Not to us, LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness. (Psalm 115:1)

These words from today’s psalm are so simple. And yet, they express an essential and foundational reorientation of our lives that echoes across the pages of the Bible:

• Not to us, LORD, but to your name be glory. (Psalm 115:1)
• He must increase; I must decrease. (John 3:30)
• Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 10:39)
• Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. (Philippians 2:3)
• Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10)

Of course, acknowledging the importance of this God-directed, self-forgetfulness is one thing; living it is another. How do we cultivate the kind of heart that truly yearns for God’s glory rather than our own? I wish I knew.

I can say, however, that part of the answer for me lies in taking the time simply to rest in God’s glory: to put aside my plans and to-do lists for a moment…and to remember that my goals and dreams — no matter how holy and noble — pale in comparison to the beauty and goodness and wonder of what God has prepared for His children and His creation.

With that in mind, I offer a song this morning. This is a setting of today’s psalm text; and while it is a little dated, it has always helped me to make God’s glory my heart’s desire.

Not to Us, O Lord
The Imperials