FRAMING THE PSALMS: PSALM 8

Aids to introduce the psalms sung in worship.

John Brown of Haddington, 18th century Scottish theologian.

This psalm contains a pleasant, but solemn meditation upon the glory, the greatness, and the grace of God. Let me here observe

(1.) How illustrious and widespread are all his glory and renown, ver. 1, 3, 9

(2.) By how weak and insignificant instruments, he manifests and spreads his superlative fame, ver. 2

(3.) Behold his marvellous condescension and bounty to mankind, but chiefly to the man Christ, in uniting his human nature to his divine person, and in giving him all power in heaven and earth, for the benefit of his chosen people, ver. 4-8.

May this Jesus, this name of God in him, be the enthroned inhabitant, the everlasting wonder, and the superlative darling of my heart. Let me, with the babes of Jerusalem, Matt. 21,  pour forth my hosannas to him that cometh in the name of the Lord to save me ­ hosannas in the highest. Let all the works of nature lead, and excite me to admire their Creator's kindness towards men ­ towards sinful and insignificant me.

John Cumming, 19th century Scottish Presbyterian.

This beautiful Psalm maintains that the glory of God is to be  seen in the works of creation and providence ; and that, therefore,  the atheist, and the infidel, and the untutored Gentile, are all without excuse.

In verses 3, 4, David admires the condescending love of God to man, and wonders that frail mortality is even remembered amid the stupendous objects of the universe.

In verses 5—6, he alludes to the humiliation and exaltation of the Son of God become the son of man, and to our right in him to that lordship which we lost by the fall.

Oh, may we sing the Psalm filled with admiration and joy, and anticipating the day when we shall enter paradise regained — the new heaven and the new earth, which Christ has gone to prepare for us. Our Saviour applies this Psalm to himself, in Matthew xxi. 16.

  

William Romaine, 18^th century evangelical Anglican

Our Lord has applied this psalm to himself in Matt. xxi. And St. Paul has commented upon it in Heb. ii. 9. " But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels crowned with glory and honour. 

He has dominion over all creatures and things, which we lost by the fall, and is only restored to us under Christ. In this view he is here considered as glorious even to admiration, he has the testimony of children to confute his enemies, and he has the earth and heavens, the sun, moon, and stars to magnify him, for though he was a little while abased below the angels in his humiliation, yet he is now crowned king of kings, and is set over all the works of God: His kingdom ruleth over all. The prophet begins and ends the psalm with the same admiration of the surpassing glory of the name of the Lord Chrift.

May we understand and enter into the spirit of this divine hymn. O that we could sing it today, as the happy subjects of such a glorious, monarch. May we so trust in what he did for us, when he was lower than the angels, as to expect he will be our friend in his high exalted state. May we in using this hymn admire the excellency of his great name, and with thankful hearts bless and praise King-mediator today, and for ever.