Quest. 32: According to the Scriptures, why did God create man?

Ans: God created man because he willed to do so for his own good pleasure to glorify himself and to subdue the earth in obedience to his mandate.

1 Cor. 10:31. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Rev. 4:11. Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are [exist] and were created.

Rom. 11:33–36. 33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

See also: Gen. 1:26–28; 2:15–24; Psa. 8:1, 3–9; Eccl. 7:29; Eph. 1:3–11.

COMMENTARY
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God created this universe and everything in it for his own good pleasure according to his sovereign will (Rev. 4:11). He was motivated solely and wholly from within himself and his own self–consistency. He positively ordained whatsoever comes to pass from within himself and did not merely foresee persons and events in a fatalistic [relativistic] fashion. Why did he ordain that evil should enter this universe and that man should fall? Why did he purpose, even before the creation of this universe, to save a number of human beings and redeem them to himself (Eph. 1:3–5)? From Divine revelation, it can be stated that God created this universe and everything in it, ordained the existence of evil and the subsequent fall and redemption of man to manifest to this creation the fullness of his attributes or Divine perfections for the praise of his own glory. This will be done in consummate glory or judgment. See Question 27 and “The Problem of Evil.”
God created man for his own glory. All that pertains to creation and subsequent  redemption,  from   election   to  glorification,   will  find   its realization and ultimate fulfillment in the glory of God (Rom. 8:28–39; 11:33–36; Eph. 1:3–14). Christians, understanding this from the Scriptures, should seek to live for God and do all for his glory now (1 Cor. 10:31). “…ye are not your own…For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Cor. 6:19–20).