April 23: To Your Name Alone Give Glory
♫ Music:
Day 53 - Saturday, April 23
Title: TO YOUR NAME ALONE GIVE GLORY
Scripture: Psalm 113: 1-6; Psalm 115
Praise the Lord!
Praise, O servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord!
Blessed be the name of the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its going down
The Lord’s name is to be praised.
The Lord is high above all nations,
His glory above the heavens.
Who is like the Lord our God,
Who dwells on high,
Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”
But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.
Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
O Israel, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
The Lord has been mindful of us;
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
He will bless those who fear the Lord,
Both small and great.
May the Lord give you increase more and more,
You and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!
Poetry:
From “Christ’s Triumph after Death”
by Giles Fletcher
About the holy city rolls a flood
Of molten crystal, like a sea of glass,
On which weak stream a strong foundations stood,
Of living diamonds the building was,
That all things else, besides itself, did pass.
Her streets, instead of stones, the stars did pave,
And little pearls, for dust, it seemed to have,
On which soft-streaming manna, like pure snow,
did wave.
In midst of this city celestial
Where the eternal temple should have rose,
Lightened the Idea Beatifical:
End, and beginning of each thing that grows,
Whose self no end, nor yet beginning knows,
That hath no eyes to see nor ears to hear,
Yet sees, and hears, and is all-eye, all-ear,
That no where is contained, and yet is everywhere
GLORY AND PRAISE2
As we open our Bibles to Psalm 113 and 115, we find the formula: God = Glory and Praise2. So, what do I mean by this? God is worthy of all glory and praise, simply because of who he is…nothing more needs to be said. Yes, nothing more! But these psalms do add more, noting that God is also worthy of all praise and glory because of what he has done. So, there you have it: God = Glory and Praise2! Combining the teaching of these psalms, I find three very important points.
#1 Our Only God: He is the One Who is “Other Than” anything in This World
In his book, Holiness of God, R. C. Sproul uses the words, “other than,” as his definition of holiness, meaning that there is no comparison for God in this world. He is. And he alone is who he is. So, what do these two psalms teach us about this truth?
First, he is “other than” this world. In Psalm 113:4, “the Lord is high above all nations and his glory above the heavens.” And Psalm 115:16 adds, “The heavens are the Lord’s heavens.”
Second, he is “other than” the gods of this world. Psalm 115:2-7 teaches that the Lord is in the heavens and is sovereign over all, completely independent; whereas the gods of this world are on the earth, nothing more than the work of a created being’s hands.
And, third, he is “other than” the people of his world. Psalm 113:6 teaches that he has to “look far down…on the earth” where we find our humble abode. Psalm 115:1a reminds us that we do not receive glory like him, and 115:16 reminds us that he is high above “the earth he has given to the children of men.”God is unique. He is simply “other than.” There is not one legitimate comparison, making him our “only” God.
#2 Our Only Hope: He is the One Who Moves Toward Us in Our Need
Look closely at the words above: moves toward. This truth is one of my favorites when I read about God in the Bible because he moves toward his rebellious creation on every page. God moves toward…even in the worst of situations. This leads the psalmist to ask an important question in Psalm 113:5—“Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high…?” Let that question sit in your thoughts as we look at how the psalmists answer this.
First, who is like him to stoop down like he does to help humanity in their time of need? In Psalm 113:5-9, God “raises the poor from the dust,” “lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes,” and “gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children.” Who is like him?
Second, who is like him to be our helper and protector? Psalm 115:9-11 reminds us three times that he is our “help” and “shield.” And, as a result, three times we are also reminded that he is to be the focus of our trust. Who is like him?
And, third, who is like him to be our blesser? Psalm 115:12-15 teaches that, regardless of our situation, the Lord “remembers,” and he will bless. Not “might” bless…he “will” bless! Yes, who is like him?
#3 Our Only Praise/Glory: He is the One Who Is Worthy of All Glory and Praise
Because he is our “only” God and our only hope, it necessarily follows that giving him all praise and glory is our only response. And these psalms lead us to do just that. In fact, each psalm is framed with calls to praise, bless, and give glory.
Psalm 113 begins with “Praise the Lord! Praise...the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be blessed.” And it ends with “Praise the Lord!”
Psalm 115 beings with “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name be glory….” And it ends with “…we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!”
Praise be to his holy name because of who he is and what he has done. Blessed be his name forever!
Prayer
Father, in your mercy, help us to respond to you in the way you deserve. We realize that we cannot even do this without your help. So, transform our hearts to get us closer to what it means to give you glory and praise due your name. In Jesus’ Name,
Amen
Dr. David L. Talley
Professor of Old Testament
Chair, Old Testament Department
Talbot School of Theology
Faculty Athletics Representative
Biola University
Pastor of Theology and Teaching
Cornerstone Church
Long Beach, CA
For more information about the artwork, music, and poetry selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
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About the Artwork:
Casting Crowns Installation/Performance
Denise Weyhrich
2020 to present
Installation of golden antenna, red pitchfork, gray earbuds, two wine
barrel bands, hundreds of Covid-19 newspaper articles folded into paper airplanes.
As Covid-19 hit our world, all of our lives seemed so overwhelming. The question of how to live well in isolation and the desire to reach out to those hurting equally drove us to be proponents of healing. So artist Denise Weyhrich asked herself, “What do I do? How can I make the world a better place? How can I purposefully make a difference?” She prayed, researched, created, and prayed. In response to her questions, she began to fold newspaper reports of the pandemic into prayer airplanes. Then when walking home one evening, she found an immaculate golden antenna—it was a perfect symbolic target for the planes and prayers. Weyhrich explains that “as I release all these ‘impossibles’ to God, these flying prayers are offered for healing. In order to hold up the antenna all the other elements came together as more symbols revealed themselves. Thus with two wine barrel bands beneath, a red pitch fork set into the earth and lashed all together with tiny gray earbuds.” These symbolic paper airplanes are prayers given and released to God by the artist, friends, and other participants across the globe over and over again, because we hold fast and believe we must “[cast] all [our] care upon Him, for He cares for [us]” (1 Peter 5:7).
About the Artist:
Denise Kufus Weyhrich is an artist, curator, and educator in Orange, California. She taught graphic design at California State University at Long Beach and Chapman University in Orange, California, until her retirement in 2004. Weyhrich was the founding professor of the B.F.A. program at Chapman University. Since 2003, she has been the co-curator of SEEDS Fine Art Exhibits, a nonprofit that supports artists of faith by transforming galleries into sacred spaces with fine art exhibitions. In her personal work, Weyhrich explores themes of the balance of life, health, and healing. By exploring those places of suffering and sharing common human experiences through authentic forms, her art resonates with the quest for authenticity and honesty. Human forms are often substituted with used found objects that bear the markings of a life well-lived.
http://deniseweyhrich.com/k/Denise_Weyhrich.html
www.seedsfineart.org
About the Music #1:
“Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord” from the album O Come, Let Us Sing
Lyrics #1:
Praise ye the Lord, Praise Him,
O ye servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forever more.
From the rising of the sun, from the rising of the sun,
to the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised.
(repeat)
Praise the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord.
Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forever more.
From the rising of the sun, from the rising of the sun,
to the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised.
(repeat)
Blessed be the name,
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
The Lord is high above all nations,
is high above all nations,
and His glory, His glory above the heavens,
His glory above the heavens.
The Lord is high above all nations,
and His glory above the heavens!
Blessed be the name of the Lord
from this time forth and forever more.
From the rising of the sun, from the rising of the sun,
to the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised.
Praise ye the Lord,
Praise Him, O ye servants of the Lord,
Praise the name of the Lord, praise the Lord!
About the Performers #1:
Wheaton College Women’s Chorale, under the guidance of director Mary Hopper, maintains a busy concert schedule on the Wheaton College campus and beyond, singing for enthusiastic audiences around the United States, Europe, and the British Isles. The public concert experiences of the chorale are undergirded by a rigorous rehearsal schedule and social activities which strengthen the bonds of friendship and fellowship in Jesus Christ. In addition to ministry in churches around the nation and campus appearances, the women's chorale has performed at both the regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). Listeners far and wide have praised the ensemble for its superb music-making and Christian witness.
https://www.wheaton.edu/wheaton-college-conservatory-of-music/ensembles/womens-chorale/
About the Composer #1:
Dale Grotenhuis (1931–2012) retired in 1993 from Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa, where he served as director of choral activities and taught courses in conducting, choral music education, theory, composition, and analysis. He conducted the Dordt College concert choir, which toured annually to all areas of the United States, Canada, and Europe. He conducted clinics, festivals, and all-state choirs in Iowa, Illinois, Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Montana and conducted workshops and clinics at the Universities of Wisconsin, Oklahoma, and Georgia. Grotenhuis had a master's degree in music from Michigan State University. He conducted the 2nd Army Band Male Chorus and was chief music arranger for the 2nd Army Band while in the armed services. He has received awards including the Outstanding Educators of America award (1985), the McCowan Award from the Iowa Choral Conductors Association (1985), and an International Distinguished Leadership award (1989). He is credited with over two hundred choral works in print and his arrangements can also be found in many hymnals.
https://www.halleonard.com/biography/306/dale-grotenhuis
About the Music #2:
Psalm 115, “Not Unto Us,” from the album Hold Fast
Lyrics #2:
[Spoken Word]
Not to us, Lord, not to us
But to Your name be glory
Because of Your love and faithfulness
Why do the nations say
“Where is their God?”
Our God is in heaven
He does whatever pleases him
But their idols are silver and gold
Made by human hands
They have mouths, but cannot speak
Eyes, but cannot see
They have ears, but cannot hear
Noses, but cannot smell
They have hands, but cannot feel
Feet, but cannot walk
Nor can they utter a sound from their throats
Those who make them will be like them
And so will all who trust in them
All you Israelites, trust in the Lord
He is their help and shield
House of Aaron, trust in the Lord
He is their help and shield
All who fear him, trust in the Lord
He is their help and shield.
The Lord remembers us and will bless us
He will bless us, his people Israel
He will bless the house of Aaron
He will bless those who fear the Lord
Small and great alike
May the Lord cause you to flourish
Both you and your children
May you be blessed by the Lord
The Maker of heaven and earth
The highest heavens belong to the Lord
But the earth he has given to mankind
It is not the dead who praise the Lord
Those who go down to the place of silence
It is we who extol the Lord
Both now and forevermore
Praise The Lord
About the Performer:
Narrated by Jon Mohr
Jon Mohr is a voice-over artist/actor. He started voice-over work in high school and has had several successful careers. He has worked as a session singer, CCM artist with the Gaither Vocal Band, and a prolific songwriter in Nashville. Mohr also lived overseas in Ukraine for nine years, working with hospitals and orphanages along with his wife and their six children. In the last thirteen years Jon has voiced literally thousands of voice-overs, including the new CSB version of the Bible from Lifeway Publishing. He also narrated the Discovery Channel documentary Secrets of the Lost Ark. Mohr currently works from his state-of-the-art home studio in Nashville, Tennessee. He was invited by Steve Green to add his voice to the album Hold Fast by reciting Psalm 115.
https://www.jonmohr.com/
https://tgilm66138.wixsite.com/sogospotlight/single-post/2018/02/13/spotlight-cd-review-hold-fast-steve-green
About the Composer:
Greg Nelson (b. 1948) is a music producer and composer from Nashville. Nelson has produced thirteen gold records and three platinum records. He has received twenty Dove Awards as well as over thirty nominations. In addition, his productions have garnered seven Grammy Awards and thirteen Grammy nominations for Sandi Patty and Larnelle Harris. He has received song, songwriter, and publisher awards from Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI), the Nashville Songwriters Association, and the Gospel Music Association. He received a BMI Special Contribution Award in appreciation of his many outstanding contributions to the world of Christian music. Nelson has written several hymns in The Celebration Hymnal and the Baptist hymnals. "People Need The Lord," written by Phill McHugh and Nelson, is considered a modern Christian classic. In 1994, with the Nashville-based Christian songwriter Bob Farrell, he composed, produced, and recorded Saviour, described as a modern oratorio or Christian musical. It has toured widely in the US, Europe, and Russia. Nelson began serving in a dual role at LifeWay Worship in 2004 as an exclusive songwriter and as creative supervisor for song and writer development.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Nelson_(producer)
About the Poet:
Giles Fletcher (1586?–1623) was an English cleric and poet chiefly known for his long allegorical poem Christ's Victory and Triumph (1610). Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, he remained in Cambridge after his ordination, becoming reader in Greek grammar in 1615 and reader in Greek language in 1618. His principal work has the full title Christ's Victorie and Triumph, in Heaven, in Earth, Over and After Death, and consists of four cantos. The first canto, “Christ's Victory in Heaven,” represents a dispute in heaven between justice and mercy, using the facts of Christ's life on earth; the second, “Christ's Victory on Earth,” deals with an allegorical account of Christ's temptation; the third, “Christ's Triumph over Death,” covers the passion; and the fourth, “Christ's Triumph after Death,” covering the resurrection and ascension, and ends with an affectionate eulogy of his brother Phineas as Thyrsilis. English poet John Milton borrowed liberally from “Christ's Victory and Triumph” in Paradise Regained.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giles_Fletcher
About the Devotion Author:
Dr. David L. Talley
Chair, Old Testament Department
Talbot School of Theology
Faculty Athletics Representative
Biola University
Pastor of Theology and Teaching at Cornerstone Church, Long Beach, CA
David Talley loves teaching the next generation of students the incredible and eternal truths of God in order to prepare them to impact the world for Jesus Christ. A professor of Old Testament and faculty athletics representative, he also serves as pastor of theology and teaching at Cornerstone Church in Long Beach, California, and partners with the international church, providing training to pastors and churches in Northern Africa and in persecuted countries.