The Lord Be Magnified

"Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified." Psalm 40:16

Brethren, this must be our one desire, our one goal, our one ambition. Let us join our redeemer in this prayer, "Father, glorify thy name." In this Psalm we have a prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ. Having done the Father’s will and put away our sins, the Lord Jesus Christ prays that all of God's children would follow his example and say continually, "The Lord Be Magnified."

1. WHO CAN USE THIS SAYING? This is distinctly the language of men and women who have been saved by the grace of God. Notice how they are described. They seek the Lord. Feeling their need of him, they seek him by faith in Christ. We seek the mercy of God in Christ for pardon, righteousness, fellowship, honor, glory, and immortality. Seeking God in Christ, the believer finds salvation and life. God's children rejoice in him. We rejoice in who he is, and what he has done, and what he is doing for us, Now, being saved by the power of God, all of God's elect love his salvation. We love the gospel of substitution. We love him who is our substitute. Once more, the Psalm characterizes God's children as those who seek his glory. They say continually, "The Lord be magnified."

2. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY THIS SAYING? It means that we desire the honor of God in all things. We want to magnify God in the thoughts of our hearts and in our actions and attitudes before men. The paramount desire of our souls is that our God and Savior be magnified. As individuals and as a church, let us say continually, "The Lord be magnified."

3. WHY SHOULD WE SAY THIS? No one is worthy of honor, glory, and majesty but Christ our God. He loved us. He redeemed us. He preserves us. He will bring us to glory. And we use this saying with confidence, because we know that the Lord will be magnified.

Don Fortner