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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)