HOLY PSALMS OF DAVID (ZABUR) EIGHT

This magnificent psalm of David poetically reflects the glory of the lord God and shows how even the faith of little children can silence God’s enemies.

1 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. 2 You have taught children and infants to give you praise, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. 3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— 4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honour. 6 You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— 7 the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, 8 the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. 9 O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!

David was humbled by God's consideration for men and women - the apex of God’s earthly creation, and he reflected that God has put mankind ‘only a little lower than the angels (‘Elohim’ ref v.5). Since this is so, should not we respect all people regardless of their creed?  Since God respects all his creation, we should not believe any prophet who may call on us to disrespect any person or any part of what the Lord God has created!  

In verse 6 (cf. Genesis ch.2), God declares through David that mankind is to act responsibly towards all of creation, reflecting God’s glory in creating everything. This Psalm of David is picked up in the New Testament (Ingil, Hebrews 2 v5-13) where the writer applies the Psalm prophetically to Jesus being made (as a man) a little lower than the angels for a while in order to bring many men and women to live in God’s glory (above the rank of angels) in the next world.

‘And the future world we are talking about will not be controlled by angels. No, for in the book of Psalms, David says to God, “What is mere man that you are so concerned about him? And who is this Son of Man you honour so highly? ......We have not yet seen all this take place, but we do see Jesus – who for a while was made a little lower than the angels – crowned now with glory and honour because he suffered death for us.’ Heb.2 v5-9

Here the prophet of Hebrews speaks of the fact that Jesus Christ fulfilled God’s required perfect sacrifice for the sin of humankind when he died on a Roman cross in perfect obedience and thereby has opened for us the possibility of eternal life!  The fact that the Holy Qur’an contains verses that appear to be in opposition to the Book of God (that the prophet spoke of, and that has been preserved for us for thousands of years both before and after the prophet’s life) and as such would be mistaken, should not confuse believers about the truth which is self-evident.  Whether we are Jewish, Muslim or Christian every believer should not blindly follow their scriptures. Everyone should examine each text and weigh up carefully whether it has the ring of eternal truth. Scripture and a person’s interpretation of it (prophet or not), has never been or ever will be the eternal word of God!  It is ever only transmitted to us through fallible and often sinful human beings and as such needs to be read with both faith and caution.  There is only one eternal Word of God that Christians believe is given to all humanity in the person of Jesus Christ.

A poem inspired by Psalm 8: -

Creator God in Christ you give

Your grace our planets' stewards to be

Help us make your love for all

Our own responsibility.

A prayer: - O Lord our creator we are as nothing in the breadth of the heavens. Yet you have entrusted us responsibility for this planet. Help us to so appreciate your love demonstrated in Jesus Christ that we draw on your grace to follow your calling on our lives.  Amen

mjk 01/12/17 c. mikereflects