Psalm 8

Taught by Janet
Notes by Linda

Today Janet continued the theme that Toby presented last week from Psalm 18 - the glory of God in creation. Janet began by having us imagine the majesty of God as revealed by the world around us. She asked us to think of a sunrise as a painting of the Lord on a massive canvas. She also asked us to reflect on the constellations and the largeness of the moon as it rises. Janet expressed how hard it is to comprehend that people could view these things and not believe in the existence of God. Janet then broke down the psalm down into four sections.

Psalm 8:1

"LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens".

Janet gave us a picture of David walking through the desert mediating on the Lord. She mentioned that the first name of God used is ‘LORD’ – this is Yahweh. The second name was ‘Lord’, as our sovereign ruler. Janet quoted Exodus 3:14, “God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.” She used this to emphasize the excellence of God’s name. She pointed out that we are known by our first name yet our family name is important. What we do will reflect back on our family name and reputation.

Psalm 8:2

"Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger."

Janet referred to Matthew 21:16b “From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise". She pointed out that Jesus used the Old Testament in His teaching.

Psalm 8:3-8

"When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky,and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas."

Janet reflected on a few points in this passage. She spoke of our need to fall before the Lord in humility. She spoke of the truth that God knows us by name. Even when we make wrong choices He still loves us. She went on to speak about how God has given dominion to man over His creation. Janet expressed that God has crowned us with glory and honor because we represent Him. She referenced Genesis 1:26-28, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Janet asked us how we see ourselves in the creation narrative. She asked us if we ponder God’s creation.

Psalm 8:9

"LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"

Psalm 8 ends with the same words as it began in verse one.