Magnify the Lord

Have you ever noticed the phrase “magnify the Lord” in Scripture?

It appears several times in the Psalms and is also found in Mary’s song of praise after she learns that she will give birth to Jesus. Her song is often called the Magnificat, from the Latin word meaning “magnifies.”

Consider these passages:

I recently heard a perspective that gave this word a new dimension for me (though this may already be your perspective).

I have often thought of magnify mostly as a spiritual word. It is what we do when we sing praises to God. We magnify him by declaring the greatness of the almighty God. But the word “magnify” also has the idea of making something appear bigger or bringing it into clearer focus.

Think back to science class, when you placed something tiny beneath your microscope. As the lens magnified it, little details that had always been there suddenly became clear.

Now, we can’t make God greater than he already is. God is supremely great. But when we magnify him, his greatness becomes clearer in our hearts and minds. Our attention moves away from everything else, and we begin to see him more clearly; MAGNIFIED!

Look again at the verses above for how we might join in magnifying the Lord:

This weekend, as you sing, pray, read his word, or make a gratitude list, you are magnifying God. You are bringing him back into focus and allowing his greatness to feel larger in our lives! Before the day ends, take a moment to zoom in and magnify the Lord.