Isaiah 42:8

Isaiah 42:8

I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.

Back in verse 5 we were reminded that God is the creator and sustainer of all things. He is the covenant LORD who has committed himself to care for and protect his people. As we remember those things, it would be fitting to praise him. In fact, the next section of this chapter is all about the praise and glory which a God like that deserves from all people everywhere.

When human leaders court glory and chase praise, it’s usually a bad sign. We’re rightly sceptical of people who go out of their way to tell us how great they are, or who insist that we celebrate their successes. I think most of us would probably take being described as someone who ‘blows their own trumpet’ or ‘hogs the limelight’ as criticisms rather than compliments. God alone is right to direct the spotlight onto himself. God alone can draw attention to his greatness, goodness, power and wisdom without being selfish or self-obsessed.  God alone is entitled to command that all people everywhere should sing his praises. He deserves all glory and honour. And so it is right that he should guard that glory jealously. Nothing and no-one comes close to God in holiness and might, authority and wisdom, mercy and grace. So nothing and no-one should share the praise which he deserves.

And yet … there is one who is entitled to sit at the Father’s right hand and share the applause of his people for eternity. The Servant, who we see in Isaiah as a humble and often despised figure, is in fact the risen and exalted Lord Jesus Christ before whom every knee will one day bow. When the LORD shares his glory with the Servant, he is not giving glory to some undeserving other. When Jesus is worshipped in heaven, it is not as an idol who has stolen the praise which is due to God.  The Servant deserves to be worshipped as God because he is God. That wasn’t made clear to the people of Isaiah’s day, but we can look back and know that the Servant we read of here is none other than God himself in human form. And so he is fully deserving of all the praise and glory and honour and worship that we – and every creature ever created – can give him.

Let’s praise and worship wholeheartedly today.