The Lord Shows His Excellence In All The Earth

As we lead busy lives each week, we need to slow down. In the middle of the activity of work and school and home life and church life, we need to pause and ponder. For how often do we really think about who God is, who we are, and what to do with the few days on earth that God has given? It’s easy to become absorbed in all the busyness, to think that busyness is our calling, while missing out on what’s most important.

The one remedy for our distraction and disorientation is always the Word of God. And Psalm 8 is one truly God-pleasing meditation on life. This is true and Scriptural contemplation, for here David focuses not on himself, but on God.

Imagine David writing this Psalm during an evening in the countryside. Perhaps David was still a shepherd for his father when he wrote it. He was tending the flocks, spending much time in solitude, with only the sheep as his companions. At night he finally had time to sit back, to look at the starry heavens, and to think about the things that are above. Or maybe David was already king when he wrote this Psalm. We see him walking out onto the roof of his palace one evening to be alone with his thoughts and with God.

Whatever the setting of this Psalm, it seems certain it was a bright, clear night. The host of the heavenly lights stretched out above him—like you see when you go up north, away from the city. Under these bright and twinkling lights, David looks up to God and praises him: “You have set your glory above the heavens!” (Ps 8:1).

Under the broad sweep of the sky, David reflects on who God is, the Maker of heaven and earth. David considers this gracious God and his unfailing love, and he is amazed that the LORD would give so much to puny and sinful mankind. This personal reflection in Psalm 8 is a song for public worship, and it’s a lesson in considering the LORD’s greatness. This is our theme,

The LORD, our Lord, shows his excellence in all the earth:

1) the height of God’s glory

2) the breadth of creation’s glory

3) the depth of mankind’s glory

1) the height of God’s glory: Our text begins with a joyous declaration of God’s greatness: “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!” (v 1). Now, many of the psalms open with words of praise for God, but the opening of Psalm 8 stands alone.

For David calls on his God as both LORD and Lord. The difference between the two titles is marked by all capital letters for the first, and regular letters for the second. You probably know that the first ‘LORD’ is a translation of the Hebrew Yahweh. This is the name which God revealed to Moses in Exodus 3. It speaks of the LORD as the faithful God of the covenant, the unchanging and eternal God of promise.

Right away this tells us that when David prays in the night, he’s not calling on an impersonal God up above. The LORD didn’t create, then vacate his world, staying far away, not interested in earthlings. No, in his prayer, David turns to the covenant LORD, knowing that his merciful love is as everlasting as the heavens. He seeks the God who says, “I will be your God and you will be my people.” This is something that you and I should never get tired of thinking about: the LORD God comes very close to us in his relationship of love.

God comes very close, yet without diminishing his might and authority and glory. For the LORD is also ‘Lord.’ That second ‘Lord’ speaks of God as the sovereign ruler of all created things. He is the great King; says Isaiah, “Heaven is his throne, and the earth is his footstool” (Isa 66:1). In our prayers and worship, we should stand in awe of the LORD who is our Lord. For this God is surrounded with glory and power!

David sings to God, “O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth!” In Scripture, ‘the name’ of God stands for nothing less than God himself, in his fullness and completeness. The Psalms are filled with references to the great name of God. We trust in his name. We hope in your name, O LORD. His name endures forever, his name is near. God’s name protects and saves.

And the name of the LORD is ‘excellent.’ The Hebrew word for ‘excellent’ speaks of glory and honour. We use that word loosely, like when we compliment our mom on another excellent dinner. But in the Bible it’s a word used especially of God and his deeds. For example, after Egypt was crushed in the Red Sea, Moses sang, “Your right hand was excellent in power, your right hand shattered the enemy” (Ex 15:6). And God is tremendous in appearance: “You are more glorious and excellent than the mighty mountains” (Ps 76:4).