Psalm 8:1 — “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens.”
David begins this psalm by declaring that the God of the universe is the Master of his life. Though it is written as a psalm, it is also a prayer. Notice how closely it connects to Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 6:9–13: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name…” David prayed these words because he had learned through experience that they were true. When he said “O Lord,” he was speaking to the Creator and his heavenly Father. When he said “our Lord,” he was placing God first in every area of his life.
By using the word Lord twice in one sentence, David shows that the Name of God is the foundation of our relationship with Him. God’s name represents the contrast between truth and falsehood, peace and chaos, honesty and deceit, and love and every form of pride, envy, greed, lust, or hunger for power. It also represents patience over anger, kindness over revenge, righteousness over lawlessness, wisdom over ignorance, and faith over doubt and fear.
David’s prayer communicates something like this: “You have established Your name upon a throne. Your name carries authority over everything—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Your name judges all things with power, fairness, grace, and truth.”
The sooner we submit to Yahweh as Adonai—the Lord—of our lives, the sooner we discover lasting peace, love, and joy.
Verse 2 — Strength from the Weak
“Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies You have ordained strength because of Your enemies, to silence the enemy and the avenger.”
David approaches this verse spiritually, not naturally. God had chosen David as a young shepherd, and he is remembering those early lessons with God the Father. While seasoned soldiers trembled, David faced the enemy in confidence. What others saw as an unbeatable giant, David and God saw as a powerless man. With a single stone of judgment, the giant fell, and David finished the task with the sword—symbolizing the power of God’s Word.
Verses 3–4 — When I Consider…
David spent countless nights watching the stars while tending sheep. He didn’t know how far away they were, how large they were, or how many there were, but he stood in awe of them and sensed that divine intelligence stood behind it all. Then he looked at himself and those around him and asked the profound question:
“What is man that You are mindful of him?”
Perhaps he thought of his parents, his grandparents, and then himself—a son of man touched by God’s power, receiving insight and revelation from the Almighty.
Verses 5–8 — A Little Lower Than the Angels
“You made him a little lower than the angels…”
This refers to humanity being created from the dust—mortal—while angels belong to the spiritual realm of God. Yet God crowned humanity with glory and honor, both spiritually and physically.
God made man an earthly creature, but one with extraordinary abilities:
- to think and reason,
- to meditate and imagine,
- to create, build, and shape,
- to feel deeply and relate to others.
He formed within the human heart a place where He could dwell—and He did so with clear purpose.
Verse 9 — How Majestic Is Your Name!
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!”
So what is our purpose on earth? David answers in the next chapter:
Psalm 9:1 — “I will praise You, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.”
And the New Testament reinforces this calling:
- Colossians 3:17 — “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus…”
- Colossians 2:6 — “…so live your life in Him.”
- Matthew 11:28–30 — “Come to Me… and I will give you rest. My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.”
Our purpose is simple: to live God’s way, in God’s name.
God bless you.
Your friend in Christ,
Rodney Roberts
One Small Seed Newsletter – Edition #290, June 2025