Old Testament Reading: 1 Chronicles 17:1–20

“Now when David lived in his house, David said to Nathan the prophet, ‘Behold, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.’ And Nathan said to David, ‘Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.’ But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, ‘Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: It is not you who will build me a house to dwell in. For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from dwelling to dwelling. In all places where I have moved with all Israel, did I speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ Now, therefore, thus shall you say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be prince over my people Israel, and I have been with you wherever you have gone and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall waste them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies. Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.’ In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. Then King David went in and sat before the LORD and said, ‘Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And this was a small thing in your eyes, O God. You have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have shown me future generations, O LORD God! And what more can David say to you for honoring your servant? For you know your servant. For your servant’s sake, O LORD, and according to your own heart, you have done all this greatness, in making known all these great things. There is none like you, O LORD, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.’” (1 Chronicles 17:1–20, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 19:11-27

“As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. He said therefore, ‘A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.’” (Luke 19:11–27, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

I’ve said this before, and I will say it again: expectations are very powerful. To have expectations that are right and true brings stability and peace even amid difficulty, but to hold false expectations in the mind and heart will certainly result in instability and conflict within. A person who holds to false expectations will eventually be confronted with this pesky little thing called reality and truth, and when that happens, they will be shaken. But a person who holds expectations that are right and true will not be so easily shaken, even when difficulties come. 

I could pile up hundreds of examples to prove the point. A child who falsely expects to go to Disney Land tomorrow will be shaken when he wakes up in the morning to find that it is not true. A woman who enters marriage expecting that it will be just like it is in the romance movies will be shaken when she is faced with reality. And a person who professes faith in Christ, believing that everything in life will be easier now that Jesus is on their side, will be shaken when they face the trials and tribulations of many kinds, of which the Scriptures so clearly speak (see 1 Peter 4:12).

The Purpose Of The Parable

Here in our text for today, we see Jesus confronting false expectations. Luke tells us that this was the reason Jesus told this parable—to correct false expectations.  

In Luke 19:11 he says, “As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable…” What things did they hear? They heard that salvation had come to Zacchaeus’ house and that Christ, the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). No doubt, this stirred up questions in the minds of those who followed Jesus concerning how things would go in the future. How would the son of man seek and save the lost? What would he do? When would he do it?

Luke goes on to tell us that Christ told this parable “because he was near to Jerusalem…” I trust you are aware that Jerusalem was the center of Old Covenant Israel. The temple was there. The leaders of Israel were there. As Jesus journeyed toward Jerusalem with this large crowd following after him, the excitement grew, as did the false hopes and expectations of many. 

It’s not as if Christ had not told them what would happen in Jerusalem. Three times, he said that he would suffer and die there. He also informed his followers that on the third day he would rise. Even so, many false expectations remained.

You and I can look back and see what has transpired in the 2,000 years following Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Furthermore, we have the New Testament Scriptures! These people did not. They were listening to Jesus’ teaching and observing his deeds. They were trying to understand what he was doing and how he would seek and save the lost, and he claimed he would do. 

What was the false expectation that many had? Luke tells us, “they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately” (Luke 19:11, ESV). Jesus told this parable to correct this false expectation: “they supposed [assumed; imagined] that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately” (Luke 19:11, ESV).

Before we dive into the parable that Jesus told, we need to look more closely at the word “appear”. Here is how one Greek dictionary defines the word translate as “appear”: “ἀναφαίνομαι: to come to a point of being visible, with focus upon the process of becoming seen—‘to come to be seen, to appear, to come into view.’” (Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 279.)

So then, what did the followers of Christ suppose or assume?  “They supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear”, that is to say, appear in a visible way, “immediately”. In other words, the false expectation was not that Christ would begin or receive his kingdom immediately but that it would appear or become visible immediately. This was the false expectation that Christ intended to correct by the telling of this parable.  

And this, dear friends, was not the first time that Christ taught on this issue. It was back in Luke 17:20 that we read these words: “Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, [Jesus] answered them, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you” (Luke 17:20–21, ESV). So then, the kingdom of God was already present in the days of Jesus’ earthy ministry, but it did not, and would not soon, come in ways that can be observed. 

The Parable of the Ten Minas, as it is called, is meant to teach us something about the arrival of the visible Kingdom of God. When will the kingdom come visibly? How will it come? And what are followers of Christ the king to do until it comes? 

The Parable Of The Ten Minas

Let us now consider the parable. 

First, we will consider the nobleman, who represents Christ the King. 

It begins with these words: “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.” (Luke 19:12, ESV).

A nobleman is a man who has descended from a good or noble family. Clearly, the nobleman in this parable represents Jesus Christ. He is the man who, according to the flesh, has descended from King David, to whom it was promised that he would have a son who would sit on his throne, whose kingdom would have no end. 

The nobleman of our parable represents Jesus, and the far country the nobleman traveled to must represent heaven. Jesus Christ, the son of David and the Son of God, would be killed in Jerusalem. On the third day he would rise. And then 40 days later, he would go into a “far country”, that is to say, he would ascend into the heavenly realm.  

Notice that the nobleman of our parable “went into a far country” to do what? “To receive for himself a kingdom…”  This agrees with what Jesus Christ has done. He ascended to heaven to receive for himself a kingdom. 

Once in heaven, the Scriptures tell us that the man Jesus Christ sat down at the right hand of the Father. Hebrews 1:3 says, “After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” (Hebrews 1:3, ESV). Hebrews 10:12 says, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God…” (Hebrews 10:12, ESV).

When did the nobleman of our parable receive his kingdom? He received it when he went into a far country. And this agrees with the experience of Christ. When did Christ receive his kingdom? He received it when he lived, died, rose again, and ascended to the far-off country of heaven. Once in heaven, he sat down on his eternal throne. He began to rule then. And from there, he rules and reigns to this present day.

When did Christ receive his kingdom? In other words, when did his kingdom—his rule and reign—begin? Answer: When he journeyed to the far off country of heaven and sat down on his eternal throne! This is why John the Baptist and Jesus Christ came preaching, “repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2), that is to say, it is near. But let me ask you, brothers and sisters, when will Christ’s kingdom appear? When will Christ the King and the throne on which he sits be made visible? At his second coming. 

Listen to Hebrews 10:12 again, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God…” Verse 13 then says, “waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet” (Hebrews 10:12–13, ESV). So then, Christ has received his eternal kingdom. He rules and reigns now. But his kingdom has not yet come “in ways that can be observed”  (Luke 17:20–21, ESV).

When will the kingdom of Christ appear? That is, when will Christ the King and his throne be made visible on earth? When he returns. To use Paul the Apostles words, “Then comes the end, when [Christ] delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:24–26, ESV).

In this parable, Christ tells us that “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.” This was to correct the false expectations of many who “supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately” (Luke 19:11, ESV). No, the kingdom of God will appear only after Christ the King returns after going away to heaven to receive for himself a kingdom.

Secondly, we must consider the servants in the parable. The servants must represent all who are disciples of Jesus.

Look at verse 12 again. This time, we will read through verse 13. “He said therefore, ‘A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come’” (Luke 19:12–13, ESV). 

A “mina” was sum up money—a large sum of money. As this nobleman went away, he left these ten servants of his behind, each with a large sum of money, a mina each. And what were they to do? They were to engage in business—the business of their master. They were to further the kingdom he went away to obtain. 

This corresponds to what Christ has done. Before ascending, Christ gave his servants work to do, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20, ESV). And when Christ ascended to heaven, he did not leave his servants without provision or supply to accomplish their work. “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men… And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:8–12, KJV).

This parable teaches servants of Christ to use whatever gifts or resources Christ has given to them for the furtherance of his kingdom, which is present now but not yet visible. For when Christ returns, he will judge his servants. This judgment will not be a judgment unto condemnation for the believer, but a judgment it will be nonetheless. It will be a judgment unto reward or the lack thereof. It will be a judgment involving either commendation or rebuke. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, Paul speaks of this judgment, saying, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV).

This lesson is taught to us in verses 15-22 of the parable, which reads, “When he [the nobleman, and now King] returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away’” (Luke 19:15–26, ESV).

This is a warning to every Christian, and especially to those called to the ministry, to not sit idly by neglecting to use the gifts and resources that Christ has given to us, but to use them diligently and to the best of our ability for the furtherance of Christ’s eternal kingdom. Those who use the gifts and graces given to them by Christ to earn a return will be commended and rewarded in the eternal kingdom. Christ will say to these, “Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over [these] cities” (Luke 19:17, ESV). But those who are negligent in the use of their gift, either because they were lazy or afraid, will receive from Christ a rebuke. “You wicked servant!, Christ will say (Luke 19:22, ESV). And though the servant will be saved—though he will enter into to the eternal kingdom—he will lack rewards. Paul the Apostle speaks of this dynamic in 1 Corinthians 3:14-15: “If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:14–15, ESV).

 Thirdly, in this parable, we must consider the citizens. These must represent the non-believing Jews of Jesus’s day. 

Look again at verse 13. This time, we will read through verse 14. “Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us’” (Luke 19:13–14, ESV). In verse 27, these rebellious citizens are mentioned again. This time, the King refers to them as enemies, saying, “But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me’” (Luke 19:27, ESV).

Dear friends, when Christ came the first time, he came to atone for sins and to accomplish redemption. When Christ returns with his visible kingdom, he will rescue his people (see Hebrews 9:28), and he will judge his enemies.

Who do the citizens of verse 14 and enemies of verse 27 represent? I agree with John Gill, who commenting on verse 14, say that they represent every non-believer, but especially the non-believing Jews of Jesus’ day. Gill says that the word citizens refers, 

“Not [to] those who are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; whose citizenship is in heaven, and who are seeking the better country, and heavenly city; but the Jews, who were his own people and nation, among whom he was born, to whom he was sent and came, and had an undoubted right to the government of them: these hated him with a mortal hatred, as appeared by their [slandering of] his person in the most [vitriolic] manner; vilifying his doctrine as false; ascribing his miracles to a diabolical influence; and by persecuting his disciples and followers… and so virtually, saying, we will not have this man to reign over us: they would neither receive his Gospel, nor submit to his ordinances; but put them away from them, and judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life: and this is the language of every graceless soul; and is to be observed in their opposition to, and neglect of the truths of Christ, and his divine institutions; which are a yoke they don’t care to take upon them, though so mild and easy, and are cords which hey cast away from them. 

Dear friends, on the last day when Christ returns to consummate his everlasting kingdom, he will judge all his enemies—all who have not bowed the knee to him to honor him as King. This is what is meant by the words of the King in the parable: “But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me’” (Luke 19:27, ESV).

Conclusion

The meaning of the parable is clear. Though there were many who followed Jesus in the days of his earthy ministry who expected the kingdom of God to appear immediately, their expectations were false. The Kingdom of God was near and even in their midst, but is was “not coming in ways that can be observed…” (Luke 17:20, ESV). Christ the King inaugurated his kingdom by living, dying, rising, and then going away. But one day, he will return bodily and visibly, and he will bring his kingdom with him. Until that day, his servants have work to do. Each one must use the gifts they have been given for the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom and the building up of the body of Christ. 

Q. 58. Which is the third commandment?

A. The third commandment is, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

Q. 59. What is required in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God’s names, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works. (Ps.29:2; Deut. 32:1-4; Deut.28:58,59; Ps.111:9; Matt. 6:9, Eccles. 5:1; Ps. 138:2, Job 36:24; Rev. 15:3,4; Rev. 4:8)

Scripture Reading: Psalm 29

“A PSALM OF DAVID. Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness. The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD, over many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon. He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf, and Sirion like a young wild ox. The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. The voice of the LORD makes the deer give birth and strips the forests bare, and in his temple all cry, ‘Glory!’ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood; the LORD sits enthroned as king forever. May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!” (Psalm 29, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

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Introduction

As we move on now to consider the third of the Ten Commandments, I would like to remind you of something that we learned a while ago. Some time ago, we asked the question, “What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?” Answer: “The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law” (BC 45). And then we asked, “Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?” In other words, where is this moral law revealed most clearly? Where is it summarized? Answer: “The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments” (BC 45). 

As we study each of the Ten Commandments, we must remember that they are a summary of God’s moral law. And what is a summary? A summary is a brief statement or account of the main points of something. When you read a summary of something, you understand that there is more to consider. You are only getting a little taste. There is more to be had. We must remember that the Ten Commandments are a summary of God’s moral law.

Remembering this should help us to think more deeply about the Ten Commandments. I’m afraid our tendency is to think of them very superficially. So, for example, we think that if we refrain from carving a little figure and bowing down to it, then we have kept the second commandment. But is that all the second commandment requires and forbids? No! Contemplating the commandment carefully and considering how the rest of Scripture develops the second commandment shows us that more is forbidden and required than that. In fact, “The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in His Word.” And it “forbideth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in His Word.”

The third commandment is, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” This commandment is often understood very narrowly. What do most people assume the third commandment forbids? They assume it forbids using God’s name as a swear word. Does it forbid that? Of course it does! But the third commandment requires and forbids more than this, and our catechism is helpful to set us off in the right direction. 

In previous sermons, I told you that the first commandment is about who we are to worship, God alone! The second commandment is about how we are to worship, not with images, and not as we wish, but in obedience to what God has prescribed. And now we must see that the third commandment is about the attitude of worship. We are to revere God. We are to honor his name. We are to worship him from the heart. 

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Baptist Catechism 59

So, what is required in the third commandment? “The third commandment”, which is, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain”, “requireth the holy and reverent use of God’s names, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works.”

To “take the name of the Lord” is to pick it up and use it. To take something in vain, is to pick it up and use it carelessly and without thought of its significance. This we must never do with God’s name. 

Now pay careful attention to how our catechism directs us to think beyond the formal names of God only, and also of “titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works.” All of these things are to be handled with reverential care because they reveal God. We are not to handle any of these things carelessly, thoughtlessly, or vainly.  

Not only are we to use the name “God”, carefully, but also his titles such as “Lord” and “Father”. When we speak of God, his nature, and his attributes, we must handle those with caution, too, lest we misrepresent God. And his ordinances are also to be taken up with great care, for they reveal truths about him as well. When we come to the Lord’s Table, for example, we are to come with reverence, for God and Christ are revealed here. His word is to be handled with care. So too are his works. This means that we are even to handle God’s creation with reverence, for the heavens and earth declair the glory of God. When we look upon a beautiful sunset, we should do so with reverence, brothers and sisters. We should be moved to praise, for something of the name of God is revealed in the sunset. And all of this also applies to the person and work of Christ, for through his words and works, he has revealed the name of the Father to us. Christ speaks to God in John 17:6, saying, “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word” (John 17:6, ESV).

This is why I have said that the third commandment has to do with attitude. God alone is to be worshipped. He is to be worshipped in the right way—according to his word. But he is also to be worshipped with the right attitude. This is what the third commandment is getting at. 

Think of our worship. When you assemble with the church on the Lord’s Day, you are indeed coming to worship the one true God. And you are doing it in the right way as we worship together in the way that God has prescribed. But you know as well as I do that it is possible to have the wrong attitude in worship. Sometimes, we are very distracted. Sometimes, we are careless. Sometimes, we come to the Lord’s Table, for example, without thinking of its significance or discerning the sin in our own hearts. The worship might be done right (technically), but if it is approached vainly by the worshipper, then it is not pleasing to the Lord. God demands more, brothers and sisters. He wants our hearts and minds.

We “take the name of the Lord” not only when we speak his name with our lips but anytime we engage with him and his revelation of himself to us. Never should we approach him or speak of him in vain, but always with reverential honor and fear. 

Think of this, dear brothers and sisters. You took the name of God upon you in the moment that you believed in Christ. He adopted you as his own. You are now a beloved child of God. You bear his name just like a child bears the name of her parents. You know that every parent wishes to have the family name honored. And so it is with God. 

And so you see that the command to “not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” is about more than not using God’s name as a swear word. When a Christain lives in sin, they violate the third commandment. When a Christian partakes of the Lord’s Supper carelessly, they violate the third commandment. When a Christian sits under the ministry of God’s most Holy Word but pays little attention to it or has no intention to obey, they violate the third commandment.

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Conclusion

This commandment is about attitude. It is warning us against the evil of approaching God—in all of the ways that he makes himself known to us, be it through his names, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, or works—in a careless and irreverent manner.

Prepare your hearts for worship, brothers and sisters. Come to worship with love for God and reverence in your hearts. And prepare your hearts day after day, for we God’s children. We bear his name. And we are to testify to the goodness of his name as we live in his world through which he makes himself known.  

“Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” (Psalm 29:1–2, ESV)