The word magnify is seldom used in our daily vocabulary. If we do use the word, we are probably talking about a microscope or reading glasses. The psalmist taught that we magnify God with our thanksgiving. In other words, our praise of God extols or elevates his greatness in this world. 

God doesn’t change, but our thoughts about God do. Our thanksgiving doesn’t make God greater because he is already all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving. Our words of praise cause us and others to see his greatness more clearly. Our thanksgiving helps the world see God's greatness in new and larger ways. We have magnified his reality through our praise.

If we thought of our words of praise as a way to show God to our world, wouldn’t our praise become more public? More frequent? And more effective? There are moments throughout the day when we can point others to our magnificent God. We can “magnify him with thanksgiving.”

I often see a beautiful sunrise or sunset and say, “Way to go God!” My kids grew up hearing that and learned to see God in his creation. Our world needs us to magnify the Creator. We live in a culture that offers praise to so many who are undeserving yet condemns praise to the One who is all-deserving. We can use our right to freedom of speech to magnify God. We live in a culture that debates opinions, but we can offer gratitude for the word of God that is eternal truth. 

We can praise God each day and magnify his reality. Wisdom is offering our gratitude to God. Wisdom will praise God and exalt him to others. How will your praise and gratitude magnify God tomorrow? As Psalm 145:3 says, “Great is the Lᴏʀᴅ, and greatly to be praised.”