While it is right and just that we glorify the Lord, our giving him glory adds nothing to God, who is all perfect without us. So why do we give God glory? We do so to complete the reason for our existence. We exist for God, not God for us. This is how St. Paul expressed it: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heaven, as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:3-6).

The difference between those in heaven and those in hell is that in the former hymns of praise and glory are proclaimed continually, while in the latter there is only the grinding and gnashing of teeth, expressing self-hatred and self-condemnation for not responding to the glory of God. One’s life is fulfilled, while the other remains unfulfilled eternally. Knowing this, we offer God songs of glory and praise in anticipation of doing this eternally.