The title “King of glory” for God is found in several places in the Bible, most prominently in Psalm 24. This Psalm describes God’s sovereignty and right to rule over all creation. As the King of glory, God is the supreme ruler over everything. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and completely holy and righteous. Understanding what this title means helps us grasp the greatness and majesty of God.
1. God’s glory
Before examining the title “King of glory” specifically, it’s important to understand what “glory” means when referring to God. The glory of God is the intrinsic beauty, perfection, majesty, and holiness of His nature and character. It refers to His infinite worth and divine attributes (Exodus 33:18-23, Psalm 8:1). God’s glory is the totality of who He is. Throughout Scripture, the glory of God is described as blindingly brilliant light and unmatched power and splendor (Ezekiel 1:28, Revelation 21:23). God’s glory evokes awe, reverence, and worship from angels and people.
God’s glory is infinite and eternal. He possesses glory in and of Himself. His glory existed before creation and will continue for eternity (John 17:5, Psalm 104:31). Everything good, beautiful, holy, and excellent originates from God’s glory. As the supreme and self-sufficient King over all, God alone deserves all honor, praise, and glory (1 Chronicles 16:24-29).
2. God as King
The Bible also refers to God as King throughout the Old and New Testaments. He is described as the greatest King, ruling over everything in heaven and on earth (Psalm 47:2, 7). As King, God is sovereign over all rulers and authorities. He exercises His supreme authority with wisdom, justice, and righteousness (1 Timothy 6:15, Psalm 99:1-5). God’s kingdom is everlasting, spanning all nations and generations (Exodus 15:18, Daniel 4:3).
God rules His kingdom based on His holy character. He hates and judges sin but shows lovingkindness, mercy, and faithfulness to His people (Exodus 34:6-7). God, as King, protects and provides for those who take refuge in Him (Psalm 61:1-4). He deserves our total allegiance, reverence, obedience, and worship (Psalm 93:1-2, Matthew 4:10).
3. Combining “glory” and “King”
The title “King of glory” combines these two Biblical concepts. As the King of glory, God reigns over everything. His intrinsic glory and divine attributes mark His supreme status and worthiness to rule. He possesses endless power, wisdom, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth as the greatest King over all.
This title appears most prominently in Psalm 24, which poetically describes God’s glory and kingship:
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory! (Psalm 24:7-10, ESV)
This passage depicts God coming into His celestial city as the supreme ruler over all. The gates are commanded to lift up their heads to make way for the “King of glory.” This demonstrates God’s matchless power and authority entering His kingdom. God’s glory fills the heavens and earth, and all angelic beings worship Him as the King of glory.
4. God deserves all glory as King
Because God is infinitely glorious as the greatest King, He alone deserves to receive all glory, honor, and praise. 1 Chronicles 16:28-29 declares, “Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name.” The glory due God’s name recognizes His majesty and excellencies as the King of glory.
Revelation 15:3-4 proclaims that God’s glory and kingship will be celebrated forever in heaven: “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
As the King of glory, God merits our greatest adoration, allegiance, obedience, and honor. His matchless glory and supreme kingship demand that we humbly worship Him alone.
5. Jesus as the King of glory
The New Testament connects the title “King of glory” to Jesus Christ. James 2:1 warns against showing favoritism, unlike the way people fawn over the rich and overlook the poor. James rebukes this by saying, “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?” (James 2:5).
This kingdom promised to believers refers to the kingdom of the King of glory. Though Jesus took on the form of a poor servant during His first advent (Philippians 2:6-8), He is the radiance of God’s glory and holds all authority in heaven and on earth (Hebrews 1:3, Matthew 28:18). Believers are heirs to the eternal glory, riches, and kingdom of the King of glory, Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the King of glory because He rightfully bears and reveals the fullness of God’s glory as the Son of God (John 1:14, Hebrews 1:3). God bestowed upon Jesus the name above all names and exalted Him to the highest place to rule and reign forever (Philippians 2:9-11). Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world but rather an eternal, heavenly kingdom (John 18:36).
At Christ’s second coming, He will return to earth on the clouds of heaven as the King of glory (Matthew 24:30, Matthew 25:31-34). Every knee will bow before Him, and every tongue will confess that He is Lord of all, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). The heavenly chorus of angels will proclaim the glory of Jesus the King when He returns to judge the earth (Luke 21:27).
6. God shares His glory with no other
Since God alone possesses intrinsic glory and sovereign kingship as the King of glory, He does not share His glory with any created thing. God declares in Isaiah 42:8, “I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other.” Likewise, He proclaims in Isaiah 48:11, “My glory I will not give to another.” God upholds His supreme glory, for there is no one greater.
God also commanded Israel not to worship idols or false gods, warning them not to lavish His glory upon worthless images (Isaiah 42:17). All glory belongs to the one true King of glory, the almighty God who reigns over all.
7. God transforms believers to reflect His glory
While God shares His glory with no other, He does transform believers to reflect His glory and likeness. Through Christ, we share in God’s glory and are being transformed from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18, Romans 8:17-18). Though we will never possess God’s intrinsic divine glory, by the Holy Spirit He sanctifies us to radiate His moral glory – His goodness, love, truth, wisdom, righteousness, and holiness.
This brings great joy to God as King of glory. Ephesians 1:12 declares that we who first hoped in Christ exist “to the praise of his [God’s] glory.” And Ephesians 3:21 proclaims, “To him [God] be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations.” As redeemed people, we magnify God’s glory to the world through Christ-like living.
8. God is glorified through His kingship over all creation
God’s everlasting glory, worth, and praise are magnified through His sovereign reign over all creation as King of glory. Psalm 145:5,11-13 proclaims:
On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate…They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
God’s majesty, works, might, greatness, goodness, righteousness, grace, mercy, and lovingkindness toward all He has created bring Him glory as the supreme King. His glorious reign over the universe puts His infinite perfections on display for all to worship. Even the heavens themselves declare the glory and handiwork of God their King (Psalm 19:1).
9. God is glorified through His kingship over the church
God also glorifies Himself through His kingship over the church, all those who belong to Him through faith in Christ. Ephesians 5:25-27 reveals that Christ, “gave himself up for [the church], that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.”
Though the church is sinful, Christ is purifying her to be a radiant and spotless Bride for Himself. This wholly sanctified church will glorify God and His great name forever. The King of glory will receive perfect praise and glory through His eternal rule over the redeemed church in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:22-27).
10. Believers glorify God by submitting to Christ’s kingship
As those anticipation the glory to come through faith in Christ, we bring glory to God in the present by submitting to King Jesus’ rule in our lives. Jesus proclaimed that He always does what pleases the Father because of their relationship of love and intimacy (John 8:29). As we grow in dependence, obedience, and love toward Christ our King, we likewise learn to live in ways that are pleasing and glorifying to God.
Acknowledging Jesus Christ as the King of glory means He rightfully holds first place in our hearts. We glorify God by exalting Christ’s name above all names and living entirely for Him (Colossians 1:18, Philippians 1:20-21). We honor the King of glory by obeying His Word, walking in His Spirit, and representing Him faithfully to the world around us.
Conclusion
God as the King of glory is a magnificent description of His supreme sovereignty, infinite splendor, and divine kingship over all creation. He alone possesses endless glory and the right to rule as the greatest King. God seeks to be glorified through His creation, His church, and His reign over every tribe, tongue, and nation. As the radiant, majestic King of glory, God deserves all our worship, allegiance, obedience, and honor forever.
