Reflections on the Psalms

The Psalms are in large part hymns of praise to God, and in Chapter 9, Lewis outlines an explanation of praise in the Psalms. At first Lewis was perplexed by the Psalms’ emphasis on praising God, which seemed to show God in a self-aggrandizing, but he eventually became convinced that praise is a natural human response to goodness in the world. Human beings rejoice in what they love and value, and they urge others to rejoice in it too. Since God is “supremely Valuable,” Lewis reasons that people would want to praise him even more intensely than they do earthly things. In other words, while praising and worshiping God may at first seem like “duty,” it is ultimately a form of natural “delight.”

Lewis bases his argument on the analogy between God and objects of enjoyment, such as nature, art, or food. Not only do people enjoy these things, they also want others to share in the pleasurable experience. Praise is thus far from being mere “compliment” or “approval”—i.e., something separate from the act of enjoyment. Rather, declarations of praise complete, and thus are intrinsic to, the enjoyment. The Psalmist calls on the reader or hearer to join in praising God for his works in creation as well as his mercy, power, and other intangible qualities.