4 What is man, H582 that thou art mindful H2142 of him? and the son H1121 of man, H120 that thou visitest H6485 him?
LORD, H3068 what is man, H120 that thou takest knowledge H3045 of him! or the son H1121 of man, H582 that thou makest account H2803 of him!
What is man, H582 that thou shouldest magnify H1431 him? and that thou shouldest set H7896 thine heart H3820 upon him?
But G1161 one G5100 in a certain place G4225 testified, G1263 saying, G3004 What G5101 is G2076 man, G444 that G3754 thou art mindful G3403 of him? G846 or G2228 the son G5207 of man, G444 that G3754 thou visitest G1980 him? G846 Thou madest G1642 him G846 a little G1024 G5100 lower G1642 than G3844 the angels; G32 thou crownedst G4737 him G846 with glory G1391 and G2532 honour, G5092 and G2532 didst set G2525 him G846 over G1909 the works G2041 of thy G4675 hands: G5495 Thou hast put G5293 all things G3956 in subjection G5293 under G5270 his G846 feet. G4228 For G1063 in G1722 that he put G5293 all G3956 in subjection under G5293 him, G846 he left G863 nothing that is not G3762 put under G506 him. G846 But G1161 now G3568 we see G3708 not yet G3768 all things G3956 put under G5293 him. G846 But G1161 we see G991 Jesus, G2424 who G3588 was made G1642 a little G1024 G5100 lower G1642 than G3844 the angels G32 for G1223 the suffering G3804 of death, G2288 crowned G4737 with glory G1391 and G2532 honour; G5092 that G3704 he G1089 by the grace G5485 of God G2316 should taste G1089 death G2288 for G5228 every man. G3956
Then said H559 he unto me, Hast thou seen H7200 this, O son H1121 of man? H120 turn H7725 thee yet again, and thou shalt see H7200 greater H1419 abominations H8441 than these.
How much less man, H582 that is a worm? H7415 and the son H1121 of man, H120 which is a worm? H8438
And G2532 shall lay G1474 thee G4571 even with the ground, G1474 and G2532 thy G4675 children G5043 within G1722 thee; G4671 and G2532 they shall G863 not G3756 leave G863 in G1722 thee G4671 one stone G3037 upon G1909 another; G3037 because G473 G3739 thou knewest G1097 not G3756 the time G2540 of thy G4675 visitation. G1984
I, even I, am he that comforteth H5162 you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid H3372 of a man H582 that shall die, H4191 and of the son H1121 of man H120 which shall be made H5414 as grass; H2682
All nations H1471 before him are as nothing; and they are counted H2803 to him less than nothing, H657 and vanity. H8414
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 8
Commentary on Psalms 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 8
This psalm is a solemn meditation on, and admiration of, the glory and greatness of God, of which we are all concerned to think highly and honourably. It begins and ends with the same acknowledgment of the transcendent excellency of God's name. It is proposed for proof (v. 1) that God's name is excellent in all the earth, and then it is repeated as proved (with a "quod erat demonstrandum'-which was to be demonstrated) in the last verse. For the proof of God's glory the psalmist gives instances of his goodness to man; for God's goodness is his glory. God is to be glorified,
This psalm is, in the New Testament, applied to Christ and the work of our redemption which he wrought out; the honour given by the children of men to him (v. 2, compared with Mt. 21:16) and the honour put upon the children of men by him, both in his humiliation, when he was made a little lower then the angels, and in his exaltation, when he was crowned with glory and honour. Compare v. 5, 6, with Heb. 2:6-8; 1 Co. 15:27. When we are observing the glory of God in the kingdom of nature and providence we should be led by that, and through that, to the contemplation of his glory in the kingdom of grace.
To the chief musician upon Gittith. A psalm of David.
Psa 8:1-2
The psalmist here sets himself to give to God the glory due to his name. Dr. Hammond grounds a conjecture upon the title of this psalm concerning the occasion of penning it. It is said to be upon Gittith, which is generally taken for the tune, or musical instrument, with which this psalm was to be sung; but he renders it upon the Gittite, that is, Goliath the Gittite, whom he vanquished and slew (1 Sa. 17); that enemy was stilled by him who was, in comparison, but a babe and a suckling. The conjecture would be probable enough but that we find two other psalms with the same title, Ps. 81 and 84. Two things David here admires:-
In singing this let us give God the glory of his great name, and of the great things he has done by the power of his gospel, in the chariot of which the exalted Redeemer rides forth conquering and to conquer, and ought to be attended, not only with our praises, but with our best wishes. Praise is perfected (that is, God is in the highest degree glorified) when strength is ordained out of the mouth of babes and sucklings.
Psa 8:3-9
David here goes on to magnify the honour of God by recounting the honours he has put upon man, especially the man Christ Jesus. The condescensions of the divine grace call for our praises as much as the elevations of the divine glory. How God has condescended in favour to man the psalmist here observes with wonder and thankfulness, and recommends it to our thoughts. See here,
In singing this and praying it over, though we must not forget to acknowledge, with suitable affections, God's common favours to mankind, particularly in the serviceableness of the inferior creatures to us, yet we must especially set ourselves to give glory to our Lord Jesus, by confessing that he is Lord, submitting to him as our Lord, and waiting till we see all things put under him and all his enemies made his footstool.