📖 Biblical Definition
To "exalt the LORD" is the verb of declaring YHWH’s greatness publicly. The communal call of Psalm 34:3 stands at the heart of it: "O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together." Exaltation is not adding to God’s greatness — that would be impossible, for He is already infinitely high. It is declaring His greatness — out loud, to ourselves, to one another, before the nations: "I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee" (Psalm 145:1-2). Worship is therefore active, vocal, public, congregational. The Christian who lifts up the name of YHWH lifts up nothing he can diminish — and everything the world tries to suppress.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
To declare YHWH's greatness publicly.
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The verb of declaring YHWH's greatness aloud, especially in worship and witness. Hebrew rum means to lift up, raise high. We do not add to God's height; we declare it. Psalm 34:3 makes it communal: "let us exalt his name together." Exaltation as worship is verbal raising-aloud of what is already true.
📖 Key Scripture
Psalm 34:3 — "O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together."
Psalm 99:5 — "Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy."
Isaiah 25:1 — "O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Worship-language has thinned; "exalt" gets reduced to "praise generally" without the lift-up-aloud force.
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Modern worship-vocabulary leans on "praise." Hebrew has more colors: rum (exalt, lift high), halal (praise, shine), yadah (give thanks publicly), barak (bless on bended knee). Each carries a different shade.
Recover the colors: exalt is the lift-aloud verb. Take what is true of God and lift it where others can hear.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew rum.
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['Hebrew', 'H7311', 'rum', 'to be high, lift up, exalt']
Usage
"Let us exalt his name together."
"Verbal lifting-aloud of what is true."
"Communal exaltation before the nations."