"Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2:13-14)
"Praising" has a connotation of flattery in English that sometimes makes it hard for us to understand how we should praise God.
We think of flattering people who want the glory and the praise. That's now what we're about when we praise God.
What we are doing is simply recognizing the goodness that flows from God and is all around us, and is ours for the asking. It's not flattery. It's thanksgiving.
It's more like, "Ain't this grand!" It's not forced, like having to say nice things to someone. It's spontaneous.
It's not as though we're standing on the bottom step looking up to someone we're supposed ot admire. We're invited to the top step, to be part of God's "royal family." We're overhwelmed and we sing God's praises.
God's favor rests on us. We've got a secure future in God's hands.
When we realize all that about God - and us - then we know how to make the angels' words our own: Glory to God in the highest.
- Little Blue Book, Diocese of Saginaw