Psalm 8 - Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible

And for making even the heavenly bodies useful to man, thereby placing him but little lower than the angels.

We are to consider the heavens, that man thus may be directed to set his affections on things above. What is man, so mean a creature, that he should be thus honoured! so sinful a creature, that he should be thus favoured! Man has sovereign dominion over the inferior creatures, under God, and is appointed their lord. This refers to Christ. In Heb 2:6 to 8, the apostle, to prove the sovereign dominion of Christ, shows he is that Man, that Son of

man, here spoken of, whom God has made to have dominion over the works of his hands. The greatest favour ever showed to the human race, and the greatest honour ever put upon human nature, were exemplified in the Lord Jesus. With good reason does the psalmist conclude as he began, Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth, which has been honoured with the presence of the Redeemer, and is still enlightened by his gospel, and governed by his wisdom and power! What words can reach his

praises, who has a right to our obedience as our Redeemer?