The LORD is My Glory ~ Part 1

​We live in a world consumed with glory, fame, success, and human accolade.  Celebrities, movie stars, and royalty are raised to a god-like pedestal and revered with much awe and respect.  While most of us are not world-famous or blue bloods, we do seek to make a name for ourselves, become successful, and expand our sphere of influence.  So this verse from Psalm 3 is a timely message for us: 

“But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”
~Psalm 3:3

This psalm was written by David as he was fleeing from his rebellious son Absalom.  David, the great warrior-king, the conqueror of Israel, the most famous and beloved ruler of Israel would know a thing or two about glory.  However, while he was running for his life and was in danger of loosing his kingdom and throne, David declared that the Lord was his glory and the lifter of his head.
 
The Hebrew word translated glory, kābôd, is a singular, masculine noun literally meaning honor.  As I was studying and pondering this word, the picture that immediately came to mind was 18th and 19th-century dueling.  Over two hundred years ago, men valued their honor so much that whenever they felt it slighted they were ready and willing to challenge the perceived offender on to the dueling field, where twenty paces were counted off and at the drop of a handkerchief both men would turn and fire.  Many good men died from this form of conflict settlement until its decline in the late 1800s.  As we look back through the lens of history, you may think (and I totally agree!) that dueling was a senseless way to lose one’s life.  However, the entire point of dueling was to defend one’s honor and as we look at Psalm 3 in which David declares the Lord as his glory or honor, I was struck with the correlation.  Each and every man that stepped onto the dueling field knew that he might end up sacrificing his life for his honor.  So the question is, are we willing to sacrifice our lives for our honor which is the Lord?

To be continued...