Glorifying God through Artistic Mediums in Christian Context
Glorifying God, in a Christian context, involves acknowledging and exalting His greatness, perfections, and works [3, 4]. This act is commanded in scripture, with passages urging believers to "glorify God" and "shew forth his praise" [4, 5]. The concept is deeply rooted in the Old Testament, where the Psalmist declares, "I praise the name of God with a song, and I magnify Him with thanksgiving" [1]. Similarly, the New Testament emphasizes glorifying God, as seen in Paul's statement, "I have therefore cause for glorying through Jesus Christ, in those things which pertain to God" [2].
The act of glorifying God is understood as a response to His character and actions. God is worthy of praise due to His majesty, glory, excellency, greatness, holiness, wisdom, power, goodness, mercy, and faithfulness [3, 4]. Christ himself is also deemed worthy of praise [3]. Believers are called to glorify God for His holiness, mercy, truth, wondrous works, and judgments [4]. This glorification is also a response to God's grace shown to others [4].
Artistic mediums serve as a means through which Christians can express this glorification. Music, for instance, is explicitly mentioned in scripture as a way to praise God. The Psalmist's declaration of praising God's name "with a song" highlights the role of musical expression in worship and glorification [1, 7]. John Gill, in his commentary on Psalms 69:30, notes that the "name" of God refers to His perfections and attributes, which are to be praised by all creatures, especially saints [7]. He also connects this to the Messiah, who sang praise to God [7].
Beyond music, the broader concept of glorifying God encompasses all aspects of life. The apostle Paul encourages believers to do "all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31) [5]. This suggests that any creative endeavor, when undertaken with the intention of honoring God, can become an artistic medium for His glory. The act of blessing God, as described in James 3:9, involves using one's voice to praise God the Father for all spiritual blessings in Christ, whether in prayer or in singing psalms [10]. Matthew Henry, commenting on Ephesians 1:3, notes that thanksgiving and praise are appropriate responses to the "exceedingly great and precious benefits which we enjoy by Jesus Christ," suggesting that artistic expressions can be a natural outflow of such gratitude [8].
The glorification of God through artistic mediums is not merely an individual act but also a communal one. John Gill, in his commentary on Romans 15:5, emphasizes that a "cordial and sincere affection for one another is necessary to the worshipping of God with one consent, to a joining together in acts of religious service, both in praying to God, and in praising of him" [6]. This implies that corporate artistic expressions, such as congregational singing, contribute to the collective glorification of God. Gill further explains that the Gentiles glorify God for His mercy in choosing, redeeming, regenerating, and calling them, and that this leads them to "show forth his praise both by lip and life" [9]. This extends the scope of glorification beyond formal worship to include a lifestyle that reflects God's praise.
Sources
- Psalms “Psalms 69:30 (YLT) — I praise the name of God with a song, And I magnify Him with thanksgiving,”
- Romans “Romans 15:17 (Webster) — I have therefore cause for glorying through Jesus Christ, in those things which pertain to God.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Praise — God is worthy of -- 2Sa 22:4. Christ is worthy of -- Re 5:12. God is glorified by -- Ps 22:23; 50:23. Offered to Christ -- Joh 12:13. Acceptable through Christ -- Heb 13:15. Is due to God on account of His majesty. -- Ps 96:1,6; Isa 24:14. His glory. -- Ps 138:5; Eze 3:12. His excellency. -- Ex 15:7; Ps 148:13. His greatness. -- 1Ch 16:25; Ps 145:3. His holiness. -- Ex 15:11; Isa 6:3. His wisdom. -- Da 2:20; Jude 1:25. His power. -- Ps 21:13. His goodness. -- Ps 107:8; 118:1; 136:1; Jer 33:11. His mercy. -- 2Ch 20:21; Ps 89:1; 118:1-4; 136:1-26. His loving-k”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Glorifying God — Commanded -- 1Ch 16:28; Ps 22:23; Isa 42:12. Due to him -- 1Ch 16:29. For his Holiness. -- Ps 99:9; Re 15:4. Mercy and truth. -- Ps 115:1; Ro 15:9. Faithfulness and truth. -- Isa 25:1. Wondrous works. -- Mt 15:31; Ac 4:21. Judgments. -- Isa 25:3; Eze 28:22; Re 14:7. Deliverance. -- Ps 50:15. Grace to others. -- Ac 11:18; 2Co 9:13; Ga 1:24. Obligation of saints to -- 1Co 6:20. Is acceptable through Christ -- Php 1:11; 1Pe 4:11. Christ, an example of -- Joh 17:4. Accomplished by Relying on his promises. -- Ro 4:20. Praising him. -- Ps 50:23. Doing all ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Glorify — (1.) To make glorious, or cause so to appear (John 12:28; 13:31, 32; 17:4, 5). (2.) Spoken of God to "shew forth his praise" (1 Cor. 6:20; 10:31).”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 15:5: That ye may with one mind and one mouth;.... This is the end for which the above request is made, and shows, that a cordial and sincere affection for one another is necessary to the worshipping of God with one consent, to a joining together in acts of religious service, both in praying to God, and in praising of him, which latter seems here chiefly designed; for how should there be an agreement of heart and voice, of mind and mouth, in praising God, unless there is a singleness of heart, and oneness of affection? This is necessary in order to glorify God, even the F”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 69:30: I will praise the name of God with a song,.... The "name" of God is himself, his perfections and attributes; which are to be "praised" by all his creatures, and especially his saints; and here by the Messiah, who sung the praise of God with his disciples at the supper, a little before his death; and in the great congregation in heaven, upon his ascension thither, having finished the great work of man's redemption. For as it was no lessening of his glory, as Mediator, to pray to God when on earth, it is no diminution of it to praise him in our nature in heaven; see Ps”
- Ephesians (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Ephesians 1:3: He begins with thanksgivings and praise, and enlarges with a great deal of fluency and copiousness of affection upon the exceedingly great and precious benefits which we enjoy by Jesus Christ. For the great privileges of our religion are very aptly recounted and enlarged upon in our praises to God. I. In general he blesses God for spiritual blessings, Eph 1:3, where he styles him the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; for, as Mediator, the Father was his God; as God, and the second person in the blessed Trinity, God was his Father. It bespeaks the mystical”
- Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 15:8: And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy,.... In choosing them in Christ as vessels of mercy, and in redeeming them by Christ as well as the Jews, and in regenerating and calling them by his abundant grace; and which as they clearly show that Christ has received them, and therefore are not to be censured and judged as irreligious persons, because of the use of their Christian liberty; so these things lay them under obligations to glorify God, to show forth his praise both by lip and life, since what they enjoy is not by promise, as the Jews, but of mere m”
- James (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on James 3:9: Therewith bless we God, even, the Father,.... Of Jesus Christ, and of spirits, and of mercies: this is the instrument that is used in blessing God daily every meal that is eaten; and in joining with the saints, though only verbally and outwardly, in blessing God for all spiritual blessings in Christ, both in prayer, and in singing psalms: and therewith curse we men: make imprecations, and wish evils upon them: which are made after the similitude of God as man was originally, Gen 1:26 and though sin has greatly defaced it, yet there are still some remains of it: and ”