We Praise What We Enjoy and God Deserves the Loudest Praise
Whether it's vintage toys or the wonders of creation, joy naturally overflows into adoration and no one is more worthy of our praise than God.
It started with a toy. A grown man proudly brought out his childhood treasure a vintage G.I. Joe Combat Jet SkyStriker, original box and all. He couldn’t help but gush demonstrating the landing gear, showing off the pristine figure with a parachute, and sharing memories like old stories told around a campfire. And I didn’t just stand there nodding. I lit up too. Suddenly I was ten years old again, back in my living room on Christmas morning.
And then it happened. He said, “Isn’t it great?”
In that moment, I remembered something C.S. Lewis wrote in Reflections on the Psalms the world “rings with praise.” Lovers praise their beloveds. Foodies praise their favorite dish. Fans praise their team. And in all these praises, we hear it: Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t that amazing? Don’t you think it’s beautiful?
We can’t help it. Our joy spills. Praise isn’t a formality it’s the natural overflow of delight.
The Problem Lewis Solved
Before Lewis became a Christian, he found the Bible’s constant call to praise God unsettling. Why did God seem to demand so much applause? It felt needy, even egotistical. But then Lewis realized he had misunderstood what praise really is. Praise isn’t just compliment. It’s the completion of joy.
He wrote: “All enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless (sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought in to check it.”
The moment we experience something beautiful, something joyful, we’re compelled to share it. That’s not ego it’s joy expressing itself completely.
And that’s what the Psalms are doing.
Praise as Overflow
Take Psalm 5:11:
Let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy...
that those who love your name may exult in you.
There’s a clear pattern: rejoice → sing → exult. The love of God naturally turns into the praise of God.
Or Psalm 9:
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.
I will be glad and exult in you...
Notice how the psalmist doesn’t just feel grateful he recounts, rejoices, and invites others into the praise. Like someone showing off a treasured toy or a breathtaking view, he can’t keep it to himself.
Psalm 96 commands us:
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day...
Why? “For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised” (v. 4). The greatness of God demands a greatness of praise. We praise what we enjoy, and no one is more worthy of joy than God.
Psalm 148 widens the frame even further:
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
...Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted.
Even the stars are invited into this cosmic chorus. Why? Because God is that good. His greatness is not just supreme it’s delightfully irresistible.
Praise Is for Our Good
Praise is not just something God wants from us. It’s something He gives to us. Why? Because we are healthiest, holiest, and happiest when we’re enjoying the most enjoyable reality in existence: Him.
To praise anything more than God is to settle for less. And to withhold praise from God is to cut ourselves off from the deepest joy available to us.
As C.S. Lewis noted, we’re not doing anything abnormal when we praise God. We’re doing what we do every time we love something deeply. The difference is that while toys, sunsets, songs, and memories eventually fade, God never will.
He is inexhaustible in His goodness. Endless in His glory. Eternal in His love.
Joy That Must Speak
The man with the vintage toy couldn’t keep his excitement to himself. Neither could I. And honestly, neither can you when something truly delights your soul.
That’s what the psalmists knew. That’s why they shouted and sang and called all creation to join in. Because the praise of God isn’t a chore it’s the crescendo of joy. When we truly love Him, we can't help but say it, sing it, and share it.
That’s why, as Lewis says, the Psalms’ call to praise isn’t some strange religious demand. It’s the natural desire of someone who knows joy. It’s an invitation to find our truest happiness in the One who made us for Himself.
So praise Him. Not because you have to, but because joy in Him demands it. Because the world isn’t meant to whisper about God it’s meant to ring with praise.
If this brought joy to your heart, pass it on to someone else or subscribe to our newsletter for more reflections that stir deeper delight in God.
Reply
Simon K V • 1 hour ago
He alone is praiseworthy .
We will praise Him eternally .
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