To give the glorious God glory is to:
Apprehend
Awe
Agree
Align
Announce