Psalms 8

King James Version

Full text for Psalms Chapter 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Psalm 8 extols the magnificent name and glory of the Lord throughout the earth and above the heavens. It marvels at God's condescension in remembering and visiting humanity, despite His vast creation. The psalm highlights man's unique position, being made a little lower than the angels and crowned with glory, having dominion over all earthly creatures.

Medium Summary

Psalm 8 begins with a declaration of the Lord's excellent name and glory, which is manifest throughout the earth and transcends the heavens. The psalmist notes God's power to silence adversaries through the seemingly weak, even babes. Contemplating the vastness of God's celestial handiwork—the moon and stars—the psalmist humbly questions why God would be mindful of or visit humanity. Despite man's apparent insignificance, the psalm reveals God's profound favor, having made humanity only slightly lower than the angels. Furthermore, God has bestowed upon man a crown of glory and honour, granting him dominion over all the works of His hands, including livestock, wild beasts, fowl, and fish. The psalm concludes by reiterating the Lord's excellent name across all the earth.

Long Summary

Psalm 8 opens with a fervent declaration of the Lord's supreme excellence, proclaiming His name to be magnificent throughout all the earth and His glory established above the heavens. The psalmist acknowledges God's unique power to ordain strength from the mouths of babes and sucklings, effectively silencing enemies and avengers. This demonstrates God's ability to use the humble and weak to confound the mighty. As the psalmist gazes upon the celestial expanse—the moon and stars, which are the intricate work of God's fingers—he is moved to profound contemplation. He poses a rhetorical question, wondering at the immense paradox of God's mindfulness and visitation of humanity, given the vastness of the divine creation. Despite man's small stature in the cosmos, the psalm reveals a remarkable truth: God has created humanity only a little lower than the angels, bestowing upon them a crown of glory and honour. This elevated status is further emphasized by the divine mandate for man to exercise dominion over all the works of God's hands. This dominion encompasses a wide array of creation, specifically mentioning all sheep and oxen, the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, including all that traverse the ocean paths. This highlights humanity's unique stewardship over the natural world. The psalm concludes by echoing its opening sentiment, reaffirming the Lord's excellent name and pervasive glory across all the earth, thus framing the entire meditation within a context of profound adoration and wonder at God's majesty and man's privileged place within His creation.

Core Concepts

  • Divine ExcellenceThe Lord's name is declared "excellent" throughout the earth and His glory is set "above the heavens," emphasizing His supreme majesty and universal renown.
  • Strength from the WeakGod ordains strength "out of the mouth of babes and sucklings" to silence enemies, illustrating His power to use the humble and seemingly insignificant to achieve His purposes.
  • Man's Insignificance and SignificanceThe psalmist questions "What is man, that thou art mindful of him?" in light of God's vast creation, yet immediately reveals man's elevated status, being made "a little lower than the angels."
  • Crowning with Glory and HonourHumanity is depicted as being "crowned with glory and honour" by God, signifying a special dignity and elevated position bestowed by the Creator.
  • Dominion Over CreationGod grants man "dominion over the works of thy hands," placing all earthly creatures—sheep, oxen, beasts, fowl, and fish—"under his feet," establishing humanity's role as stewards.
  • God's Mindful CareDespite the vastness of the cosmos, God is portrayed as being "mindful" of man and "visitest him," demonstrating His personal attention and care for humanity.