Psalm 8

New International Version

Psalm 8^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] A psalm of David.

¹Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name^(A) in all the earth!

You have set your glory^(B)
    in the heavens.^(C)
²Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold^(D) against your enemies,
    to silence the foe^(E) and the avenger.
³When I consider your heavens,^(F)
    the work of your fingers,^(G)
the moon and the stars,^(H)
    which you have set in place,
⁴what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?^[c]^(I)

⁵You have made them^[d] a little lower than the angels^[e]^(J)
    and crowned them^[f] with glory and honor.^(K)
⁶You made them rulers^(L) over the works of your hands;^(M)
    you put everything under their^[g] feet:^(N)
⁷all flocks and herds,^(O)
    and the animals of the wild,^(P)
⁸the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,^(Q)
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

⁹Lord, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!^(R)

Footnotes

Psalm 8:1 In Hebrew texts 8:1-9 is numbered 8:2-10.
Psalm 8:1 Title: Probably a musical term
Psalm 8:4 Or what is a human being that you are mindful of him, / a son of man that you care for him?
Psalm 8:5 Or him
Psalm 8:5 Or than God
Psalm 8:5 Or him
Psalm 8:6 Or made him ruler . . . ; / . . . his

Psalm 81

New International Version

Psalm 81^[a]

For the director of music. According to gittith.^[b] Of Asaph.

¹Sing for joy to God our strength;
shout aloud to the God of Jacob!^(A)
²Begin the music, strike the timbrel,^(B)
play the melodious harp^(C) and lyre.^(D)

³Sound the ram’s horn^(E) at the New Moon,^(F)
    and when the moon is full, on the day of our festival;
⁴this is a decree for Israel,
    an ordinance of the God of Jacob.^(G)
⁵When God went out against Egypt,^(H)
    he established it as a statute for Joseph.

I heard an unknown voice say:^(I)

⁶“I removed the burden^(J) from their shoulders;^(K)
    their hands were set free from the basket.
⁷In your distress you called^(L) and I rescued you,
    I answered^(M) you out of a thundercloud;
    I tested you at the waters of Meribah.^[c]^(N)
⁸Hear me, my people,^(O) and I will warn you—
    if you would only listen to me, Israel!
⁹You shall have no foreign god^(P) among you;
    you shall not worship any god other than me.
¹⁰I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.^(Q)
Open^(R) wide your mouth and I will fill^(S) it.

¹¹“But my people would not listen to me;
Israel would not submit to me.^(T)
¹²So I gave them over^(U) to their stubborn hearts
to follow their own devices.

¹³“If my people would only listen to me,^(V)
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
¹⁴how quickly I would subdue^(W) their enemies
    and turn my hand against^(X) their foes!
¹⁵Those who hate the Lord would cringe^(Y) before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
¹⁶But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;^(Z)
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”