Psalm 8 Bible Study

Seeing God’s Glory In Creation

Text: Psalm 8

Introduction

Who remembers the story of David and Goliath? Goliath would come out every morning and begin his daily mockery of Israel. David listened and said, “Is there not a cause?” Everyone thought Goliath was far too big to fight. David thought Goliath was too big to miss.

Do you remember the king’s response to David? “Thou art not able…thou art but a youth.” David knew he was not able in his own strength. David charged toward Goliath in the NAME OF THE LORD! You know the rest of the story!

Soon after David’s victory, he was appointed court musician and given the task of charming the king out of his dark moods with his harp. Tradition says, this was about the time David wrote this Psalm.

This Psalm is prophetic and anticipates the coming of the Lord. The earth may have it’s champions, but so does Heaven; Jesus Christ! Jesus will crush the last champion of darkness!

VERSE1

There is no doubt that God’s name (Jehovah) is not yet acknowledged in all the earth.

Exploring Psalms 1–88, Volume One: An Expository Commentary I. The Lord’s Position (8:1)

Half a billion Moslems place Allah on the throne of their hearts, a quarter of a billion Buddhists bow down to the graven image of Buddah, half a billion Hindus grovel at the feet of countless idols, millions of communists and atheists deny there is any God at all.

David in his battle with Goliath proved that God’s name is majestic even though God’s glory was hidden.

1 Samuel 17:45 “45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.”

VERSES 2-3

David now explains to us how he saw this demonstrated in two different spheres:

The Lord is the great conqueror

We are geared to always think that where ever the greatest power seems to, God must be there too.

Question: Does God need an army?

Example: Where did the downfall and defeat of Pharaoh’s empire begin? ANS — God sent a baby to a Hebrew home.

What gripped the heart of Pharaoh’s daughter? ANS — his tears were like arrows to her heart.

“because of thine enemies”

Jesus himself enter our world as a babe.

The Lord is the great creator

There is no doubt that David took time to gaze in amazement at the cosmos while shepherding his father’s sheep.

At that time, he probably knew some of the stars names.

He knew from his Bible that God had counted them and called them by name.

People were astonished when Galileo turned his telescope to the sky and announced that the world was not the center of the universe.

The Pope ordered his to recant…too late.

Our universe is full of staggering dimensions, unmeasurable speeds, depths, and distances. Yet, God did it with His fingers!

VERSE 4

With the backdrop of God majesty, David now considers how amazing it is how God comes to us the way He does.

Exploring Psalms 1–88, Volume One: An Expository Commentary A. Come to Us the Way He Does (8:4–5a)

How wonderful! God is more interested in people than He is in planets, more interested in souls than He is in stars, more interested in us than He is in the universe! And because He is interested in us He visits us.

(v4) There is an amazing transition from Old Testament to New Testament:

“the son of man” to “the Son of man”

One is the reference our natural descent from Adam.

The other refers to Christ as the second Man, the last Adam.

Jesus takes the place in the universe that Adam forfeited.

VERSES 5-8

When you read Hebrews, the author relates this statement to Jesus.

We know however, Jesus has returned to the throne in heaven.

He sits on His throne in a battled scarred body in order that we might share in that glory.

Until we go to be with Jesus, we are remain as a creation that was made a little lower than the angels.

If you listened to Charles Darwin, you would simply describe humanity as, “the most efficient animal ever to emerge on earth.”

We did not simply emerge! We were created by the act of God’s sovereign hand.

Our history has validated this truth: God has delivered into the hands of humanity the dominion over the planets and beasts.

Animals have been tamed and taught.

Scientists have smashed atoms and harnessed their energy.

The mysteries of the DNA and RNA code has bee unraveled.

Psychologists have explored the human brain.

Quote: The Lord having created us, companions us and crowns us and commissions us. It is almost too wonderful for words! John Phillips, Exploring Psalms 1–88: An Expository Commentary, vol. 1, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Ps 8:5b–8.

VERSE 9

For the naysayer and doubter of God’s excellence, David offers you two areas of proof:

The greatness of God in creation

Did David mention God’s hand or arm?

All God needed were His fingers!!!

The greatness of God in His grace.

God could have traveled anywhere he wanted too in the whole galaxy, yet He sent His son to us because He cares for us!

Conclusion

Exploring Psalms 1–88, Volume One: An Expository Commentary VI. The Lord’s Portion (8:9)

The psalm begins where it ends, ends where it begins, and completes the cycle endlessly and forever. “How excellent is Thy name in all the earth!”