Related Articles
“Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory.” (Psalm 115:1)
1. The cry of those who know that everything comes from God
“Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam.”
These words, taken from Psalm 115, have echoed on the lips of crusaders, Templar knights, missionaries, and saints throughout the centuries. They are a proclamation of humility, a declaration of total dependence on the Creator, and an antidote to the pride that destroys both souls and societies.
Today, more than ever, the world needs to once again pronounce this Non Nobis Domine with faith. In an age where personal success, self-affirmation, and ego have become the new idols, the Christian soul runs the risk of forgetting that nothing —absolutely nothing— makes sense unless it is for the glory of God.
To say Non Nobis Domine is, in essence, a spiritual revolution. It is a way of living where every victory, every achievement, every joy, and every suffering is ordered to one single end: that God may be glorified in all things.
2. Biblical roots: glory belongs only to the Lord
Psalm 115:1 expresses with deep clarity the heart of Israel:
“Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your mercy and your truth.”
In this verse, the psalmist recognizes the human temptation to claim merit, to want to be the center. But he immediately rejects it: glory does not belong to us. Glory belongs to God, for He is the source of all good and the goal of all history.
Saint Paul would express it centuries later with the same force:
“Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31)
The Apostle knew that spiritual pride —believing that grace belongs to us, or that our works have value on their own— is a deadly disease. The soul that glorifies itself is lost; the one that glorifies the Lord is saved.
3. History and symbolism: from the battlefield to the inner soul
The motto Non Nobis Domine was adopted by the Knights Templar and other Christian orders of chivalry during the Crusades. It was not merely a military slogan; it was a profession of faith.
Every victory, every conquest, every act of valor had to be offered to the Almighty. They did not fight for themselves, but for Christ and His Church.
Imagine the scene: after a battle, the Templars —covered in dust and blood— kneeling before the cross, intoned the psalm:
“Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam.”
It was a reminder: neither the sword, nor the strategy, nor human courage had triumphed. God had triumphed, who works even through human weakness.
This same attitude was that of the saints: from St. Francis to St. Teresa, from St. Ignatius to St. Teresa of Calcutta. All of them lived under the motto Non Nobis. They knew that spiritual pride ruins God’s work, while humility multiplies it.
4. Theological meaning: humility, the key to grace
Non Nobis Domine is not merely a beautiful phrase or a chivalric ideal: it is a central theological truth.
a) Glory is a divine attribute
Only God is glorious by nature. Man participates in His glory only by grace. When we try to claim it for ourselves, we turn it into vanity.
b) Pride blocks grace
The proud soul closes itself to God’s gift, because it pretends to be self-sufficient. In contrast, humility opens the soul to divine action:
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
c) True freedom is born from detachment from the ego
When a Christian stops seeking his own glory, he becomes free. He no longer depends on applause, nor does he fear failure. He lives only to please God —and that makes him invincible.
5. Non Nobis today: a resistance against modern narcissism
We live in a culture of the self: my career, my achievements, my rights, my followers. Even spirituality is sometimes contaminated by this logic —“me and my relationship with God” apart from the Church or community—.
Non Nobis is the medicine. It reminds us that everything we are and have is a gift, and that the only measure of our lives is how much they glorify God.
Every time someone praises you, every time you succeed or recognize a talent, the soul should respond:
“Non nobis, Domine.”
Not to me, Lord. It is Yours.
6. Practical guide: how to live Non Nobis Domine every day
1. Offer your achievements to God.
When you finish a task, receive praise, or achieve success, say inwardly: “To You be the glory, Lord.” This small act will keep you in the truth.
2. Accept failures with faith.
Non Nobis is also said when everything goes wrong. Recognizing that God continues to act even in what we don’t understand is the supreme form of humility.
3. Serve without seeking recognition.
Do good, help, pray, forgive… without being seen. That is the hidden glory that pleases God.
4. Examine your intentions.
Before undertaking an action or project, ask yourself: “Am I seeking my glory or God’s?” If the answer is the latter, your path is rightly oriented.
5. Learn to disappear.
Humility is not thinking poorly of oneself, but thinking less of oneself. Not everything must revolve around you: give others space, let others shine.
6. Make gratitude a constant attitude.
Everything you have —life, health, talents, faith— is grace. To thank God continually is to live Non Nobis in its purest state.
7. Pastoral application: building humble communities
Parishes, movements, communities, and Christian groups must also live the Non Nobis.
When apostolic works are done for ego, rivalry, or vainglory, they lose spiritual power.
But when everything is done for the glory of God, even small works bear fruit.
The priest who celebrates Mass, the catechist who teaches, the young person who serves, the elderly who prays… all can say together:
“Non nobis, Domine.”
Thus the Church is purified, renewed, and becomes more like her Lord, who “humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).
8. A spirituality of combat
Non Nobis Domine is not weakness: it is inner strength. It is the motto of those who fight against sin, against the pride of the world, and against their own ego.
Every time you renounce human glory for love of God, you are fighting the most important battle: the battle of the soul.
Remember: the Cross was the greatest Non Nobis in history. Christ did not seek His own glory, but the glory of the Father. Therefore, He was exalted above every name (Philippians 2:9).
9. Conclusion: the victory of the humble
The world admires the powerful, but Heaven crowns the humble.
Non Nobis Domine is the prayer of the saints, the song of the victors, the shield of the Christian soul.
Whoever makes it his own will never be a slave to pride, because he has understood that everything comes from God and everything returns to Him.
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but the glory of God remains forever.” (cf. Matthew 24:35)
May we be able to say truthfully at the end of each day:
Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam.
Not to us, Lord, but to You, forever, be the glory.
