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Yahweh’s Glory in Creation

For the music director, on the Gittith.[a] A psalm of David.[b]

Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth,
who put your splendor above the heavens.
From the mouth of children and infants you have founded[c] strength
on account of your enemies,
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
what is a human being that you think of him?
and a child of humankind that you care for him?
And you made him a little lower than heavenly beings,[d]
and with glory and with majesty you crowned him.
You make him over the works of your hands;
all things you have placed under his feet:
sheep and cattle, all of them,
and also the wild animals of the field,
the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea,
everything that passes along the paths of seas.
Yahweh, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all of the earth!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 8:1 Meaning uncertain
  2. Psalm 8:1 The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
  3. Psalm 8:2 Or “ordained”
  4. Psalm 8:5 Or “than God”

For the Chief Musician; on an instrument of Gath. A Psalm by David.

Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
    You have set your glory above the heavens!
From the lips of babes and infants you have established strength,
    because of your adversaries, that you might silence the enemy and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars, which you have ordained,
what is man, that you think of him?
    What is the son of man, that you care for him?
For you have made him a little lower than the angels,[a]
    and crowned him with glory and honor.
You make him ruler over the works of your hands.
    You have put all things under his feet:
All sheep and cattle,
    yes, and the animals of the field,
    the birds of the sky, the fish of the sea,
    and whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
Yahweh, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Footnotes

  1. 8:5 Hebrew: Elohim. The word Elohim, used here, usually means “God”, but can also mean “gods”, “princes”, or “angels”. The Septuagint reads “angels” here. See also the quote from the Septuagint in Hebrews 2:7.

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

(For the one directing. According to the gittit. Mizmor of Dovid). Hashem Adoneinu, how excellent is Shimecha in kol ha’aretz Who hast set Thy glory above HaShomayim.

(3) Out of the mouth of olelim and infants hast Thou established strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

(4) When I consider Thy heavens, the ma’asim of Thy fingers, the yarei’ach and the kokhavim, which Thou hast ordained;

(5) What is enosh (mankind), that Thou art mindful of him? And the ben adam, that Thou visitest him?

(6) For Thou hast made him a little lower than elohim [or Elohim, Gn 1:27], and hast crowned him with kavod and hadar.

(7) Thou madest him to have dominion over the ma’asim of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:

(8) All sheep and oxen, yea, and the behemot sadeh;

(9) The fowl of the air, and the dag (fish) of the yam, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

(10) Hashem Adoneinu, how excellent is Shimecha in kol ha’aretz!