“In the beginning, God” (Gen 1:1). There was a time, if “time” it could be called, when God, in the unity of His nature (although subsisting equally in three Divine Persons), dwelt all alone. “In the beginning, God.” There was no heaven, where His glory is now particularly manifested. There was no earth to engage His attention. There were no angels to hymn His praise; no universe to be upheld by the word of His power. There was nothing, no one, but God; and that, not for a day, a year, or an age, but from “everlasting.” During a past eternity, God was alone: self-contained, self-sufficient, self-satisfied; in need of nothing. Had a universe, had angels, had human beings been necessary to Him in any way, they also had been called into existence from all eternity. The creating of them when He did, added nothing to God essentially. He changes not (Mal 3:6), therefore His essential glory can be neither augmented nor diminished. A.W. Pink
It seems that words can almost hide the glory of God when we attempt to use them in certain ways, such as trying for an exhaustive description, rather than simply trying to point toward the glory. In this section (and in the context) Pink uses language in such a way where he simply points at the glory of God rather than try to be exhaustive in his descriptions, which should bring the soul to worship. Instead of thinking that we can comprehend God, we are to stand back and apprehend knowing that there is infinitely more to God than we can comprehend or have a comprehensive knowledge of. There is more to the glory of God than our finite minds and beings can contain and that includes growing in knowledge for all eternity.
It is hard to comprehend, though we can admire, a God that was totally and utterly alone in His Divine glory. It is hard enough for human beings to be locked up in a solitary confinement for extended periods of time, but God was alone for eternity past. This shows that He needed nothing, never has needed anything, and will never need anything or anyone. This also shows us that God has no need of earth, the planets, angels, or human beings. As He existed from eternity past self-sufficient in Himself and His own love and glory, so He had no need of the praise of any being at any point and will never need the praise of any being. This should set forth and exalt the living God in His absolute freedom to create when He pleased and how He pleased. No human power, intellect, or wisdom can limit Him in any way.
It is vital to recognize this essential self-sufficiency of God in all things. It is in light of that that we can understand the true plan and goal of creation, but also in sending the Son to save sinners in the Gospel. In creation and in the Gospel we see the eternal plan of God to manifest His glory. He planned this from eternity to manifest His glory to Himself, to created beings in the heavens, and then to and through human beings. He uses the weak and the ignoble (primarily) to manifest His glory through rather than the strong, the wise, and the noble. This living God had no need at all when He created and there was no way for Him to increase or diminish He essential glory, so we are left in utter admiration and wonder that He did these things to manifest His glory to the praise of His own name.
Human beings should bow in utter humility and with broken and contrite hearts cry out for grace that they may be used of Him to shine forth His glory, rather than trying with all their might to do things to make God look good. When you look at what the churches are in light of God’s eternal plan, all of the human works and endeavors must be viewed in that light. He does not need human beings to add to His glory, but instead human beings should seek the Lord that He would use them to manifest His glory through. God is totally self-sufficient and without any need of help or assistance, but in His sovereign beauty and glory He uses frail and dependent human beings as instruments of His glory. The fact that human beings are used to glorify Him teaches us of the nature of grace. It is not because of the merits of man or anything about man, but instead it is all about God. How beautiful and delightful is this grace that is displayed because it is God that is on display through Christ. How amazing is this grace that was not only moved by God when man did not deserve it, but man ill-deserved it. This grace and love of God totally depends upon Him and there is nothing a human being can do to earn or merit it in any way. This grace is amazingly free and uncaused by human works or merit, but is because God is moved by His own glory.
God Loves... Himself 
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