Let Your Glory Be Over All the Earth
God's Ultimate Mission
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!”
—Psalm 57:5
How big is our understanding of God? How deep, how high, how wonderful is He in our minds? Many of us, myself included, often hold too small a view of the King of kings.
From the very beginning, God set forth a grand plan for humanity. We are created in His image, entrusted with one command: to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. These foundational truths, echoed throughout Scripture, reveal God’s purpose—His glory made known and His image spread across all nations.
Yet humanity rebelled and fell from grace. Now, God is on a rescue mission to bring us back to this original purpose. Jesus came as the perfect image of God. He entered a broken world, filled with people who lie, cheat, steal, kill, and destroy. He Himself was broken by their rejection, was lied about, and ultimately crucified. But death did not have the final word. Jesus conquered death and opened the way for redemption. And to those redeemed, He gave a command: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” This mission is a return to God’s original intent for His creation, now fulfilled in Christ.
Consider King David, who penned Psalm 57 while hiding in a cave, fleeing from Saul. Though a mighty warrior who had defeated Saul’s enemies, David was now a fugitive with no throne and no power. Yet, surrounded by his family and a motley band of the broken and discontented, David declared his unwavering trust in God. His confidence rested not on circumstances but on the truth that God was sovereign. God had a plan and would fulfill His promises.
You see, each of us is created in His image with the calling and command to make disciples and spread His image throughout the world. He has promised that this would be accomplished, but He has given us this task as a gift—the privilege of coming alongside Him to serve Him. David was promised to be king, but he still had to flee and run from Saul. Though anointed by God, David allowed himself to suffer persecution so that the name of God would be spread among the nations.
God allows us to suffer both for our good and for His glory. It prepares us, tests us, and grows our faith in His promises. It also enables our witness to be amplified. While I never thought my sons would have disabilities, God has used them immensely to bless others and spread His fame. Although from the world’s perspective my sons might be viewed as a burden or a drain on the economy, from the perspective of the Lord and His truth, they are created in His image and spread His glory and fame even though they are non-verbal. They are gifts from God.
God has reached more people through them and spread His glory in ways I would not have imagined years ago.
David, like Jesus, became a beacon of hope for those who felt abandoned and rejected. Scripture says, “Then David went from there to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s household heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.” (1 Samuel 22:1-2, ESV) He sang of refuge under God’s wings, even while persecuted on every side. Though Saul sought to kill him, David was struck down but not destroyed.
When we live in fear and anxiety, it is often because our view of God is too small. But even faith as tiny as a mustard seed, when placed in the limitless God of the universe, allows us to rest. We find strength and hope in the midst of trials, knowing the One who is exalted above the heavens watches over us.
The Call to Strive and Pray for God’s Glory
God’s plan for His glory to cover the earth is not a passive promise. It requires our active participation through prayer, faith, and diligent effort. We are called not only to trust God’s sovereign purposes but also to labor alongside Him by sharing the gospel, making disciples, and living lives that reflect His holiness and love.
Praying for God’s glory to spread means lifting up the nations before Him, asking Him to open hearts and remove barriers to the gospel. It means striving to be faithful witnesses in our communities and beyond, trusting that God uses even our smallest acts of obedience to bring about His kingdom.
Let us commit ourselves to this holy task, trusting that as we seek His glory above all, God will exalt Himself through us and make His name known throughout the earth.
May we grow in the knowledge of God’s vastness and His steadfast purpose for our lives. May His glory be over all the earth—in us, through us, and around us.