Ps 8 Frail Humans Empowered to be Responsible (Psalm 8:1-9)

"Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens" (Ps 8:1). "...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" (Ps 8:4-5).

Psalm 8 is the first experience of joyful praise and adoration, after 5 consecutive psalms (3-7) through the dark valleys of lament and pleas for deliverance. After this brief but brilliant chorus of praise, we will return again in the following psalms to the darkness of pain and the anguish of brokenness. But here is Psalm 8, if for just a moment, darkness and suffering are driven away by the commanding vision of the sovereign God of the created universe and his unfathomable care for humanity.

Psalm 8 may be considered a hymn of praise or a hymn of creation praise together with Psalms 33, 104 and 145 as "Songs of Creation."

1. The sovereign Yahweh (Ps 8:1a, 9). The thematic framework. The central message of wondrous awe.
2. Yahweh's rule (Ps 8:1b-2). The creative power of Yahweh. Praise of God's majestic power and protection of creation. The glory of the great King.
3. Yahweh's condescension (Ps 8:3-5). Human frailty. Recognition of human frailty in light of God's creative power. The littleness of human beings. God's interest in humankind. Humankind's derived glory (Ps 8:5).
4. Yahweh's ruler (Ps 8:6-8). Empowerment and responsibility. Acceptance of divine empowerment of humans and their resultant responsibility. The greatness of human beings. Humankind's glory as ruler.

Psalm 8 can be summarized as follows (Longman III):

• A Ascription of praise (Ps 8:1a).
• B The glory of the great King (Ps 8:1b-2).
• C God's interest in humankind (Ps 8:3-4).
• C' Humankind's derived glory (Ps 8:5).
• B' Humankind's glory as ruler (Ps 8:6-8).
• A' Concluding ascription of praise (Ps 8:9).

Consider:

1. The gift of the divine nature (Exo 3:14; Mk 14:62).
2. The implications of the creation of man in the divine image (Gen 1:26-27).
3. The meaning of God's command to humans to rule over the earth (Gen 1:28).

Titles: Crown of creation (Ps 8:5). The jewel of creation. Wonderful care (Ps 8:4). How majestic is God's name (Ps 8:1, 9). Consider the heavens (Ps 8:3). The power of the powerless. The glory of the Creator and of humankind.

References:

1. Tremper Longman III & David E Garland. 2008. The Glory of the Creator and of Humankind. The Glory of God's Creation; Dignity of the Ideal Human.
2. Tim Keller. The Songs of Jesus. 2015. Psalm 8: Wonderful Care.
3. Gerald Wilson. 2002. 1. Thematic framework (1a, 9). 2. The Creative Power of Yahweh (1b-2). 3. Human Frailty (3-4). 4. Empowerment and Responsibility (5-8).
4. John Goldingay. 2013. Psalm 8: Thus far and no farther.
5. Derek Kidner. 1973. 1975. Psalm 8: Crown of Creation. 1. The praise of his glory (Ps 8:1-2). 2. What is man? (3-8). 3. The praise of his glory (Ps 8:9).
6. Alec Motyer. 2016. Psalm 8: The Power of the Powerless. A1. The Sovereign Yahweh (Ps 8:1). B1. Yahweh's rule (Ps 8:2). C. Yahweh's condescension (Ps 8:3-5). B2. Yahweh's ruler (6-8). A2. The Sovereign Yahweh (Ps 8:9).
7. John Stott. What is a Human Being? 1. The littleness of human beings (Ps 8:3-4). 2. The greatness of human beings (Ps 8:5-8).