"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 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? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" (Psalms 8:1-9)

          God's name is praised above everything -- Psalm 8:1, Psalm 8:9: The first verse of Psalm eight and the last verse contain the identical words. "O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!"  David used two different words that are both translated with our word "Lord." The first word is the word for "Jehovah," the self-existent and eternal God. The second word that is translated "Lord" pictures the sovereign God who is in control of the universe. Bowing in reverence before our great God should be the result of acknowledging Him as Lord. We too can shout out with David, "O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth." Our God is excellent or majestic in all the earth.

          God's glory is manifest -- Psalm 8:1-2: David reminded us that God's is exalted both "above the heavens and out of the mouth of babes and sucklings." The picture is that the praise and glory for God would come from least expected places. The Bible pictures three heavens. (2 Corinthians 12:2) The three heavens are (1) the atmosphere where the birds fly, (2) space where the sun, moon and stars are, and (3) Heaven, the dwelling place of God. We can observe a bird flying but that is nothing compared to God's glory. We can see the sun and moon but that is nothing compared to God's glory. The other picture is that of children praising God's greatness. God puts knowledge of Himself into the hearts of children. (Romans 1:19) When Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time the children praised him. The words of this psalm were then applied to Jesus. "And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" (Matthew 21:16) The praise could have been coming from least expected people who had child-like faith in the Messiah.

          God's care in made known -- Psalm 8:3-8: When David considered the work of God in the creation he was overwhelmed. One would be a fool to deny God. "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." (Psalms 14:1) The heavens are the works of God's finger. The mention of the moon and stars might indicate that David was out in the open when he wrote this psalm. While marveling at the moon and the stars David pondered, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" (Psalms 8:4) God who made the heavens can use man in all his feebleness and frailty for His glory. When David saw the greatness of creation he wondered why God would bother with weak mankind. Compared to the vastness of the universe we are nothing. However, God cares deeply about us. God put us in the lowly position that we are in yet he considers us of great value. He (1) made man a little lower than the angels, (2) crowned us with glory and honour, (3) gave us charge or dominion over the works of his hands, and (4) put all things under our feet or gave us authority over all things. Any glory that man has he receives from God. "For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." (1 Peter 1:24-25) What is man? Man is often sinful and rebellious against God. What is man? He is a being with an eternal soul that is loved and cared for by God. God "is mindful of him." God is working every day in the lives of mankind. The fact that God cares is proven first and foremost by the coming of Jesus to die for our sins. Paul wrote that Jesus, "Made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." (Philippians 2:7) In Hebrews 2:9 we read, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Hebrews 2:9) Psalm eight pictures both Divine majesty and human dignity. Man is the being through whom God does His work in the world. When we observe our place in God's scheme of things we should be both humbled and uplifted.