Psa 8:1 | KingComments | STEP | Psalm 8 is the second messianic psalm after Psalm 2. This is evident from its quotation in Hebrews 2, which makes it clear that this psalm is about the Lord Jesus. Psalm 8 is the first song of praise in Psalms. This psalm is the only one addressed to God alone. This is remarkable because it is about the true Man, the Son of Man, Who came to glorify God, but only after He fell into the earth like the grain of wheat and died ( ). There is a similarity and a difference between Psalm 8 and Psalm 2. The similarity is that both psalms are about the glory of the Lord Jesus. The difference is that Psalm 2 is about the Lord Jesus as King on Zion, where He reigns as the Son of God, the Messiah, over Israel ( ) and from there also over the nations. He comes first for Israel as “servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises [given] to the fathers” ( ). Psalm 8 speaks about the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man Who rules over all that is created. He has a Name above all names. He is not in heaven, but above heaven. He transcends everything. For this He had to suffer and die as the Son of Man and rise from the dead. We find the announcement of this by the Lord Jesus Himself three times in the Gospels ( ). Psalm 8 is what is sometimes called an ‘envelope psalm’ because it begins and ends with the same phrase: “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth” ( ). This emphasizes the fact that the glorification of God will take place through the Son of Man Who died and rose again. The Lord Jesus came as the second Man and the last Adam to fulfill God’s purpose in creating man, namely, the glorification of God. Christ is the true Adam. For “for the choir director” ( ) see at Psalm 4:1. Then follows an indication that has not occurred before: it is a psalm “on the Gittith“. This phrase occurs three times in Psalms ( ). The meaning of this word is related to a derivation of it, the Hebrew word gat , which means wine press. This makes it seem that it is a “wine press song”. The wine press is a symbol of judgment and of joy. We can see in this, first of all, a reference to the suffering of Christ Himself. He drank the cup of the wine of God’s anger for all who believe in Him. In the second place, it is a prophetic reference to the judgment on the wicked. Wine, besides being a picture of wrath, is a picture of the joy that is the result of tribulation through judgment ( ; ; ). To make the wine, the grapes must be pressed. Similarly, the joy and glorification of God come only through suffering. It will be a joy when the wicked are judged and the Messiah will reign over Israel and the entire earth. For “a Psalm of David” see at Psalm 3:1. David speaks to the “LORD, our Lord” ( ). LORD, Yahweh, is the name of God in His relationship with man and especially with His people. Lord, Adonai, indicates His sovereign rule over all created things. David, and in him the believing remnant, sees the majesty of God’s Name “in all the earth”. The whole earth is one great revelation of that Name. This will be the case when the Lord Jesus has cleansed the earth by judgment and establishes the realm of peace. At the same time, David realizes that the splendor of the LORD is “above the heavens”. His splendor transcends all that is created, whether it is the visible or the invisible part of it. David sees only the created and only a small part of it, the part he can perceive with his eyes. By faith he knows that God displays His splendor everywhere, in countless more places than he can see around him, but also much higher than the created sky. God transcends His creation immeasurably. Man, who lives separated from God, does not see this because he does not acknowledge God, although God makes His eternal power and Divine nature known in creation ( ). But what is hidden from the wise and intelligent of the world because their eyes are blinded by “the god of this age”, satan ( ), God has revealed to little children ( ; ). What is said of “the mouth of infants and nursing babes” applies to the believing remnant. As infants and nursing babes, they are utterly defenseless in the face of adversaries, enemies, and vindictive people. But their mouths open to praise God. This display of weakness and ignorance according to human standards is a foundation of strength. God has laid that foundation to establish on it His honor and glory. When the Lord Jesus quotes this verse from Psalm 8, He does so from the Septuagint, saying: “OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF” ( ) instead of “You have established strength”. In praising God – and the Lord Jesus – His power and greatness are sung. It is God’s method to shame through the mouths of infants and nursing babes, the weak, the things which are strong ( ). David tells God that this is how He works “because of Your adversaries”. In doing so, God is muzzling the mouths of “the enemy and the vengeful”. These are mainly and primarily the wicked of the people and then also the enemies from outside. The Lord Jesus quotes this verse to silence His opponents, the chief priests and scribes ( ). Those fools reveal their opposition to Him by pointing out to Him the ’unheard of’ that children praise Him in the temple with the words “hosanna to the Son of David” ( ; cf. ). The Lord then holds up to them this verse. In doing so, He says reproachfully to them whether they have “never read” that verse in Psalm 8. They will have read it often enough, but always without understanding its true meaning. Not understanding something is not bad. Not wanting to understand something is really bad (cf. ). Such is the case with the chief priests and the scribes. Their unwillingness blinds them to the fact that this verse demonstrates that the Lord Jesus is the LORD, Yahweh, Himself. The children express this loudly.

‏ Psalms 8:1

Introduction

Psalm 8 is the second messianic psalm after Psalm 2. This is evident from its quotation in Hebrews 2, which makes it clear that this psalm is about the Lord Jesus. Psalm 8 is the first song of praise in Psalms. This psalm is the only one addressed to God alone. This is remarkable because it is about the true Man, the Son of Man, Who came to glorify God, but only after He fell into the earth like the grain of wheat and died (Jn 12:24).

There is a similarity and a difference between Psalm 8 and Psalm 2. The similarity is that both psalms are about the glory of the Lord Jesus. The difference is that Psalm 2 is about the Lord Jesus as King on Zion, where He reigns as the Son of God, the Messiah, over Israel (Jn 1:49) and from there also over the nations. He comes first for Israel as “servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises [given] to the fathers” (Rom 15:8).

Psalm 8 speaks about the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man Who rules over all that is created. He has a Name above all names. He is not in heaven, but above heaven. He transcends everything. For this He had to suffer and die as the Son of Man and rise from the dead. We find the announcement of this by the Lord Jesus Himself three times in the Gospels (Mk 8:31 ; Mk 9:31 ; Mk 10:33-34).

Psalm 8 is what is sometimes called an ‘envelope psalm’ because it begins and ends with the same phrase: “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth” (Psa 8:1b ; 9). This emphasizes the fact that the glorification of God will take place through the Son of Man Who died and rose again. The Lord Jesus came as the second Man and the last Adam to fulfill God’s purpose in creating man, namely, the glorification of God. Christ is the true Adam.

How Majestic Is God’s Name

For “for the choir director” (Psa 8:1a) see at Psalm 4:1.

Then follows an indication that has not occurred before: it is a psalm “on the Gittith“. This phrase occurs three times in Psalms (Psa 8:1 ; Psa 81:1 ; Psa 84:1). The meaning of this word is related to a derivation of it, the Hebrew word gat, which means wine press. This makes it seem that it is a “wine press song”.

The wine press is a symbol of judgment and of joy. We can see in this, first of all, a reference to the suffering of Christ Himself. He drank the cup of the wine of God’s anger for all who believe in Him. In the second place, it is a prophetic reference to the judgment on the wicked. Wine, besides being a picture of wrath, is a picture of the joy that is the result of tribulation through judgment (Jer 48:33; Isa 63:3; Rev 14:20 ; Rev 19:1-5 ; 15).

To make the wine, the grapes must be pressed. Similarly, the joy and glorification of God come only through suffering. It will be a joy when the wicked are judged and the Messiah will reign over Israel and the entire earth.

For “a Psalm of David” see at Psalm 3:1.

David speaks to the “LORD, our Lord” (Psa 8:1b). LORD, Yahweh, is the name of God in His relationship with man and especially with His people. Lord, Adonai, indicates His sovereign rule over all created things. David, and in him the believing remnant, sees the majesty of God’s Name “in all the earth”. The whole earth is one great revelation of that Name. This will be the case when the Lord Jesus has cleansed the earth by judgment and establishes the realm of peace.

At the same time, David realizes that the splendor of the LORD is “above the heavens”. His splendor transcends all that is created, whether it is the visible or the invisible part of it. David sees only the created and only a small part of it, the part he can perceive with his eyes. By faith he knows that God displays His splendor everywhere, in countless more places than he can see around him, but also much higher than the created sky. God transcends His creation immeasurably.

Man, who lives separated from God, does not see this because he does not acknowledge God, although God makes His eternal power and Divine nature known in creation (Rom 1:19-20). But what is hidden from the wise and intelligent of the world because their eyes are blinded by “the god of this age”, satan (2Cor 4:4), God has revealed to little children (Psa 8:3; Mt 11:25).

What is said of “the mouth of infants and nursing babes” applies to the believing remnant. As infants and nursing babes, they are utterly defenseless in the face of adversaries, enemies, and vindictive people. But their mouths open to praise God. This display of weakness and ignorance according to human standards is a foundation of strength. God has laid that foundation to establish on it His honor and glory.

When the Lord Jesus quotes this verse from Psalm 8, He does so from the Septuagint, saying: “OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF” (Mt 21:16) instead of “You have established strength”. In praising God – and the Lord Jesus – His power and greatness are sung. It is God’s method to shame through the mouths of infants and nursing babes, the weak, the things which are strong (1Cor 1:27). David tells God that this is how He works “because of Your adversaries”. In doing so, God is muzzling the mouths of “the enemy and the vengeful”. These are mainly and primarily the wicked of the people and then also the enemies from outside.

The Lord Jesus quotes this verse to silence His opponents, the chief priests and scribes (Mt 21:15-16). Those fools reveal their opposition to Him by pointing out to Him the ’unheard of’ that children praise Him in the temple with the words “hosanna to the Son of David” (Mt 21:15; cf. Psa 118:25-26). The Lord then holds up to them this verse. In doing so, He says reproachfully to them whether they have “never read” that verse in Psalm 8. They will have read it often enough, but always without understanding its true meaning.

Not understanding something is not bad. Not wanting to understand something is really bad (cf. Isa 6:9-10). Such is the case with the chief priests and the scribes. Their unwillingness blinds them to the fact that this verse demonstrates that the Lord Jesus is the LORD, Yahweh, Himself. The children express this loudly.