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(A psalm by David for the music leader.[a])

The Wonderful Name of the Lord

Our Lord and Ruler,
your name is wonderful
    everywhere on earth!
You let your glory be seen[b]
    in the heavens above.
(A) With praises from children
and from tiny infants,
    you have built a fortress.
It makes your enemies silent,
and all who turn against you
    are left speechless.

I often think of the heavens
    your hands have made,
and of the moon and stars
    you put in place.
(B) Then I ask, “Why do you care
    about us humans?
Why are you concerned
    for us weaklings?”
(C) You made us a little lower
    than you yourself,[c]
and you have crowned us
    with glory and honor.

(D) You let us rule everything
    your hands have made.
And you put all of it
    under our power—
the sheep and the cattle,
    and every wild animal,
the birds in the sky,
the fish in the sea,
    and all ocean creatures.

Our Lord and Ruler,
your name is wonderful
    everywhere on earth!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 8 leader: The Hebrew text adds “according to the gittith,” which may refer to either a musical instrument or a tune.
  2. 8.1 You … seen: Or “I will worship your glory.”
  3. 8.5 you yourself: Or “the angels” or “the beings in heaven.”

Psalm 8[a]

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

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

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!