Names Matter

Psalms 29:2 (KJV) Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

(Proverbs 18 also read)

This is one place where I think the new Bible translation, the Legacy Standard Bible, has an advantage.  You’ll notice in the KJV and the NASB that the word “LORD” is in all capitals.  That designates that this is the Hebrew word for Yahweh, which is sometimes translated “Jehovah”.  In the LSB they have decided that, instead of capitalizing the word Lord, they would actually put in a transliteration of the Hebrew word.

What this does is it makes it more personal.  When you saw the definite article, it became a proper noun instead of a general designation.  If you were a Jew of ancient times, you would recognize Yahweh as a term rooted in the verb “to be”.  So when you are saying, give Yahweh the glory to His name, which is Yahweh, you understand better.  The great glory that Israel had in their God was that He existed.

What a fundamental truth.  The God of the Bible is different from all other gods in many ways, but the key element of it all is, He is.

So?  When you give God glory start off with a deep felt acknowledgment that He is really there and that He hears your praise and your thanksgiving.