Friday, April 29, 2016


Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy and for thy truth’s sake.  Psalms 115:1

.....Boasting is here for ever excluded, verse 1.  Let no opinion of our own merits have any room either in our prayers or in our praises, but let both centre in God's glory.  1. Have we received any mercy, gone through any service, or gained any success?  We must not assume the glory of it to ourselves, but ascribe it wholly to God.  We must not imagine that we do any thing for God by our own strength, or deserve any thing from God by our own righteousness; but all the good we do is done by the power of his grace, and all the good we have is the gift of his mere mercy, and therefore he must have all the praise.  Say not, The power of my hand has gotten me this wealth, Deut. 8:7.  Say not, For my righteousness the Lord has done these great and kind things for me, Deut. 9:4.  No, all our songs must be sung to this humble tune, Not  unto us, O Lord, and again, Not unto us, but to thy name, let all the glory be given; for whatever good is wrought in us, or wrought for us, it is for his mercy, and his truth's sake, because he will glorify his mercy, and fulfil his promise.  All our crowns must be cast at the feet of him that sits upon the throne, for that is the proper place for them.  2.  Are we in pursuit of any mercy, and wrestling with God for it?  We must take our encouragement, in prayer, from God only, and have an eye to his glory more than to our own benefit in it.  "Lord, do so and so for us; not that we may have the credit and comfort of it, but that thy mercy and truth may have the glory of it."  This must be our highest and ultimate end in our prayers, and therefore it is made the first petition in the Lord's prayer, as that which guides all the rest; Hallowed be thy name; and, in order to that, Give us our daily bread, etc.  This also must satisfy us, if our prayers be not answered in the letter of them; Whatever becomes of us, unto thy name give glory.  See John 12:27-28.....
                                                                                                                                 Matthew Henry

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"Not unto us, but unto thy name give glory," etc.  This is not a doxology, or form of thanksgiving, but a prayer.  Not for our safety or welfare, so much as for thy glory, be pleased to deliver us.  Not to satisfy our revenge upon our adversaries; not for the establishment of our own interest; but for the glory of thy grace and truth do we seek thine aid, that thou mayest be known to be a God keeping covenant; for mercy and truth are the two pillars of that covenant.  It is a great dishonouring of God when anything is sought from him more than himself, or not for himself.  Saith Austin, it is but a carnal affection in prayer when men seek self more than God.  Self and God are the two things that come in competition.  Now there are several sorts of self; there is carnal self, natural self, and glorified self; above all these God must have the pre-eminence.
                                                                                                                                        Thomas Manton

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