"...that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."

 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61)

In my last post, I hinted that the words "glory" and "glorify" were on my mind and would be the subject of additional posts.  This post will introduce an important Hebrew word often translated to "glory" or glorify":

paar: to beautify, glorify (פָאַר)

The terms in yellow above are both derived from 'paar.' In other translations, "beauty" is translated as "crown" -- referring to the headdress of temple priests. In other words, God offers Zion glory "that he might be glorified."

Although He is already perfect, each time one of His children fully embraces the gift He offers them, God is glorified.

Christ is the gift offered by the Father to His children, to prepare the way and show the way:

5 ¶ In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people (Isaiah 28)

Examples from scripture

Here is a sampling of scriptures which use the term "glorify" in this context.

1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. (John 17)

7 Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him. ...

10 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets testified shall come into the world.

11 And behold, I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning. (3 Nephi 11)

8 But because of the faith of men he has shown himself unto the world, and glorified the name of the Father, and prepared a way that thereby others might be partakers of the heavenly gift, that they might hope for those things which they have not seen. (Ether 12)

3 Listen to him who is the advocate with the Father, who is pleading your cause before him—

4 Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;

5 Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life. (Doctrine & Covenants 45)

"Trees of Righteousness"

This is a very unique phrase ("ele hassedeq") that reminds me of a speculative post written by Stisa in which he discussed the linguistic similarity between the word for tree ("elah") and the name of God the Father ("El"). In this verse we find the same symbolism with profound doctrinal implications.

"The planting of the Lord"

The title of this post quotes the end of Isaiah 61:3, which I find very interesting. I'm reminded of Alma-2's famous sermon in Alma 32, in which he teaches the people the process of growing a tree of life within their hearts. Notice that the culmination of the process includes partaking of the fruit of the tree of life and being "filled":

42 And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst. (Alma 32)