May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, “The LORD be magnified!” (Psalm 40:16)

When we value something, we want everybody to see what we see in it. A musician turns up the volume, gets bigger speakers, and blows the doors off at a concert. A gallery owner selects just the right frame for a beautiful painting and then puts it in the perfect setting in the shop, with the right light to show the artist’s creative flair. A jeweler cuts a diamond to maximize the weight and brilliance of the stone and puts it on a background of black velvet to magnify its luster.

In the same way, we magnify people’s perceptions of God when we portray Him as wonderful, beautiful, and awesome. We may carefully orchestrate our words, or we may spontaneously shout our praise for God. Either way, our delight in His magnificent greatness and goodness and our amazement that He loves us so much show others how awesome He is.

But that’s not all that happens. Have you ever watched someone who has shown you something wonderful or beautiful? Something happens in the hearts of those who magnify music, arts, a diamond, or anything else they treasure. They are transformed by praising it. Their love for musicians, artists, craftsmen, or creators grows and their loyalty soars.

When we magnify God, we give Him the praises for which He is completely worthy, and as we praise Him, our love for Him grows.