Glorious, Splendiferous Majesty

 August 2, 2023

David’s life was far from easy. As a young shepherd, he had the responsibility of caring for the flock, facing off against both lion and bear. He refused to be cowed by Goliath’s size, and ran towards his towering adversary. He was a man on the run for most of his predecessor’s reign, and even as king, trouble dogged his every step. His was not a life of unencumbered success.

The psalms he wrote often had themes of tragedy, loneliness, danger, and despair, but at some point in his lament, he always would turn to God for strength, guidance, and hope. This morning, as I read one of these psalms, I was struck by the contrast between how David approached life and how I did the same.

“I will extol You, my God, O King; 

And I will bless Your name forever and ever. 

Every day I will bless You, 

And I will praise Your name forever and ever. 

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; 

And His greatness is unsearchable. 

One generation shall praise Your works to another, 

And shall declare Your mighty acts. 

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, 

And on Your wondrous works.”

—Psalm 145:1-5 

The second phrase strikes me: “Every day I will bless you…” So much of my prayers are requests; “God, do this, give me that, help that person…” Precious little of my prayer time is invested in blessing and praising God. “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.” We ask God for things, but do we recognize his greatness, his ability and willingness to intervene? So often, the mindset behind our prayers is more like wishful thinking than faithful praying.

Then there are these words: “I will meditate on the glorious splendor of your majesty.” The words roll easily off the tongue, but it seems as if David were piling up words to emphasize his point: “Glorious. Splendor. Majesty.” I cannot even begin to parse the depth of those words; God’s Person is so far beyond my wildest imagination that these descriptions only skim the surface of who he is. But if I meditate upon such words, my heart begins to grasp the hem of his garment, as it were. Worry and weariness are supplanted by peace, joy, and hope. The troubles of this life are diminished, cut down to their proper size next to the immensity of God. 

Let those words sink in: “the glorious splendor of God’s majesty.” Repeat them over and over till they seep into your soul and shape your unconscious self. And remember that this One whose greatness is beyond our understanding loves you. Just as you are, but so that you don’t have to stay that way. He wants you not only to see the glorious splendor of his majesty; he wants you to partake of it, to experience it for yourself, no matter what trial you are going through at the moment.