1 The Prophet considering the excellent liberality and Fatherly providence of God toward man, whom he made as it were a god over all his works, doth not only give great thanks, but is astonished with the admiration of the same, as one nothing able to compass such great mercies.

To him that excelleth on [a]Gittith. A Psalm of David.

O Lord our Lord, how [b]excellent is thy Name in all the world! which hast set thy glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouth [c]of babes and sucklings hast thou [d]ordained strength, because of thine enemies, that thou mightest [e]still the enemy and the avenger.

When I behold thine heavens, even the works of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained,

What is [f]man, say I, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him?

For thou hast made him a little lower than [g]God, and crowned him with glory and worship.

Thou hast made him to have dominion in the works of thine hands, thou hast put all things under his feet:

All [h]sheep and oxen: yea, and the beasts of the field:

The fowls of the air, and the fish of the sea, and that which passeth through the paths of the seas.

O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the world!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 8:1 Or, kind of instrument, or tune.
  2. Psalm 8:1 Or, noble, or marvelous.
  3. Psalm 8:2 Though the wicked would hide God’s praises, yet the very babes are sufficient witnesses of the same.
  4. Psalm 8:2 Or, established.
  5. Psalm 8:2 Or, confound.
  6. Psalm 8:4 It had been sufficient, for him to have set forth his glory by the heavens, though he had not come so low as to man, which is but dust.
  7. Psalm 8:5 Touching his first creation.
  8. Psalm 8:7 By the temporal gifts of man’s creation, he is led to consider the benefits which he hath by his regeneration through Christ.

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