Psalms 8:3

_WHEN I CONSIDER THY HEAVENS, THE WORK OF THY FINGERS, THE MOON AND THE STARS, WHICH THOU HAST ORDAINED;_ Thy heavens ... the moon and the stars. The sun is probably included in "thy heavens" - namely, as they appear by day, wherein the sun rules supreme. "The moon and the stars" in the second dense describe the splendour of the night heavens. Compare Psalms 19:1; Psalms 19:4 where day, with its sun, and night are similar contrasted. David's original occupation as a shepherd, watching his flocks by night as well as day, would naturally suggest glorious thoughts of God's greatness exhibited in the visible heavens. Affliction it was that elicited his poetical powers. So blessed are the results of sanctified sorrow. THE WORK OF THY FINGERS - human language used of God, in condescensi

As the Hebrew particle כי, _ki, _has often the same meaning as _because _or _for, _and simply affirms a thing, both the Greek and the Latin fathers have generally read the fourth verse as if it were a complete sentence by itself. But it is, doubtless, closely connected with the following verse; and, therefore, the two verses ought to be joined together. The Hebrew word כי _, ki, _might be very properly translated into the disjunctive particle, _although, _making the meaning to be this: Although the infinite majesty of God shines forth in the heavenly bodies, and justly keeps the eyes of men fixed on the contemplation of it, yet his glory is beheld in a special manner, in the great favor which he bears to men, and in the goodness which he manifests towards them. This interpretation would not be at variance with the scope of the passage; but I choose rather to follow the generally received...

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, 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 hi...

Verse Psalms 8:3. _WHEN I CONSIDER THY HEAVENS_] כי אראה _ki ereh; because I_ _will see_. He had often seen the heavens with astonishment, and he purposes to make them frequent subjects of contemplation; and he could not behold them without being affected with the skill, contrivance, and power, manifested in their formation. _THE WORK OF THY FINGERS_] What a view does this give of the majesty of God! The _earth_ is nearly _eight thousand_ English miles in diameter: but to form an adequate conception of its magnitude, we must consider it in its _superficial_ and _solid contents_. Upon the supposition that the earth's _polar_ diameter is _seven thousand_ _nine hundred and forty miles_, and its equatorial, _seven thousand_ _nine hundred and seventy-seven_, (estimates considered to very near approximations to the

WHEN I CONSIDER THY HEAVENS - When I contemplate or look upon. They are called his heavens because he made them - because he is the proprietor of them - perhaps because they are his abode. THE WORK OF THY FINGERS - Which thy fingers have made. The fingers are the instruments by which we construct a piece of work - perhaps indicating skill rather than strength; and hence so used in respect to God, as it is by his skill that the heavens have been made. THE MOON AND THE STARS - Showing, as remarked above, that probably this psalm, was composed at night, or that the train of thought was suggested by the contemplation of the starry worlds. It is not improbable that the thoughts occurred to the psalmist when meditating on the signal honor which God had conferred on him, a feeble man (see the notes at...

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 glory on them, should have a regard for man, and "visit him,"_ _and not only so, but give him so lofty a position, so exalted a destiny, is a thought that is well-nigh overwhelming. The psalmist, filled with the thought, can do no less than pour out his feelings of love and gratitude in song. The Davidical authorship is generally allowed. What "upon Gittith' means is very uncertain, but the most probable conjecture is that a melody, or musical style, which David had learnt at Gath, is intended. PSALMS 8:1 O LORD OUR LORD. In the original, _Jehovah Adoneynu_;_ i.e._ "Jehovah, who art our sovereign Lord and

WHEN I CONSIDER THY HEAVENS,.... Where God dwells, and which he has made; the airy and starry heavens, which are to be seen with the bodily eye; and the heaven of heavens, which is to be beheld and considered by faith: THE WORK OF THY FINGERS; being curiously wrought by his power, and garnished by his Spirit: for the finger of God is the Spirit of God; see Matthew 12:28; compared with Luke 11:20; THE MOON AND THE STARS, WHICH THOU HAST ORDAINED, or "prepared" h, for various uses to the earth, and the inhabitants of it. The sun is not mentioned, because it cannot be looked upon, as the moon and the stars may, nor be seen when they are. And it is generally thought that David composed this psalm in the night, When these celestial bodies were in view; and, it may be, while

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 mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?_ He, whose voice rolls the stars along, who makes those bright worlds to fly like sparks from the anvil of his omnipotence, how can he stoop so low as to regard his fallen creature, man, who is so small, so insignificant? Psalms 8

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 over all the earth (Psalms 8:9) Psalms 8:1. In this Psalm we behold Christ again, and here as Son of Man. Three times this Psalm is quoted in the New Testament; in Matthew 21:16,...

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 does least violence to the text, Let me sing, I pray thee, of thy glory above the heavens, [though] with the mouth of babes and sucklings. Thou hast founded a stronghold because of thine enemies, to still the foe and the avenger. The reference may be to the chaotic power of darkness dispelled by the God of light, whom the Hebrews identified with Yahweh. Psalms 8:3 f. The insignificance of man. [Observe that son of man is equivalent to man. It has not the special significance it bears in the apocalyptic literature and the NT. Probably it bears the same significance in the quotation in Heb. as in the Ps. The