1 The Prophet considering the excellent liberality and Fatherly providence of God toward man, whom he made as it were a god over all his works, doth not only give great thanks, but is astonished with the admiration of the same, as one nothing able to compass such great mercies.

To him that excelleth on [a]Gittith. A Psalm of David.

O Lord our Lord, how [b]excellent is thy Name in all the world! which hast set thy glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouth [c]of babes and sucklings hast thou [d]ordained strength, because of thine enemies, that thou mightest [e]still the enemy and the avenger.

When I behold thine heavens, even the works of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained,

What is [f]man, say I, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him?

For thou hast made him a little lower than [g]God, and crowned him with glory and worship.

Thou hast made him to have dominion in the works of thine hands, thou hast put all things under his feet:

All [h]sheep and oxen: yea, and the beasts of the field:

The fowls of the air, and the fish of the sea, and that which passeth through the paths of the seas.

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the world!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 8:1 Or, kind of instrument, or tune.
  2. Psalm 8:1 Or, noble, or marvelous.
  3. Psalm 8:2 Though the wicked would hide God’s praises, yet the very babes are sufficient witnesses of the same.
  4. Psalm 8:2 Or, established.
  5. Psalm 8:2 Or, confound.
  6. Psalm 8:4 It had been sufficient, for him to have set forth his glory by the heavens, though he had not come so low as to man, which is but dust.
  7. Psalm 8:5 Touching his first creation.
  8. Psalm 8:7 By the temporal gifts of man’s creation, he is led to consider the benefits which he hath by his regeneration through Christ.

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

The Glory of the Lord in Creation

To the Chief Musician. [a]On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, our Lord,
How (A)excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have (B)set Your glory above the heavens!

(C)Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have [b]ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence (D)the enemy and the avenger.

When I (E)consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
(F)What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You (G)visit[c] him?
For You have made him a little lower than [d]the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

(H)You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
(I)You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.

(J)O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 8:1 Heb. Al Gittith
  2. Psalm 8:2 established
  3. Psalm 8:4 give attention to or care for
  4. Psalm 8:5 Heb. Elohim, God; LXX, Syr., Tg., Jewish tradition angels

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.