“I will praise the name of God with song and magnify Him with Thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30 (NASB)
The above passage is taken from the NASB translation of the Bible. However, the word “magnify” above is rendered “glorify” in the NIV translation.
Many people like the idea of “glorify” versus “magnify” for this verse. Magnify, seems somehow, inappropriate. There is nothing that I can do to make God any bigger than He already is goes the reasoning. “Glorify” is a perfectly good word, but I think “magnify” is appropriate, and particularly needed in my own life.
You see, the older I get the smaller the print on the page looks to me. I need glasses. Sometimes, I even use a magnifying glass to read small print. My magnifying glass does not magically make the text on the page bigger, it just enlarges my perception of what was there all along.
This is exactly what our thanksgiving does regarding God. There is more of Him than we will ever grasp. Our praise does not enlarge Him, but it certainly enlarges our perception of Him. God instructs us to praise Him, not because He needs the compliment, but because we need Him magnified in our lives. Give thanks in this Thanksgiving Season. Warm Thanksgiving wishes to all — may He be MAGNIFIED in our lives and homes!
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A shout-out to my friend from college, pastor Dr. Glenn Young, whose words I have used (with some personal twists) above.
Ants in the Pants of Faith 