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Scott's Reference Library
October 5, 2003 | October 8, 2006 | October 4, 2009
Psalm 8:1 through Psalm 8:9 (NIV)
1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.
2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,
8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
VERSES 1-2
The psalmist seeks to give unto God the glory due to his name. How bright this
glory shines even in this lower world! He is ours, for he made us, protects us,
and takes special care of us. The birth, life, preaching, miracles, suffering,
death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus are known through the world. No name
is so universal, no power and influence so generally felt, as those of the
Saviour of mankind. But how much brighter it shines in the upper world! We, on
this earth, only hear God’s excellent name, and praise that; the angels and
blessed spirits above, see his glory, and praise that; yet he is exalted far
above even their blessing and praise. Sometimes the grace of God appears
wonderfully in young children. Sometimes the power of God brings to pass great
things in his church, by very weak and unlikely instruments, that the excellency
of the power might the more evidently appear to be of God, and not of man. This
he does, because of his enemies, that he may put them to silence.
VERSES 3-9
We are to consider the heavens, that man thus may be directed to set his
affections on things above. What is man, so mean a creature, that he should be
thus honoured! so sinful a creature, that he should be thus favoured! Man has
sovereign dominion over the inferior creatures, under God, and is appointed
their lord. This refers to Christ. In Hebrews 2:6-8, the apostle, to prove the
sovereign dominion of Christ, shows he is that Man, that Son of man, here spoken
of, whom God has made to have dominion over the works of his hands. The greatest
favour ever showed to the human race, and the greatest honour ever put upon
human nature, were exemplified in the Lord Jesus. With good reason does the
psalmist conclude as he began, Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth,
which has been honoured with the presence of the Redeemer, and is still
enlightened by his gospel, and governed by his wisdom and power! What words can
reach his praises, who has a right to our obedience as our Redeemer?