“I will praise the Lord, for he has rescued me” (Psalm 30). Even though God has no need for our praise, yet our praise is itself his gift. “Praise from the upright is fitting” (Psalm 33).
It is NOT fitting for us to praise nothing at all. Praise is a natural human response to goodness. It is true, that praise can be used to help others or to manipulate them, but there is also a type of praise that arises naturally in the upright heart, merely in response to a perception of the good. You see a wonderful performance and you cheer, whether the performer can hear you or not. You do it because you are moved by that goodness.
It is the devil who wants to keep you from praising God. He proposes clever arguments against it. He tells you that praise is merely a tool used to manipulate the weak, while the strong seek neither to give praise nor seek to receive it. He is lying. He is trying to make you numb to goodness, contrary to your nature. Let yourself praise the good, reserving the greatest praise for the greatest good. God is an infinitely better performer than anyone you will see even in a crowded stadium. For example, God created the entire universe, the heavens above and the Earth below. Not bad. Another example? “He rescued me from my mighty enemy, from foes too powerful for me” (Psalm 18).
When you are at Church on Sunday, enter into the inner room of your soul, lock the door, and praise the Lord, for he has rescued you from a mighty enemy.