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We exalt God by doing such things as glorifying, honoring, praising and thanking him. Exalting God is a very common theme in the Bible and should also be a prominent part of our lives. In fact the Bible tells us to praise and thank God constantly. The significance of exalting God is underlined by the first answer of the Westminster Shorter Catechism which says: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”
Glorify and Honor God
Glorify God, giving glory to him
Ps 22:23 All who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel. GW
Isa 24:15 [Isaiah:] Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. ESV
Honor God
Isa 26:13 Lord, our God, other masters besides you have ruled us, but we honor only you. NCV™
Glorify and honor God by thanksgiving and praise
Ps 69:30 [David:] I will praise God in a song and will honor him by giving thanks. NCV™
Dan 4:34b [Daniel:] Then I gave praise to the Most High God; I gave honor and glory to him who lives forever. God’s rule is forever, and his kingdom continues for all time. NCV™
Glorify God by how you live . . .
1Cor 10:31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. NET
God’s people are identified with him and so their lives are in a sense a reflection on God. Thus they should seek to do everything in a way that will bring glory to God.
. . . Glorify and honor God by good deeds and bearing fruit
Prov 14:31 Whoever mistreats the poor insults their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. NCV™
John 15:8 [Jesus, to his disciples:] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. ESV
Here “fruit” appears to refer to – or at least be applicable to – the product of work done for God’s kingdom. By bearing such good “fruit” we bring glory to God, showing ourselves to be disciples of the One sent by him.
Not glorifying and honoring God has detrimental outcomes
Rom 1:21 For although they [wicked people] knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts were darkened. NET
Mal 2:2a If you do not listen and take seriously the need to honor my name,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will send judgment on you and turn your blessings into curses … NET
Do Not Dishonor God
Do not blaspheme God
Ex 22:28 You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people. NET
Blaspheming God is to speak – or act – in a way that detracts from the honor of God.
Do not by your actions bring disgrace on God . . .
Prov 30:9b [Agur:] But if I am poor, I might steal and bring disgrace on my God. GNT
By ungodly actions God’s people can bring disgrace on God, dishonoring him. This is particularly so when the actions are known to other people, as it publicly reflects badly on God (cf. Ezek 36:19-20) as the one to whom his people belong.
. . . Live a life worthy of God
1Thes 2:12 [Paul, to the Thessalonian believers:] We comforted and encouraged you, urging you to live in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his kingdom and glory. ISV
Do not show disrespect for things of God
Lev 22:2b, 15 [God, to Moses:] I am the Lord God, and I demand that you honor my holy name by showing proper respect for the offerings brought to me by the people of Israel … 15I warn you not to treat lightly the offerings that are brought by the people of Israel. CEV
Additionally, do not treat God with contempt . . .
Num 14:11, 23 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to trust me in spite of all the miraculous signs I have done among them? … 23None of those who treat me with contempt will see it! GW
To treat God with contempt – or to scoff at God (as per the following subsection) – is demeaning and dishonoring to God. Note that v. 23 refers to not seeing the promised land.
. . . and do not scoff at God
2Chr 36:16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy. ESV
Note: We must treat God as holy
Isa 8:13 But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. ESV
Praise and Thank God
Praise God
Ps 146:1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! NET
Calls for all things everywhere to praise God
Ps 103:22 Praise the Lord, all that he has made, in all the regions of his kingdom! Praise the Lord, O my soul! NET
Ps 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! NET
Praise God constantly
Heb 13:15 Through him [Jesus Christ] then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, acknowledging his name. NET
Ps 34:1 [David:] I will praise the Lord at all times; my mouth will continually praise him. NET
Praise God forever
Ps 145:1-2 [David, to God:] I praise your greatness, my God the King; I will praise you forever and ever. 2I will praise you every day; I will praise you forever and ever. NCV™
Give thanks to God
Ps 100:4 Enter the temple gates with thanksgiving, go into its courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise him. GNT
As with praising God, thanking God for things exalts him (the subject of this chapter) for by doing so we attribute praiseworthy things to him.
Give thanks to God always
Eph 5:20 Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. NCV™
1Thes 5:16-18 [Paul, to believers:] Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ESV
Blessings of giving praise and thanks to God
Ps 89:15-16a [Ethan, to God:] Blessed are the people who know how to praise you. They walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. 16They find joy in your name all day long. GW
Ps 50:14-15 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, 15and call upon me [God] in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me. ESV
How to Give Praise and Thanks (I): General
Note that in this and the following section there are a handful of references to glorifying and honoring God as the topics are also relevant to doing them, with praise and thanksgiving being a major part of glorifying and honoring God.
In righteousness
Ps 33:1 Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. ESV
For our praise and thanksgiving to be valid and acceptable to God, it is critical that we be “righteous” and “upright”, striving to live righteous lives.
Wholeheartedly
Ps 9:1 [David:] I will thank the Lord with all my heart! I will tell about all your amazing deeds! NET
Through prayer
Dan 6:10b In the same way that he [Daniel] had always done, he knelt down in prayer three times a day, giving thanks to God. CEV
In singing . . .
Ps 47:6-7 Sing praises to God. Sing praises. Sing praises to our King. Sing praises. 7God is King of all the earth, so sing a song of praise to him. NCV™
Ps 28:7 [David:] The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I received help. My heart exalts, and I give thanks to him with my song. ISV
. . . along with making music
2Chr 5:13a The singers were accompanied in perfect harmony by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, as they praised the Lord, singing: “Praise the Lord, because he is good, And his love is eternal.” GNT
With dancing
Ps 149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing! Let them sing praises to him to the accompaniment of the tambourine and harp! NET
With lifting up of hands
Ps 134:2 Lift your hands toward the sanctuary and praise the Lord! NET
Loudly and with shouts
2Chr 20:19 Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the Lord God of Israel. NET
Ezra 3:11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. ESV
By making offerings
Ps 107:22 Let them present thank offerings, and loudly proclaim what he has done! NET
The OT practices of making formal offerings as expressions of thanksgiving, are paralleled by the giving of our resources to God and his work as an expression of our thankfulness for his goodness.
Note: Give praise and thanks to God with and among other people
Ps 34:3 Magnify the Lord with me! Let’s praise his name together! NET
Ps 35:18 [David, to God:] Then I will give you thanks in the great assembly; I will praise you before a large crowd of people! NET
As well as doing so by ourselves, we should also give praise and thanks to God with and among other people. Note that the things spoken of in the preceding subsections are applicable to praising and thanking God both individually and with others.
How to Give Praise and Thanks (II): Rejoicing
To rejoice is to be glad or joyful. By focusing on God, his promises and the wonderful things he has done – in the world, for others and for ourselves (including his many blessings) – we cannot help but be filled with joy, and so we rejoice. This is typically done in conjunction with praising and thanking God.
Rejoice in God
Ps 32:11 Rejoice in the Lord and be happy, you who are godly! Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright! NET
Phil 3:1a [Paul:] Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! NET
Note that rather than meaning rejoice in or because of the Lord (Jesus), here “rejoice in the Lord” (cf. 4:4 ⇓) probably more specifically means rejoice “in your union with the Lord” (GNT).
Rejoice in God and Jesus Christ always
Ps 89:16 [Ethan, speaking to God of worshipers:] They rejoice in your name all day long, and are vindicated by your justice. NET
Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! NET
Rejoice when giving praise and thanks to God
Ps 68:4 Sing to God! Sing praises to his name! Exalt the one who rides on the clouds! For the Lord is his name! Rejoice before him! NET
Ps 97:12 You godly ones, rejoice in the Lord! Give thanks to his holy name. NET
Be glad and joyful when praising and thanking God
2Chr 29:30b So they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshiped. NKJV
Col 1:11b-12 [Paul, to believers:] And with joy give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for his people in the kingdom of light. GNT
Joy should characterize singing and shouting to God
1Chr 15:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint some of their relatives as musicians; they were to play various instruments, including stringed instruments and cymbals, and to sing loudly and joyfully. NET
Ps 33:3 Sing a new song to him, play the harp with skill, and shout for joy! GNT
Note: Delight in God and in things of God
Ps 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ESV
Ps 119:47 [A psalmist, to God:] I will find delight in your commands, which I love. NET