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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

God’s Glory, Human Dignity

For the choir director: on the Gittith.(A) A psalm of David.

Lord, our Lord,
how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!(B)
You have covered the heavens with your majesty.[a](C)
From the mouths of infants and nursing babies,(D)
you have established a stronghold[b]
on account of your adversaries
in order to silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I observe your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you set in place,(E)
what is a human being that you remember him,
a son of man[c] that you look after him?(F)
You made him little less than God[d][e]
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:(G)
all the sheep and oxen,
as well as the animals in the wild,
the birds of the sky,
and the fish of the sea
that pass through the currents of the seas.(H)

Lord, our Lord,
how magnificent is your name throughout the earth!

Footnotes

  1. 8:1 Lit earth, which has set your splendor upon the heavens
  2. 8:2 LXX reads established praise
  3. 8:4 Or a mere mortal
  4. 8:5 LXX reads angels
  5. 8:5 Or heavenly beings; Hb Elohim