Psalm 8: Cultivating God's Majesty

O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
       You have set your glory above the heavens.
2         Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
       you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
3     When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4     what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
5     Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6     You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
7     all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
8     the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
9     O Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
 
Meditation
The majesty of God is marked on all mankind, the Creator’s hand molding every person made in His image. God’s revelation provides needed elevation of who we see both God and ourselves to be. The Lord of heaven and earth has created humanity to cultivate creation so His majesty can further saturate the world.
 
The bookends of today’s reading lift our hearts to Heaven, emphatic repetition of worship: “Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (1, 9).  The climactic center raises how we see all humanity, “made a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned with glory and honor” (5). Worshipping with this Psalm helps us know God and ourselves.
 
God’s glory is set above the Heavens, yet he cares for infants (1-2). God’s handiwork is in creation, and the crown of creation are humans created in His image (3-5). God rules over everything, yet He gives dominion and authority to humanity (6-8). The majesty of our Lord is magnified when we see the glorious dignity of His image bearers and our role to rule on His behalf.
 
Establishing dominion is a fundamental detail of human dignity, cultivating creation that the majesty of our Maker may be manifest. This “cultural mandate” is centered on the work of Christ. The New Testament uses language from this Psalm to emphasize Christ’s dominion over everything, established through His death and resurrection (Hebrews 2:5-9). Jesus is the Maker, and His majesty will be magnified when Jesus is glorified in every part of our life, labor, and love.
 
Richly Dwelling
-What stands out to you from this Psalm, especially in the elevated revelation of how God reveals Himself and the insight into His purpose for all humanity?
 
-Where do you fall short of seeing both God and humanity in these elevated capacities?
 
-How can you refocus on the majesty of Jesus and recenter all you do so His glory is the goal of what you say with your lips, do through your labor, and embrace with your life?
 
Key Verse
4     what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.