Make a joyful noise

Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious. Psalm 66:1-2

Why is it that we are so often unable to lift up our hearts and souls in praise to God? Why is it that our mouths are so often silent in praise to God while filled with complaints? Why is it easier to grumble than it is to be gracious? How is it that the command to make a joyful noise to God can seem as impossible as a command to sprout wings and fly?

Perhaps one of the reasons is that we are so often focused on ourselves than we are on God. Maybe it is because we are seeking the honor of our name and want to make our praise glorious. When we are so focused on ourselves, it is impossible to see the glory of God. And this is because when we do so, we are necessarily focused on all the ways in which we lack glory - all the ways we perceive ourselves to be mistreated (perhaps by God!) and dishonored.

This is not good, because when we think of ourselves as the worthy objects of worship, we miss the only one who is, namely, God. When we do this, we miss the only one who is truly the fountain of all blessing and joy.

God is magnificently, infinitely, eternally, and unchangeably glorious. When we see him as such, we are able to see all the ways in which his glory meets the deepest needs of our hearts and souls. Instead of complaining of the glory we want but don't have, we can rejoice in God's unsearchable and unfathomable glory which by grace through Jesus Christ our Lord raises us up into fellowship with God and gives us eternal riches.

And when we have the eyes to see this, it is only natural that we will "sing forth the honor of his name" and "make his praise glorious."