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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Psalms 8:1-9

Psalm PSALM—NOTE ON Psalms 8:1. This hymn of praise helps the Lord’s people celebrate their glorious Creator, and their privileged place in his creation. With Genesis 1:1 as a background, the Psalm presents mankind as the pinnacle of creation, as the rulers over the animal world, and as the object of God’s special attention. At the same time, the mention of “foes,” “enemy,” and “avenger” (Psalms 8:2) reminds readers of Genesis 3:1 and God’s plan for fallen mankind. Israel was to be the firstfruits of restored humanity. This helps explain why Hebrews 2:6 quotes Psalms 8:4: Jesus, as Davidic king, is the ideal Israelite, and thus the ideal human being. He is crowned with glory and honor after his suffering on behalf of mankind.

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See also Psalms 8:1-9 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    PSALM VIII _The glory and excellence of God manifested by his works_, 1, 2; _particularly in the starry heavens_, 3; _in man_, 4; _in his formation_, 5; _and in the dominion which God has given h...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    O LORD - Hebrew, יהוה _Yahweh_. It is an address to God by his chosen and special title, Exodus 3:14. Compare the notes at Isaiah 1:2. OUR LORD - The word used here - אדני _'âdônay_ -

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 8 THE SON OF MAN: ALL THINGS PUT UNDER HIS FEET _ 1. A little lower than the angels; crowned with glory (Psalms 8:1)_ 2. All things put under Him (Psalms 8:6) 3. How excellent is Thy Name o...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    VIII. A NATURE PSALM. Psalms 8:1 f. The majesty of God. In Matthew 2 defies the rudiments of Heb. grammar and all attempt at translation. Of many emendations the following is the most ingenious and do...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    TITLE.. PSALM. See App-65. LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. THY NAME: i.e. Jehovah Himself; "name" being put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Adjunct), App-6, for His character, person, and attribu...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    _God's glory is magnified by his works, and by his love to man._ To the chief musician upon Gittith. A Psalm of David. _TITLE. GITTITH._— _lamnatseach al haggittith_ הגתית על למנצח The word גתית _gi...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 8 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Jehovah's Majesty Exalted by means of Man's Dominion. ANALYSIS An Original Solo, Psalms 8:3-8: Adapted to Temple Worship by Prelude and Refrain, Psalms 8:1 a, b, and...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _O LORD OUR LORD, HOW EXCELLENT IS THY NAME IN ALL THE EARTH! WHO HAST SET THY GLORY ABOVE THE HEAVENS._ Title. - UPON GITTITH. The Gittith was an instrument, or possibly a tune, invented in Gath, whe...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    8:1 Gittith. (l-7) * See also Psalms 81 and 84. A musical instrument. The word is feminine. set (m-26) Possibly imperative, it would then read, '... earth! because of which set thou,' &c....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 1:41 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ Words in boxes are from the Bible. The notes explain some of the words with a *star by them. Tap the * before a word to show an explanation. The translated Bible tex...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    O LORD OUR LORD. — _Jehovah our Lord._ For the first time in the Book of Psalms the personal feeling is consciously lost sight of in a larger, a national, or possibly human feeling. The poet recognise...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לַ † מְנַצֵּ֥חַ עַֽל ־הַ גִּתִּ֗ית מִזְמֹ֥ור...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 8:1 THE exclamation which begins and ends this psalm, enclosing it as a jewel in a setting, determines its theme as being neither the nightly heaven with all its stars, nor the dignity of man,...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This is a great song of worship. It opens and closes with the same words. These words enclose the psalm, and create its burden. The matters between are proofs of the opening and closing statements. Th...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    The presses. In Hebrew Gittith, supposed to be a musical instrument: (Challoner) or, "the musicians from Geth," who were famous, and might follow David, 2 Kings i. 20., and xv. 18. The Septuagint must...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS This Psalm is pure gospel from beginning to end, for it celebrates the glories of Jesus, as the Monarch of his people, and of heaven and earth. Under the spirit of prophecy, and with an eye...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Whether גתית, _Gittith, _signifies a musical instrument or some particular tune, or the beginning of some famous and well-known song, I do not take upon me to determine. Those who think that the psalm...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    We have now come to Psalms 8 which closes this unfolding of the condition of the remnant, and the counsels of God as to the rejected Anointed of Jehovah. What is said is still by the mouth of the now...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    O LORD OUR GOD,.... Jehovah, the one God, who is Lord of all angels and men, and in an especial manner Lord and King of saints; HOW EXCELLENT [IS] THY NAME IN ALL THE EARTH! by the "name" of God is n...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Psalms 8:1 «To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. » O LORD our Lord, how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. _To the chief Musician upo...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _How excellent is thy name_ That is, thy glory, as it is explained in the next clause; _in all the earth_ The works of creation and providence evince and proclaim to all the world that there is an inf...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    O Lord, our Lord, Jehovah, our Ruler, HOW EXCELLENT IS THY NAME IN ALL THE EARTH! The congregation here praises the imprint and evidence of God's being, both in the works of creation and in the miracl...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE GLORY OF MESSIAH'S NAME. To the chief musician, for liturgical performance, upon Gittith, a form of zither, named from the Philistine city of Gath, where the author had lived for some time. A psa...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    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 bi...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    PSALM 8 The same title is prefixed to PSALMS 81:1, PSALMS 84:1. GITTITH also is supposed to be the name of a tune, or song, or instrument so called, because it was either invented or much used in Gath...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 8:1 Musician H5329 (H8764) Gath H1665 Psalm H4210 David H1732 LORD H3068 Lord H113 excellent H117 name...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    You whose glory is spread over the heavens, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings you have established strength, Because of your adversaries, That you might still the enemy and the avenger.' Set...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘O YHWH our lord, How excellent is your name in all the earth. The psalm begins and ends with the same two lines. This is the first aim of the psalmist, to ascribe praise to YHWH, the One Who is the...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    "GITTITH", means "winepress," and so, of the harvest, in the sense of judgment (Isaiah 63:3); (Revelation 19:15); (Psalms 7:1); to which the title of Psalm 8 properly belongs, is a Psalm of judgment....

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    8 _:_ 1. _O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens._ They are very high, but thy glory is higher than the heavens. Psalms 8:2. Out of the...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Meditation on the majesty of God's works and the insignificance of man. CHARACTERS: God, David. CONCLUSION: When we consider the majesty of God's wonderful works in the universe, we cannot...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Psalms 8:1. _How excellent is thy name._ See note on Proverbs 18:10. Psalms 8:2. _Thou hast ordained strength._ For some reason the LXX read αινον, _praise._ So our Saviour, it would seem, cited this...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _How excellent is Thy name in all the earth! _ DAVID’S POETICAL SENSITIVENESS In all probability this Psalm is the first, or at all events one of the very first, David ever wrote. It breathes the sp...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION “This is a psalm of thanksgiving to God for the exaltation of man above all terrestrial creatures. It is quoted by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews with reference to Christ; but w...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION Psalm VIII. is altogether a psalm of praise and thanksgiving. Its primary idea is the condescending love and goodness of God towards man. That God, who had made the heavens, and sot his glo...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Psa 8:1-9 is to the chief musician upon Gittith. Now Gittith means wine press, and so you have the thought of the harvest in the sense, actually, of judgment. The time of harvest has come. O LORD, ou...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 8:27; Deuteronomy 28:58; Ephesians 4:10; Exodus 15:11;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    In — Not only in Israel, but among all nations. Which shews that this psalm speaks of the Messiah, and the times of the New Testament. Heavens — Where thy throne of glory is established, where the ble...

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