Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.

Psalm 115:1

What do you think of when you hear the word glory? What does it mean, and what does it take, for someone to be glorious?

Typically, most people would associate glory with some sort of majestic beauty or unsurpassed power. Glory implies an impressiveness that far exceeds the norm.

Psalm 115 insists on God being recognised and acknowledged for his impressiveness. It is improper to place creatures above their creator, or those who have been rescued about their saviour. Glory belongs to the one on whom we rely for our life, safety and sustenance.

But the quality of Yahweh that Psalm 115 highlights is not his power or strength (though these aspects are never far from view). Rather, his name is to be glorified–he is to be personally known and revered– for his love and faithfulness, or (more strongly) for his unending devotion and unshakeable trustworthiness.

Nothing should impress us more than these inseparable truths and divine qualities. They are not qualities that are tangible or seen, but they are qualities we experience and from which we benefit. Love and faithfulness are internal qualities that are entirely directed towards others. At the point where they don’t have the other in mind, they fail to be love and faithfulness.

But God doesn’t fail in anything, and his devoted commitment to his people is unsurpassed in its ability to provide lasting satisfaction and security for us. This is our bedrock for worship.

Sadly for many, this is not enough. We need to see. We need to taste. We need to touch. And so we are inclined to make gods in our image, of our own imagination. Things that appear to give us what we want, but fail on account of their lack of unseen quality. Such gods have no emotion, no personality, and no commitment or ability to provide for our well being.

But our God is trustworthy, and his glory is in his devotion to us. This is love. Not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. His unseen qualities are demonstrated and revealed in his Son. Let us rest and rejoice in that all our days.