1 [[To the chief Musician H5329 upon Gittith, H1665 A Psalm H4210 of David.]] H1732 O LORD H3068 our Lord, H113 how excellent H117 is thy name H8034 in all the earth! H776 who hast set H5414 thy glory H1935 above the heavens. H8064
Blessed H1288 be the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 from this time forth H6258 and for H5704 evermore. H5769 From the rising H4217 of the sun H8121 unto the going down H3996 of the same the LORD'S H3068 name H8034 is to be praised. H1984 The LORD H3068 is high H7311 above all nations, H1471 and his glory H3519 above the heavens. H8064
Let them praise H1984 the name H8034 of the LORD: H3068 for his name H8034 alone is excellent; H7682 his glory H1935 is above the earth H776 and heaven. H8064
[[To the chief Musician H5329 upon Gittith, H1665 A Psalm of Asaph.]] H623 Sing aloud H7442 unto God H430 our strength: H5797 make a joyful noise H7321 unto the God H430 of Jacob. H3290
God H433 came H935 from Teman, H8487 and the Holy One H6918 from mount H2022 Paran. H6290 Selah. H5542 His glory H1935 covered H3680 the heavens, H8064 and the earth H776 was full H4390 of his praise. H8416
And G2532 I heard G191 as it were G5613 the voice G5456 of a great G4183 multitude, G3793 and G2532 as G5613 the voice G5456 of many G4183 waters, G5204 and G2532 as G5613 the voice G5456 of mighty G2478 thunderings, G1027 saying, G3004 Alleluia: G239 for G3754 the Lord G2962 God G2316 omnipotent G3841 reigneth. G936
And G2532 Thomas G2381 answered G611 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 My G3450 Lord G2962 and G2532 my G3450 God. G2316
His mouth H2441 is most sweet: H4477 yea, he is altogether lovely. H4261 This is my beloved, H1730 and this is my friend, H7453 O daughters H1323 of Jerusalem. H3389
His name H8034 shall endure for ever: H5769 his name H8034 shall be continued H5125 H5125 as long as H6440 the sun: H8121 and men shall be blessed H1288 in him: all nations H1471 shall call him blessed. H833 Blessed H1288 be the LORD H3068 God, H430 the God H430 of Israel, H3478 who only doeth H6213 wondrous things. H6381 And blessed H1288 be his glorious H3519 name H8034 for ever: H5769 and let the whole earth H776 be filled H4390 with his glory; H3519 Amen, H543 and Amen. H543
Sing H7891 unto God, H430 sing praises H2167 to his name: H8034 extol H5549 him that rideth H7392 upon the heavens H6160 by his name H8034 JAH, H3050 and rejoice H5937 before H6440 him.
[[A Psalm H4210 of David, H1732 when he was in the wilderness H4057 of Judah.]] H3063 O God, H430 thou art my God; H410 early will I seek H7836 thee: my soul H5315 thirsteth H6770 for thee, my flesh H1320 longeth H3642 for thee in a dry H6723 and thirsty H5889 land, H776 where no H1097 water H4325 is;
But will God H430 indeed H552 dwell H3427 on the earth? H776 behold, the heaven H8064 and heaven H8064 of heavens H8064 cannot contain H3557 thee; how much less H637 this house H1004 that I have builded? H1129
If thou wilt not observe H8104 to do H6213 all the words H1697 of this law H8451 that are written H3789 in this book, H5612 that thou mayest fear H3372 this glorious H3513 and fearful H3372 name, H8034 THE LORD H3068 THY GOD; H430
And the LORD H3068 descended H3381 in the cloud, H6051 and stood H3320 with him there, and proclaimed H7121 the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068 And the LORD H3068 passed by H5674 before him, H6440 and proclaimed, H7121 The LORD, H3068 The LORD H3068 God, H410 merciful H7349 and gracious, H2587 longsuffering, H750 H639 and abundant H7227 in goodness H2617 and truth, H571 Keeping H5341 mercy H2617 for thousands, H505 forgiving H5375 iniquity H5771 and transgression H6588 and sin, H2403 and that will by no means H5352 clear H5352 the guilty; visiting H6485 the iniquity H5771 of the fathers H1 upon the children, H1121 and upon the children's H1121 children, unto the third H8029 and to the fourth H7256 generation.
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, H3068 among the gods? H410 who is like thee, glorious H142 in holiness, H6944 fearful H3372 in praises, H8416 doing H6213 wonders? H6382
Wherefore G1352 God G2316 also G2532 hath highly exalted G5251 him, G846 and G2532 given G5483 him G846 a name G3686 which G3588 is above G5228 every G3956 name: G3686 That G2443 at G1722 the name G3686 of Jesus G2424 every G3956 knee G1119 should bow, G2578 of things in heaven, G2032 and G2532 things in earth, G1919 and G2532 things under the earth; G2709 And G2532 that every G3956 tongue G1100 should confess G1843 that G3754 Jesus G2424 Christ G5547 is Lord, G2962 to G1519 the glory G1391 of God G2316 the Father. G3962
Yea G235 doubtless, G3304 and G2532 I count G2233 all things G3956 but loss G2209 for G1511 G1223 the excellency G5242 of the knowledge G1108 of Christ G5547 Jesus G2424 my G3450 Lord: G2962 for G1223 whom G3739 I have suffered the loss G2210 of all things, G3956 and G2532 do count G2233 them G1511 but dung, G4657 that G2443 I may win G2770 Christ, G5547
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 8
Commentary on Psalms 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 8
This psalm is a solemn meditation on, and admiration of, the glory and greatness of God, of which we are all concerned to think highly and honourably. It begins and ends with the same acknowledgment of the transcendent excellency of God's name. It is proposed for proof (v. 1) that God's name is excellent in all the earth, and then it is repeated as proved (with a "quod erat demonstrandum'-which was to be demonstrated) in the last verse. For the proof of God's glory the psalmist gives instances of his goodness to man; for God's goodness is his glory. God is to be glorified,
This psalm is, in the New Testament, applied to Christ and the work of our redemption which he wrought out; the honour given by the children of men to him (v. 2, compared with Mt. 21:16) and the honour put upon the children of men by him, both in his humiliation, when he was made a little lower then the angels, and in his exaltation, when he was crowned with glory and honour. Compare v. 5, 6, with Heb. 2:6-8; 1 Co. 15:27. When we are observing the glory of God in the kingdom of nature and providence we should be led by that, and through that, to the contemplation of his glory in the kingdom of grace.
To the chief musician upon Gittith. A psalm of David.
Psa 8:1-2
The psalmist here sets himself to give to God the glory due to his name. Dr. Hammond grounds a conjecture upon the title of this psalm concerning the occasion of penning it. It is said to be upon Gittith, which is generally taken for the tune, or musical instrument, with which this psalm was to be sung; but he renders it upon the Gittite, that is, Goliath the Gittite, whom he vanquished and slew (1 Sa. 17); that enemy was stilled by him who was, in comparison, but a babe and a suckling. The conjecture would be probable enough but that we find two other psalms with the same title, Ps. 81 and 84. Two things David here admires:-
In singing this let us give God the glory of his great name, and of the great things he has done by the power of his gospel, in the chariot of which the exalted Redeemer rides forth conquering and to conquer, and ought to be attended, not only with our praises, but with our best wishes. Praise is perfected (that is, God is in the highest degree glorified) when strength is ordained out of the mouth of babes and sucklings.
Psa 8:3-9
David here goes on to magnify the honour of God by recounting the honours he has put upon man, especially the man Christ Jesus. The condescensions of the divine grace call for our praises as much as the elevations of the divine glory. How God has condescended in favour to man the psalmist here observes with wonder and thankfulness, and recommends it to our thoughts. See here,
In singing this and praying it over, though we must not forget to acknowledge, with suitable affections, God's common favours to mankind, particularly in the serviceableness of the inferior creatures to us, yet we must especially set ourselves to give glory to our Lord Jesus, by confessing that he is Lord, submitting to him as our Lord, and waiting till we see all things put under him and all his enemies made his footstool.