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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”

To the Director: On a stringed instrument.[a] A Davidic Psalm.

Divine Glory and Human Dignity

Lord, our Lord,
    how excellent is your name in all the earth!
        You set your glory above the heavens!
Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies
    you have established strength[b]
        on account of your adversaries,
in order to silence the enemy and vengeful foe.

When I look at the heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
        the moon and the stars that you established—
what is man that you take notice of him,
    or the son of man[c] that you pay attention to him?
You made him a little less than divine,[d]
    but you crowned him with glory and honor.
You gave him dominion over the work of your hands,
    you put all things under his feet:
Sheep and cattle—all of them,
    wild creatures of the field,
birds in the sky,
    fish in the sea—
        whatever moves through the currents of the oceans.

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

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 8:1 Or according to a Gittite melody
  2. Psalm 8:2 LXX reads praise
  3. Psalm 8:4 A title of Messiah (cf. Dan 7:13-14) or a Heb. synonym for a human being (cf. Dan 8:17)
  4. Psalm 8:5 Or God; or gods; or than heavenly beings