A Study in Psalms Psalm 8

1 ¶ <<To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.>> O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

• gittith – a stringed instrument

• a psalm of praise

• God is excellent; his name is excellent and holy

• All that God has done reveals his glory and shows that he is, that he is glorious, and that he is above all “ For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” Ro 1:20

• God is not of this world, but is above this world – his glory shines into this world, this world is a reflection of his glory, created by his glorious word, but he is not part of this world

2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

• God is almighty and sovereign

• God does not accept worldly strength and wisdom which is corrupt because of man's fallen nature, but instead works through the weak and the humble by his own power often doing amazing things: “In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.” Lk 10:21 “ But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” 1Co 1:27

3 ¶ When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

• Stop and consider all that God has made – look up on a clear, starry night; see how vast the universe is, and recognize that God made it and ordained it (established its boundaries and keeps it all in perfect balance.) Think about how big God is, who is able to create such a marvelous world simply by speaking it into existence!

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

• We should be so thankful that God is interested in us and loves us.

• man is sinful, weak, miserable and in his natural state, ignores God – yet it pleased God to send his Son to take on human flesh, walk with us, and die for us to pay for our sins “ For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Ro 5:6 – 8

5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

• God made us a little lower than the angels - that is, we are made bound to this world by our mortal flesh; yet we have an immortal soul like the angels and were given dominion over everything in this world

• We are crowned with glory and honour; when we put our faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we become sons (children) of God, brothers of Jesus Christ, and joint heirs and rulers with Jesus Christ, over all. “ For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint–heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Ro 8:14 – 17

6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

• God made man to have dominion over everything he made, first in this world “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Gen 1:26

• then in the world to come “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.” Rev 23:4 – 5

9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!