“Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised
in the city of our God!
We have thought on your steadfast love, O God,
in the midst of your temple.
As your name, O God,
so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.
Your right hand is filled with righteousness.” Psalm 48:1,9-10
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11
Christ’s name is exalted above every other name, and so shall be His praise be higher, louder, and richer than any other! He is great beyond description, so His praise should be lush, robust, unending! He alone is worthy of all glory and honor and praise, and we His children should be daily participating in that heavenly chorus!
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honor and power!” Revelation 4:11
Yet, we are so stuck on praising ourselves, our efforts, our achievements. We are enamored with hearing our own voices, and the compliments of others. We interject in conversations, boast about our experiences, pontificate about all we know, and gloat in attention. The more we pamper our arrogance and garner selfish attention, the less we pay attention to God. As we focus inward and relish the limelight, we smother His greatness and grandeur and His glory appears to pale. This must not be!
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation 5:12
Would we look up and out to know His name? How will we deem it, in word and practice, more important than our own? When do we acquaint ourselves with the Lord in scripture, and recite His names in praise? This sets us both in proper place.
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” Revelation 5:13
What needs to change or be rearranged in order for the honor of His name to take precedence in our daily litany of chores and chatter? What we love and how we speak reveal who and what hold priority in our life.
“Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.
Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,
nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;
thy justice like mountains high soaring above
thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.
To all life thou givest, to both great and small;
in all life thou livest, the true life of all;
we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,
and wither and perish but naught changeth thee.
Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,
thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;
all praise we would render, O help us to see
’tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.” ~Walter Chalmers Smith (1867)
Lord, as Your holy name dwells within, may my praises swell to Your glory.
As the rain and snow 