The Lord’s Glory and Man’s Dignity.

For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have [a](A)displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
(B)From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established [b](C)strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make (D)the enemy and the revengeful cease.

When I [c](E)consider (F)Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The (G)moon and the stars, which You have [d]ordained;
(H)What is man that You [e]take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
Yet You have made him a (I)little lower than [f]God,
And (J)You crown him with (K)glory and majesty!
You make him to (L)rule over the works of Your hands;
You have (M)put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen,
And also the [g]beasts of the field,
The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.

(N)O Lord, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 8:1 Or set
  2. Psalm 8:2 Or a bulwark
  3. Psalm 8:3 Or see
  4. Psalm 8:3 Or appointed, fixed
  5. Psalm 8:4 Or remember him
  6. Psalm 8:5 Or the angels; Heb Elohim
  7. Psalm 8:7 Or animals

Psalm 8[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.[b] A psalm of David.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name(A) in all the earth!

You have set your glory(B)
    in the heavens.(C)
Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold(D) against your enemies,
    to silence the foe(E) and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens,(F)
    the work of your fingers,(G)
the moon and the stars,(H)
    which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?[c](I)

You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e](J)
    and crowned them[f] with glory and honor.(K)
You made them rulers(L) over the works of your hands;(M)
    you put everything under their[g] feet:(N)
all flocks and herds,(O)
    and the animals of the wild,(P)
the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,(Q)
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!(R)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 8:1 In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10.
  2. Psalm 8:1 Title: Probably a musical term
  3. Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him?
  4. Psalm 8:5 Or him
  5. Psalm 8:5 Or than God
  6. Psalm 8:5 Or him
  7. Psalm 8:6 Or made him ruler . . . ; / . . . his