Stop to think about the name of the Lord. There’s just something about that name that should lead us to proclaim, “Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory” (Ps. 115:1).
What Is It About His Name?
The Bible refers to the Lord’s name in the following ways:
endures forever (Ps. 135:13)
exalted above all things (Ps. 148:13)
glorious (Ps. 72:19)
great and awesome (Ps. 99:3)
holy and awesome (Ps. 111:9)
majestic (Ps. 8:9)
reaches to the ends of the earth (Ps. 48:10)
strong tower (Prov. 18:10)
Scripture further attributes these qualities to God’s name:
always good (Ps. 52:9)
always near (Ps. 75:1)
always loving (Ps. 115:1)
always faithful (Ps. 115:1)
We can’t say the same about our own name or that of anyone else past or present. Consequently, we exclaim, “Not to us but to your name be the glory!”
What Happens When We Give Glory to the Name of the Lord?
If we truly mean it when we say, “Not to us but to your name be the glory!” then we should find ourselves doing the following:
acknowledge His name (Ps. 91:14)
ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name (Ps. 29:2; 96:8)
bless people in the name of the LORD (Ps. 129:8)
call on His name (Ps. 80:18; 116:4, 13, 17)
exalt His name together (Ps. 34:3)
extol His name for ever and ever (Ps. 145:2)
fear His name (Ps. 86:11; 102:15)
give thanks to His holy name (Ps. 106:47)
glorify His name forever (Ps. 86:9, 12)
glory in His holy name (Ps. 105:3)
hope in His name (Ps. 52:9)
lift up our banners in the name of our God (Ps. 20:5)
love His name (Ps. 69:36; 119:132)
make music to His name (Ps. 92:1)
praise His holy name (Ps. 30:4; 44:8; 96:2; 99:3; 100:4; 103:1; 113:1-3; 135:1; 140:13; 145:1, 21; 148:5)
praise His name with dancing (Ps. 149:3)
proclaim His name (Ps. 105:1)
rejoice in His name all day long (Ps. 89:16)
remember His name (Ps. 119:55)
seek His name (Ps. 83:16)
sing praise to His name (Ps. 9:2; 18:49; 61:8; 66:2, 4; 68:4; 69:30; 135:3)
swear by His name (Ps. 63:11)
trust in name of Lord (Ps. 9:10; 20:7; 33:21)
Notice the scope in terms of time — now and forever. Also note the range of means — from our words to what we do, from how we relate to Him to how we live for Him. At all times and in all ways, may we say, “Not to us but to your name be the glory!”
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