Read Psalm 104

“Bless the LORD, O my soul! O LORD God, You are very great: You are clothed with honor and majesty, Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment, Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain…” (Psalm 104:1-2)

When was the last time you praised God simply for who He is? For His greatness, His honor and His majesty? For the truth of His light upon your life? Or for the sheer magnitude of His presence, Who has stretched out the universe like we stretch out a shower curtain?

Our praises to God are too often reactionary. That is, we tend to withhold our praises until something goes our way.

If we receive a job promotion, we praise God. If our child was spared from a dreadful injury, we praise God. If we were able to book that vacation home before it was snatched up, we praise God. If we puttered into the gas station before running out of fuel, we praise God. And, of course, we should praise God for these things. I would never belittle all of the graces God gives us every day. We know that every good and perfect gift comes from above, as the Apostle James teaches (James 1:17).

But listen, Beloved, we must not reserve our praises for reactions only. We must also be proactive in our praises to God. Our praises must go beyond our little lives and into the very being of the Almighty. God is worthy of our praise regardless of what happens in this life because of Who He is.

Can a single feather glory in flight without the wings of the eagle it soars on? Can the wisp of a flame appreciate its light without the fire it burns from? Yet, how often is our praise and worship unto God detached from the beauty of God Himself? In other words, when was the last time you praised God for God? What a question!

This is what the psalmist does in our selected text. He exits himself. He leaves behind the affairs of his life. We have no idea under what circumstances he is writing. His gaze is upon God and nothing else. His praise is proactive for who God is, not reactive for what God has done for him.

I think of a boy wandering through an aquarium for the first time. He stands there, looking through the glass, at awe of the seal gracefully swimming before him in ways he never knew were possible. You hear his exciting squeal as this “water-dog” speeds by him like a torpedo. Laughter ensues. Joy springs forth. And you nearly have to force the boy to move on to the next exhibit. I ask, did the seal do anything for this boy? No, not one thing, except exist. Yet, because the boy allowed himself to stand awe of this sea creature — simply for what it was, just a seal doing seal things — the boy found himself in ecstasy.

And this, Beloved, is the most freeing and wonderful act of worship we can give to our God. When we can praise God simply for who God is; when we can meditate upon the greatness of His being; when we can stand in awe of His majesty, yes, joy springs forth and the blessings of God fill our soul.

Beloved, today will you allow yourself to look through the glass of God’s Word and behold Him? To be in wonder of His greatness? Don't ask Him for anything — just be delighted in Him.

If you allow yourself this opportunity to proactively praise the Almighty, you will discover newfound joy outside of your own circumstances. And this may very well be one of Satan's best kept secrets.

“I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD.” (Psalm 104:33–34)