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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”

Psalm 8

Divine Majesty and Human Dignity

To the leader: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.

O Lord, our Sovereign,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.(A)
    Out of the mouths of babes and infants
you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,
    to silence the enemy and the avenger.(B)

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars that you have established;(C)
what are humans that you are mindful of them,
    mortals[a] that you care for them?(D)

Yet you have made them a little lower than God[b]
    and crowned them with glory and honor.(E)
You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;
    you have put all things under their feet,(F)
all sheep and oxen,
    and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
    whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Sovereign,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!(G)

Footnotes

  1. 8.4 Heb son of man
  2. 8.5 Or than the divine beings or angels