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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.

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