Psalm 8: The Majesty Of God And The Dignity Of Humanity

Psalm 8: The Majesty of God and the Dignity of Humanity

Psalm 8 NRSV

Divine Majesty and Human Dignity

To the leader: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.

This psalm was written for the worship leader.

The words "according to The Gittith" may refer to the musical instrument that David wrote this psalm for. The "gittith" refers to a Philistine harp that is like our guitar. David took his enemy's instrument and tunes and turned them into glorious praise.

There are two lessons in this. First, any musical style or instrument can be used to glorify God. Second, God can take what we encounter in our battles with our enemies and turn them around. What ever you are facing right now, you should collect some tunes and some instruments as it were for when you come out on the other side. Once the battle is won, or maybe even in the middle of the battle, take the enemy's instrument and play a song of victory. And that is what this song is, a song of victory. It follows Psalms 3-7 that allude to Absolom's rebellion against David and the question of how God was going to fulfil his promise to David in the midst of such seeming defeat. The end of Psalm 7 says, "I will sing about the name of the LORD Most High" (v. 17).

There are moments in the middle of our battles when we have to stop and make a decision that we are going to sing!

Psalm 8:1 begins this song:

1 O Lord, our Sovereign,    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

David takes the direct approach. He does not sing about the LORD, He sings to Him. He says, "O Lord!." This is the covenant name of YHWH. He is addressing the One who he is in relationship with. He is refocussing on the One who is greater than all of our battles, The Creator God, the Savior, the One who made a covenant with Abraham, the One who wrestled with Jacob and changed his name to Israel, the One who delivered Israel from Egypt by the hand of Moses, the One who brought the tribes into the Promised Land, the One who set David up as king -- Oh LORD! What is in a Name! For the Hebrews the nature, character, power, and history of an individual were in a name. When David addresses the LORD by name, he is calling on everything that God is and has done, every promise He has made! What's in a name?!

In the NT we have been the privilege of knowing this God by a Name that He has chosen for Himself that is above every other Name, the Name of JESUS. Whatever we do in word or deed we are to do it all in the Name of JESUS giving thanks unto God and the Father by Him! We baptizze in that Name. The sick are healed in that Name. The power of the enemy is thwarted in that Name! In Him (in that Name) all the fullness of God's character, nature, history, promises dwells in a bodily form! In Him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge! If you see Him, you see the Invisible Father!

Oh LORD! JESUS!

David then addresses the LORD as "our Lord" or "our Soveriegn." The Hebrew word here is adonai. It refers to one who is in control. David is acknowledging that God's got this. The world may seem like a mess, I may be a mess, you may be a mess, the government may be a mess, but at the end of the day YHWH is still on the throne!

And his Name is greater! Sometimes you just need to speak the Name of JESUS over what your going through realizing that HE is greater. Sometimes you need to get together with another fellow believer and just speak that Name over everything in your life agreeing asking it in His Name! Oh, the Name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous can run into it and be saved! God you really are in control. This world seems like it is spinning out of control but, Oh LORD our Sovereign how excellent is you name in all the earth!

One day every knew will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father! All the earth. Everywhere teh curse of sin is, His Name is majestic. Everywhere gross darkness covers the people, the Light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it! Everywhere sickness seems to prevail, His Healing Name can be spoken. Jesus said all power is given unto Me in heaven and earth, go therefore and preach the gospel to ALL nations! His Name works no matter what language it is spoken in. You do NOT have to speak His Name in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. You can speak it in English, Spanish, Chinese, or Arabic -- just speak it with faith and love and hope! His Name is majestic in all the earth!