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Psalm Eight
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 8
To the chief Musician upon Gittith
a Psalm of David. Some think
this psalm was composed when the ark was brought to the house of Obededom the
Gittite; and that it was delivered to him and his sons
as others were to
Asaph
to Jeduthun
to the sons of Korah
&c.F12Aben Ezra in
loc. . But against this lies a strong objection
that Obededom and his sons
were porters
and not singers
1 Chronicles 26:4; and for the same reason
"gittith" cannot be the name of a musical instrument which was kept
in his family
and presided over by themF13R. Moses apud ibid. .
Some are of opinion this word had its name from Gath; and that this psalm was
wrote by David when he was thereF25Ben Melech in loc. vide Kimchi
ibid. ; or that it is the name of a musical instrument invented and made there
and which was brought from thenceF26Jarchi in loc. : And so the
Targum paraphrases it;
"upon
the harp which was brought from Gath.'
A
word like this signifies "winepresses": and hence the Septuagint
Vulgate Latin
and Ethiopic versions
render it "for the
winepresses": which Theodoret interprets of churches
where Christ the
true vine is gathered by believers
and they prepare the mystic wine. Some
thinkF1Vide Godwin. Synops. Antiqu. Heb. l. 2. s. 1. c. G. the
psalms which bear this name were composed for the feast of tabernacles: when
having got in their vintage
they filled their presses
and squeezed their
grapes
and therefore gave thanks; it was usual
even with the HeathensF2Phurnutus
de Natura Deorum
p. 84.
to make use of the harp
and other instruments of
music
at the gathering of the grapes to be squeezed and pressed. Some of the
Jewish writersF4Midrash Tillim apud Viccars. in loc. apply it to the
times of Edom's destruction
who was to be trodden down as in a winepress
foretold in Isaiah 63:1; and others interpret it of the
times of Gog and Magog
when the prophecy in Joel 3:13; shall be fulfilledF4Midrash
Tillim apud Viccars. in loc. and some have thought this psalm to be a song of
praise
like one of those sung by them that tread in the winepress; the time of
vintage being a time of joy. The ancient Christian writers explain it of the
sufferings of Christ
when he trod the winepress of his Father's wrath. But the
word "gittith" is either the first word of some song
as Aben Ezra
thinks; or the name of the tune
as Kimchi; or rather of the musical instrument
to which this psalm was set and sung. Though the author of the epistle to the
Hebrews
Hebrews 2:6; citing some passages from this
psalm
only says
"one in a certain place testified"; without
mentioning either the number of the psalm
or the name of the writer; yet it is
certain that David was the penman of it: and both from the testimony of that
writer
and from a citation of Christ himself
it is evident that the subject
of this psalm is the Messiah
and that it belongs to his times; see Hebrews 2:6. So the Syriac scholiast;
"the
eighth psalm is concerning Christ our Redeemer.'
Psalm 8:1 O
Lord
our Lord
How
excellent is Your name in all the earth
Who have set Your glory above
the heavens!
YLT
1To the Overseer
`On the
Gittith.' A Psalm of David. Jehovah
our Lord
How honourable Thy name in all
the earth! Who settest thine honour on the heavens.
O Lord our God
.... Jehovah
the one God
who is Lord of
all angels and men
and in an especial manner Lord and King of saints;
how excellent is thy name in all the earth! by the
"name" of God is not meant any particular name of his
by which he is
called; but either himself
his nature and perfections; or rather that by which
he is made known
and particularly his Gospel; see John 17:6; this is excellent in its nature
it being good news
and glad tidings of good things
which display the love
grace
mercy
and kindness of God to men
as well as his wisdom
power
truth
and faithfulness; and in the subject matter of it
Christ and his
righteousness
and life and salvation by him
the spiritual blessings of grace
it publishes
and the exceeding great and precious promises it contains; and in
its usefulness for the enlightening
quickening
and converting sinners
and
for the comforting and reviving of drooping saints. It is the glorious Gospel
of the blessed God
and excels the law in glory. It cannot well be said how
glorious it is; it is marvellously excellent; and that "in all the earth"
being carried by the apostles
who were sent by Christ with it
into all the
world; where it has shone out
and appeared gloriously to Gentiles as well as
Jews. This clause shows that this is said by David prophetically of Gospel
times; for not in his time
nor in any period under the Old Testament
was the
name of the Lord glorious and excellent in all the earth. His name was great in
Israel
but not in all the world. He showed his word
and gave his statutes and
ordinances to Jacob; but as for the Gentiles
they were without them
and were
strangers to the covenants of promise
Psalm 76:1; but this was true of the first
times of the Gospel; and will be still more fully accomplished when the
prophecies in Malachi 1:11; shall be fulfilled;
who hast set thy glory above the heavens: meaning his
Son
the Lord Jesus Christ
the brightness of his glory; in whom is all the
fulness of the Godhead
the glory of all the divine perfections; so called Psalm 63:2; and the setting of him above
the heavens designs the exaltation of him at the right hand of God; where
angels
principalities
and powers
became subject to him
and he was made
higher than the heavens
Hebrews 7:26. And it was in consequence
and by virtue of this
that the Gospel was spread throughout the earth; for
upon Christ's exaltation the Spirit was poured down upon the apostles
and they
were endowed with girls qualifying them to carry the Gospel into each of the
parts of the world.
Psalm 8:2 2 Out of the mouth of babes
and nursing infants You have ordained strength
Because of Your enemies
That
You may silence the enemy and the avenger.
YLT
2From the mouths of infants
and sucklings Thou hast founded strength
Because of Thine adversaries
To
still an enemy and a self-avenger.
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings
.... Not
literally such
though the Jewish writersF5Aben Ezra & R. Moses
in ibid. Kimchi
Obadiah Gaon
& Ben Melech in loc. generally so understand
it; as do some Christian interpreters
who explain it of the wonderful
formation
nourishment
and growth of infants; and of the marvellous care of
God in providing the breast for them; in filling it with milk
and teaching
them to suck; which
being observed by men
occasion praise to God
to the
confusion of atheists and infidels. But this is no other than what is common to
brute creatures: rather the words are to be understood in a figurative sense.
So Jarchi applies them to the priests and Levites in the temple: but it is best
to interpret them of the apostles and first preachers of the Gospel; and of
such who received it and professed it; who were in their own eyes
and in the
eyes of the world
as babes and sucklings
Matthew 11:25;
hast thou ordained strength: by which is meant the
Gospel
the rod of Christ's strength
and the power of God unto salvation; and
which being made useful for the conversion of souls
is the cause of much
praise and thanksgiving to God: this
by the mouths and means of the apostles
and first ministers of the word
God ordained
or "founded"F6יסדת "fundasti"
Pagninus
Montanus
Piscator
Cocceius
so the Targum; "fundatam disposuisti"
Junius &
Tremellius
Rivetus.
settled and established in the world
notwithstanding
all the opposition made unto it; so that the gates of hell cannot prevail
against it
to root it out of the world; but it will continue the everlasting
Gospel;
because of thine enemies: either for the sake of
subduing them
and bringing them to the obedience of Christ
that is
the elect
of God
who are before conversion enemies to God and Christ; or rather for the
sake of confounding the implacable enemies of God and Christ
and of the cause
and interest of religion. In order to which God has made choice of instruments
the most mean and despicable
1 Corinthians 1:26; and God's end in this
more particularly is expressed in the following clause;
that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger; Satan
the
enemy of mankind
the adversary of Christ personal and mystical
who is filled
with envy
wrath
and malice
against Christ and his people; him
by the
means
of the Gospel and the ministry of it
God has "caused to cease"F7להשבית "ad eessare faciendum"
Montanus
Vatablus
Piscator; "ut facias cessare"
Gejerus; so Ainsworth.
as
the word may be rendered; not as to his being
but as to his power and
authority
in the Gentile world; out of which
to his great mortification
he
was cast
by the mouth and ministry of babes and sucklings. These words are
applied by Christ to the children in the temple
crying Hosanna to the son of
David
out of whose mouths God perfected the praise of the Messiah; and by
which
and Christ's defence of them
the Scribes and Pharisees
the mortal
enemies of Christ
and who wanted to revenge themselves on him
were silenced
and stilled
Matthew 21:15.
Psalm 8:3 3 When I consider Your
heavens
the work of Your fingers
The moon and the stars
which You have
ordained
YLT
3For I see Thy heavens
a
work of Thy fingers
Moon and stars that Thou didst establish.
When I consider thy heavens
.... Where God dwells
and which he has made; the airy and starry heavens
which are to be seen with
the bodily eye; and the heaven of heavens
which is to be beheld and considered
by faith:
the work of thy fingers; being curiously wrought
by his power
and garnished by his Spirit: for the finger of God is the Spirit
of God; see Matthew 12:28; compared with Luke 11:20;
the moon and the stars
which thou hast ordained
or
"prepared"F8כוננת
"praeparasti"
Pagninus
Montanus; "parasti"
Musculus
Piscator
Gejerus
Michaelis.
for various uses to the earth
and the
inhabitants of it. The sun is not mentioned
because it cannot be looked upon
as the moon and the stars may
nor be seen when they are. And it is generally
thought that David composed this psalm in the night
When these celestial
bodies were in view; and
it may be
while he was keeping his father's sheep
since
in the enumeration of the creatures subject to man
sheep are mentioned
first
as being in view
Psalm 8:7. The heavenly bodies are very
glorious creatures
and are worthy of the consideration and contemplation of
man
and even of a saint; whereby he may be led to observe the wisdom
power
goodness
and greatness of God.
Psalm 8:4 4 What is man that You are
mindful of him
And the son of man that You visit him?
YLT
4What [is] man that Thou
rememberest him? The son of man that Thou inspectest him?
What is man
that thou art mindful of him?.... That is
the psalmist
while he was considering the greatness and glory of the celestial
bodies
thought this within himself
and so expressed it; which is to be
understood
not of man in general
nor of Adam in a state of innocence; he
could not be called "Enosh"
the word here used
which signifies a
frail
weak
sickly mortal man; nor could he with any propriety be said to be
the son of man
as in the following clause: nor of fallen man
or of Adam's
posterity
descending from him by ordinary generation; for all things are not
put in subjection to them
as is hereafter said of man: but this is to be
understood of the man Christ Jesus
as it is interpreted in Hebrews 2:6; or of that individual of human
nature which Christ assumed. The name of Enosh well agrees with him
who was a
man of no note and esteem among men
a worm and no man
a man of sorrows and
acquainted with griefs
encompassed with infirmities
and was subject to death
and did die. Now it was a marvellous thing that God should be mindful of that
individual of human nature; that he should prepare it in his council and
covenant; that among the vast numbers of individuals which it came up in his
infinite mind to create
he should choose this
to exalt it
and appoint it to
union with his own Son
and take that delight in it he did; that when it was
formed by his Spirit
he should anoint it with the oil of gladness above his
fellows; that he should take such providential care of it
and so often and so
strongly express his affection for it; that he should regard it
and support it
under sufferings; and when in the grave
did not leave it
nor suffer it to see
corruption; but raised it from the dead
and gave it glory
and exalted it at
his own right hand;
and the son of man
that thou visitest him? The name of
"the son of man" is the name of the Messiah
in Psalm 80:17; and is often given to Christ
and used by him of himself in the New Testament. And this visiting of him is
not to be understood in a way of wrath
though he was so visited by God
when
he bore the chastisements of his people; but in a way of favour
by bestowing
upon him without measure the gifts and graces of his Spirit; by affording him
his gracious presence
and tilling him with spiritual peace and joy.
Psalm 8:5 5 For You have made him a
little lower than the angels
[b] And You
have crowned him with glory and honor.
YLT
5And causest him to lack a
little of Godhead
And with honour and majesty compassest him.
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels
.... Than
Elohim
"than God"
as this word usually signifies: and could it be
interpreted of man
as made by God
it might be thought to refer to the
creation of him in the image and likeness of God; but as it must be understood
of the human nature of Christ
it may regard the wonderful union of it to the
Son of God
on account of which it is called by the same name
Luke 1:35; and so made but a little lower
than God
being next unto him
and in so near an union with a divine Person;
and which union is hypostatical or personal
the human nature being taken into
a personal union with the Son of God: and so these words give an instance of
God's marvellous regard to it; and contain a reason
proving that he has been
mindful of it
and visited it. Though rather this clause refers to the
humiliation of Christ in his human nature
as it is interpreted in Hebrews 2:9; and so it removes an
objection
as it is connected with the following clause
which might be made
against what had been observed in Psalm 8:4
on account of the low estate of
Christ's human nature
when here on the earth; and the sense is
that God has
been mindful of it
and visited it
notwithstanding its state of humiliation
for a little while
seeing he has crowned it with glory and honour
&c.
Christ was made low as to nature
place
estate
reputation
and life; he who
was the most high God
in the form of God
and equal to him in the divine
nature
was made frail mortal flesh
and was in the form of a servant in the
human nature. He who dwelt on high
and lay in the bosom of his Father
descended into the lower parts of the earth
was formed in the womb of a virgin
and when born was laid in a manager
and dwelt and conversed with sinful mortal
men upon earth: he who was Lord of all
whose is the earth
and the fulness of
it
had not where to lay his head: he whose glory was the glory of the only
begotten of the Father
became a worm and no man in the esteem of men
was
despised and rejected of men
and was of no reputation: and he who was the Lord
of life and glory was crucified and killed; becoming obedient to death
even
the death of the cross. Such is the nature of Christ's humiliation
expressed
by being "made low"; the degree of it is
"lower than
Elohim"
than God: he was equal to him in the divine nature
but inferior
to him in the human nature
John 14:28. As Mediator he was the servant
of God
and the servant is not greater than his master; nor as such so great:
and he was in his low estate in such a condition as to need the help and
assistance of God
which he had in the day of salvation: and especially he was
lower when he
was deserted by him
Matthew 27:46. Agreeably to which
some
render the words
as they will bear to be rendered
"thou didst make him
want God"
or "didst deprive"
or "bereave him of God"F9תחסרהו־מאלהים "et deficere facies" ("vel
facisti"
Pagninus) "eum paululum a Deo"
Montanus;
"destitui quidem eum voluisti paululum a Deo"
Michaelis;
"carere eum fecisti Deo parumper"
Gejerus. ; that is
of the gracious
presence of God: and so Christ was made lower than God in nature
office
and
condition. Sometimes the word "Elohim" is used for civil magistrates
as in Psalm 82:6; because they are in God's stead
and represent him; and
on account of their majesty
authority
and power
bear
some resemblance to him. Now Christ was made lower than they
inasmuch as he
not only taught obedience to them
but obeyed them himself
was a servant of
rulers
paid tribute to them
and suffered himself to be examined
tried
judged
and condemned by them; but since the word is rendered
"angels" by the Chaldee paraphrase
the Septuagint interpreters
the
Jewish commentators
Aben Ezra
Jarchi
Kimchi
and Ben Melech
and in the
Arabic
Syriac
and Ethiopic versions
and above all by the author of the
epistle to the Hebrews
it is best to interpret it of them: and Christ was made
lower than they by assuming human nature
which is inferior to theirs
especially in the corporeal part of it; and more so
inasmuch as it was
attended with infirmities
and subject to sorrows and griefs; and as it was
sometimes reduced to great extremes
and to want the comforts of life; and
sometimes was in such distress as to need the assistance and ministration of
angels
which it had
Matthew 4:11; and particularly it was lower
than they when deserted by God
whose face they always behold. To which may be
added
that Christ was made under
a law given by the disposition of angels
ordained by them
and is called "the word" spoken by them; some parts
of which they are not subject to; but the particular instance the apostle
observes is suffering of death
Hebrews 2:9; which angels are not liable
to
they die not. The duration of this low estate was "a little
while"; for so the Hebrew word מעט may be
rendered
as it is in Psalm 37:10
and the Greek βραχυ τι
used by the
Septuagint
and the author of the epistle to the Hebrews
as it is in Acts 5:34; which refers either to the time
of suffering death
and lying under the power of that and the grave
which was
but a little time; or at most to the days of his flesh
reaching from his
incarnation to his resurrection; which was a course but of a few years
and may
very well be expressed in this manner. And to this low estate was Christ
brought by Jehovah the Father
who is the person spoken of throughout the psalm;
he preordained him to it
prepared a body for him
sent him in the fulness of
time
made of a woman
made under the law
and had a very great hand in his
sufferings and death: though all was with Christ's full consent
and with his
free good will;
and hast crowned him with glory and honour; by raising
him from the dead
and setting him at his own right hand
committing all
judgment to him; and requiring all creatures
angels and men
to give worship
and adoration to him. And this being in consequence of his sufferings
after he
had run the race
and endured a fight of afflictions; and because of the
greatness of his glory and honour
with which he was as it were on all sides
surrounded
he is said to be "crowned" with it; who a little before
was crowned with thorns
and encompassed with the terrors of death and hell.
This respects his mediatorial glory.
Psalm 8:6 6 You have made him to have
dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his
feet
YLT
6Thou dost cause him to rule
Over the works of Thy hands
All Thou hast placed under his feet.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands
.... All power
in heaven and in earth being given to him: when he was raised from the dead
and when he ascended on high
and was set down at the right hand of God
he was
made or declared Lord and Christ; Lord of the hosts of heaven
of all the
angels there
King of saints
King of kings
and Lord of lords. All things in
heaven and earth
which God has made
are put into his hands
to subserve his
cause and glory
and for the good of his people; for he is head over all things
to the church. The Ethiopic version reads
"all the works of thy
hands"; among whom are angels. This is a greater dominion than was given
to the first man
Adam
Genesis 1:25;
thou hast put all things under his feet; or put them
in subjection to him
as the phrase signifies
and as it is interpreted
Hebrews 2:8. Good angels are subject to
him
as appears by their ministration to him
their dependence on him
and
adoration of him
1 Peter 3:22; devils are subject to him
whether they will or not; and so are wicked men
whose power and wrath he is
able to restrain
and does; and the church is subject to Christ
as her head;
and so all good men
willingly and heartily
and from a principle of love
obey
his commands: yea
all creatures in the earth
air
and sea
are in subjection
to him; an enumeration of which is given in the following verses.
Psalm 8:7 7 All sheep and oxen—Even the
beasts of the field
YLT
7Sheep and oxen
all of
them
And also beasts of the field
All sheep and oxen
.... The tame creatures
which are useful
for food and clothing:
yea
and the beasts of the field; the wild beasts
which
he can make use of to destroy and devour his enemies
and whom he can restrain
from harming his own people
Jeremiah 15:8.
Psalm 8:8 8 The birds of the air
And
the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the seas.
YLT
8Bird of the heavens
and
fish of the sea
Passing through the paths of the seas!
The fowl of the air
.... These he rained
about the tents of the Israelites for their relief
Psalm 78:27
and can command them to feed
his people
as the ravens did Elijah
1 Kings 17:4; or to destroy his enemies
Jeremiah 15:3; see Psalm 50:10;
and the fish of the sea: instances of Christ's
power over them
and of their being at his command
and for his service
may be
seen in Matthew 17:27;
and whatsoever passeth
through the paths of the seas: someF11Aben Ezra & Kimchi in
loc. understand this of ships
made by the wisdom and art of men
in which they
pass through the paths of the sea
and fish in the midst of it. The Targum
paraphrases it
"and leviathan
which passes through the paths of the
sea". Compare with this Isaiah 27:1. Some interpret all these
things in a figurative and allegorical way; and some of the ancients by
"sheep" understood believers among the Gentiles; by "oxen"
the Jews; by "the beasts of the field"
idolaters and profane
persons; "by the fowls of the air"
angels; and by "the fish of
the sea"
devils: but these are much better explained by Cocceius
who
by
"sheep"
understands common members of the churches; by
"oxen"
those that labour in the word and doctrine; by "the
beasts of the field"
aliens from the city and kingdom of God; men fierce
and cruel
Isaiah 11:6; by "the fowl of the
air"
such as are tilted up with pride and vanity; and by "the fish
of the sea"
such as are immersed in worldly pleasures. But it is best to
interpret the whole literally; from whence may be observed
that what was lost
by the first Adam is restored by the second; and that believers have a free use
of all the creatures through Christ: and not only the things here mentioned are
subject to him
but everything else; there is nothing left that is not put
under him
only he is excepted that put all things under him
Hebrews 2:8.
Psalm 8:9 9 O Lord
our Lord
How
excellent is Your name in all the earth!
YLT
9Jehovah
our Lord
How
honourable Thy name in all the earth!
O Lord our Lord
how excellent is thy name in all the earth! The psalm
ends with the same words with which it begins; which shows that the sense of
this
with which the psalmist was affected
continued with him
and doubtless
increased
after such a confirmation of it
by the instances he was led to take
notice of. See Gill on Psalm 8:1.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)