Bible Dictionary

Glorify

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To glorify means to honor, praise, or make glorious. People glorify God by worship and obedience, while God glorifies His people or His Son by displaying His favor and majesty.

Definition

To glorify means to make glorious, display honor, or cause someone or something to appear glorious. It can also mean to give God the worship, reverence, and praise due to Him.

Biblical Usage

People glorify God by honoring and worshiping Him. God glorifies His people, His house, and His Son by manifesting approval and favor. God is also said to glorify Himself by displaying His honor and majesty through His acts in history.

Scripture References

Historical Bible Dictionaries

Easton's Bible Dictionary
(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).
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>glo'-ri-fi: The English word is the equivalent of a number of Hebrew and Greek words whose essential significance is discussed more fully under the word GLORY (which see). The word "glorious" in the phrases "make or render glorious" is used most frequently as a translation of verbs in the original, rather than of genuine adjectives In dealing with the verb it will be sufficient to indicate the following most important uses.</p><p>(1) Men may glorify God, that is, give to Him the worship and reverence which are His due (Isa 24:15; 25:3; Ps 22:23; Da 5:23; /APC Sirach 43:30; Mt 5:16, and generally in the Synoptic Gospels and in some other passages of the New Testament).</p><p>(2) God, Yahweh (Yahweh), glorifies His people, His house, and in the New Testament, His Son, manifesting His approval of them and His interest in them, by His interposition on their behalf (Isa 55:5; Jer 30:19; The Wisdom of Solomon 18:8; Sirach 45:3; Joh 7:39, and often in the Fourth Gospel).</p><p>(3) By a usage which is practically confined to the Old Testament, Yahweh glorifies Himself, that is, secures the recognition of His honor and majesty, by His direction of the course of history, or by His interposition in history, either the history of His own people or of the world at large (Le 10:3; Isa 26:15; Eze 28:22; Hag 1:8).</p><p>Walter R. Betteridge</p>
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