Psalm 8

Here are some reflections on Psalm 8 for my upcoming Psalms album, Connexion - a jazz Psalter.

James Montgomery Boice calls this Psalm, “Our God, our glory.” This sung prayer begins where most models of prayer in the bible begin - with a glorious view of God and his character. The majority of this Psalm focuses on who humanity is in relationship to this majestic God who has set his glory over all the earth.

Because God has created us, our purpose comes from his design. Psalm 8 makes it clear that we begin by praising God for who he has revealed himself to be. I constructed the repeating antiphon based on the literal Hebrew translation of verse 1: “Jehovah, our Adonai, how majestic is your name in all the earth. Boice draws our attention to the reality that,

...creation, wonderful as it is, cannot exhaust the glory of God…[he] is its maker. So although creation expresses his glory, revealing his existence, wisdom, and great power, as well as other attributes, it is only a partial revelation of the surpassingly greater God who stands behind it. If God has set his glory above the heavens, it is certain that nothing under the heavens can praise him adequately.

The Psalmist then begins to contemplate humanity’s existence in relationship to the God who created, sustains, and rules over all things. What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? The glory of God shines a light on our human frailty and magnifies the reality that he is holy and we are not. A natural heart posture in worship when we are confronted with God’s majesty is that of humility and confession (Moses at the burning bush, Ex. 3; Isaiah’s vision of Christ, Isa. 6:1-13; John’s encounter with Christ, Rev. 1).

God, in his goodness and grace, created men and women to be image bearers of his glory and to rule on the earth. We are stewards of God’s glory - what an amazing gift and responsibility!

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. (vs 5-8)

Boice points out that instead of looking up to our God in worship, we look down to the beasts and so have become like them. All of us have sinned and exchanged the glory of God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. (Rom. 1:23) The writer of the book of Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus Christ was made a little lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. (Heb. 2:6-9) Look to the God-man, Jesus Christ, who perfectly glorified the Father and taught us by his obedience how to steward God’s good gifts! Join Jesus in giving praise, honor, and adoration to God - Jehovah, our Adonai, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Here is the track for Psalm 8. You can pre-order the album here.