Prayer and the PsalmsНамуна

Psalm 8 – Creation

This wonderful Psalm declares the wonder of God in creation and in the pinnacle of creation – humankind.

David proclaims God is both here, seen and above, unseen - “in all the earth … your glory above the heavens.”  The Lord is not confined to this world, even though his majesty is seen and appreciated, but neither is he unknown, or beyond grasp, because he has revealed to us certain aspects of his eternal being.  Romans 1:19-21 states this.  “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”

It is however in apparent weakness/insignificance (babies and infants) that praise, and strength is declared of this God.  Jesus quoted this Psalm in Matthew 21:16 when the priests became indignant that children were crying out in worship of Him. 

Praise is not a profession.  It is the voice of the humble, it is a natural response of the uncluttered, and not so-called sophisticated adults.  Children still these voices. 

When we consider the awe and majesty of the heavens above (which are both more beautiful and more dangerous than we can ever know) our response is to wonder why would this God bother?  This is where the macro diminishes the micro - we feel so small in the light of what is so vast.  Why would God be mindful of us and even care for us?  And yet…

We are made a little lower than God – (some translations say this). And we are crowned with “glory and honour.”  These terms are royal by intimation and must have been seen as a shock in a world where Kings and Queens were few and far between, often seen as gods, and in complete oppressive dominion over people.  Yet David (a king himself) is declaring the royal image and value of all of God’s creation – humankind.  Few kings would have ventured so far for fear of an uprising.

And in keeping with Genesis 1:26-28 this image and glory is seen in a (correctly appreciated) dominion over “the works of your hands.” These are the same hands that worked the heavens into being/order.

God has dominion in the heavens, but he has given us dominion on the earth. This may be where we are most God-like.  What privilege, what trust, what care we should take.

This Psalm has a lot of Genesis 1 in it.  It is a creation retelling. Humankind is a unique and privileged royal image of the God of heaven and earth.  Our value is clearly stated in bold and far-reaching terms.  When we feel insignificant this Psalm expresses our significance.  We are close to God and with dominion - sharing in His Lordship. 

When we deny God, we lose this sense of value and become animal-like in response.  The very creation that is meant to be ruled by us starts to become our ruler.  We are increasingly seen as lower than the animals and by some as a scourge and disease this planet would be better rid of – how far we have fallen from the image of God in the earth.

The final verse repeats the first verse and frames the entire Psalm.  God is majestic and what he does is majestic.