The Majestic Name of the LORD (Psalm 8)

Introduction

Please go ahead and take out your Bibles and turn with me this morning to Psalm 8, Psalm 8. If you are using one of the Red Bibles there in your seat, you can find Psalm 8 on page #531.

For the next two weeks we are going to jump back into our series on the Psalms. A series that we are hitting at various breaks between other series. So far in that series we have made it through the first seven Psalms. 

Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 served as an introduction to the Psalms.. Psalm 1 introduced us to who is the blessed man. The blessed man is the one who delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on it day and night. One who flourishes by being planted as one along the river canal, unlike the wicked one whose leaves are blown away. Then in Psalm 2 we find that the nations are raging and the peoples are plotting against the LORD and his Anointed King. A raging and plotting that is in vain as the LORD’s Anointed King would be established on Zion’s Holy Hill and he would receive the nations as his heritage and the ends of the earth as his possessions. 

At the end of the Psalm a warning and comfort were given. A warning that all who failed to come and kiss the Son would perish. But a comfort that all who would come and find refuge in this Anointed King would be blessed. 

Then as the pages turn from Ps 2 to Ps 3, the raging and plotting continues. Ps 3 begins with an inscription telling us that David is forced to flee from Absalom, his son. This pursuit being in part because of David’s own sin in failing to deal with family conflict, proving that it we are not to look to David as the Anointed King of Ps 2. That another is still to come and establish God’s forever kingdom.

Yet, in the midst of Ps 3-7, there is continued hope for this coming Anointed King. A hope that salvation will come as it belongs to the LORD, a blessing upon the people of the LORD (Ps 3:7). For the LORD puts joy in the heart of his people and makes them dwell in safety (Ps 4:7-8). That he leads them in righteousness according to his steadfast love (Ps 5:7-8). And even in the midst of trouble and weariness, that the LORD will hear their cries for deliverance as they await the arrival of this Anointed King (Ps 6). 

But as David and the whole of Israel awaits, they continue to trust the LORD and praise him. In fact, it is this praise that our Psalm this morning, Ps 8 is focused on. It is set up to focus on this praise by what comes before it and after it. For David writes before in Psalm 7:17 “I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.” And then after it, he writes in the opening of  Psalm 9, (Psalm 9:1) “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.”

The Most High God, the Covenant LORD, יְהוָ֤ה, is worthy of such praise. Praise because of the majesty of his name as we see here in Ps 8. 

Before we read Ps 8, let me point out 2 brief things that will help you as we read. 

First, there is repetition in Ps 8:1 and Ps 8:9. These bookend the Ps, emphasizing that the majestic name of the LORD encompasses the whole of this this Ps. 

Second, notice how the question, how is tied to this repeat. Well, there is a third question then asked in Ps 8, down in v.4, the question, what? 

These questions will set up the main aim of Ps 8 then. Let us now then hear this word of the LORD from Psalm 8…

As you can see, while God is the main focus here with the repetition of the phrase, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

This awe at the majestic name of the LORD centers around the question, what is man that God is mindful of him? 

Main Idea: The strength of the majesty of God comes about as he uses that which is weak in the world, so let us realize our weakness and put our trust in him. 

The Majesty of God in Creation

The Weakness of Man

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As we work our way through the sermon, it is always a good idea to continue to leave your Bible open and follow along. But it is especially crucial this morning for you to do this and follow along as we are going to be jumping around a bit in Psalm 8. 

1. The Majesty of God in Creation

In the repetitive phrase, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth,” we see Lord repeated. One is in all caps, the other is not.

The LORD in all caps represents the covenant name of the LORD, יְהוָ֤ה. And therefore let us make it clear, we are not talking about just any god here. We are talking about a particular God who has revealed himself and made himself known to us throughout the pages of the Bible.

A God who has entered into a covenant relationship with his people, making them promises that if they will hear his voice and obey, they will be blessed.

It is this Covenant making and keeping God that is the Lord, the master, the ruler of David and those with him who trust this Lord who declare the majesty of the name of the Lord in all the earth!

A majesty that is first dwelt on regarding creation and the skies above. For in Ps 8:1 David adds, “You have set your glory above the heavens.” And then down in Psalm 8:3 he adds “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,”.

David looks upward marveling at God’s majesty in his creation. For elsewhere David will write (Psalm 19:1) “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

As David looks into the majestic skies above, he ponders the majesty of not nature itself, but the one who created such, יְהוָ֤ה himself! 

A majesty that we get to experience and see for ourselves here in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Consider all of the majesty around us. We have the tall green trees towering above, towards the heavens. A majesty visible in the night sky with the bright stars filling it that is fairly easy to see up here.

Then there are the other parts of his creation too. Consider the majesty of the animals that God has created and filled the earth with. Whether it is the eagle soaring above with its wings spread in magnificence, swooping down to catch its prey with precision and swiftness. Or the wolf carefully hunting down its prey with keen awareness. Not having to chase the rabbit in a race, but slowly tracking its movement, following where it had just been. And these majestic displays are seen just looking out the window in my office.

Truly Creation displays the majesty of the LORD, our God! For Ps 8 is written in such a way to take us back to Genesis 1. To remember that it is this God who spoke all things into existence. That the LORD brought about creation from an emptiness that was previously there. He spoke and there is light. He spoke and there was the waters. He spoke and separated the expanse of heaven from the waters. He spoke and the waters were gathered and land appeared. He spoke and vegetation and plants were brought forth. He spoke and separated the day from the night and gave the seasons. He spoke and established a lesser and greater light in the sun and the moon. He spoke and brought forth the living creatures in that which is in the sea, on the land, and flying above. God spoke creation into existence and it displays his majesty as the maker of it all.  

There is then the pinnacle of God’s creation, mankind. Man is the pinnacle of God’s creation, because man is made in God’s image, in God’s likeness. And as a result, they are given dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping that that creeps on the earth (Gen 1:26). This coming from Genesis, but is now the pondering of David here in Ps 8:4-8….

With the majesty of God being what it is, no wonder David here ponders what is man that God is mindful of him and cares for him, even in creation itself. That the majesty of God is given into the hands of those in God’s image to have dominion over.

For this dominion is to be over all of God’s creatures. From the tamed animals of sheep and oxen, small to large. To the wild beasts of the field. Considering that of the cobra, the bear, the lion, the wolf, the elephant, and much more. 

God has given all of this in creation to be under the feet of mankind. Man is entrusted with the great responsibility to rule over all of God’s majestic creation. Who are we as man to be entrusted with the care of that which displays the majesty of the Lord? 

Just let us sit and ponder this great majesty that we as mankind were entrusted with by God in the majesty of his creation? What are we that God is mindful of us and would give us the stewardship of his creation? Trusting us to rule over that creation?

That’s point 1, the Majesty of God in Creation.

Say Point 2 twice

2. The Weakness of Man

In creation, God’s first man and woman, Adam and Eve, were created in the image of God, they were given in marriage to one another, and they were given this grand dominion over God’s creation as its stewards. A stewardship that was to last.

However, Adam and Eve rejected God as their king. Instead of being his stewards and having dominion under God, they wanted to have a dominion of their own and become like God.

And so, we read in Genesis 3 of their rejection of God as their King and their great fall. A fall that has left not only Adam and Eve separated from God, but all mankind in them separated from God.

What was once a dominion to be exercised without resistance is a dominion that regularly meets resistance and comes by the sweat of our brows.

For despite the fall, dominion continues to exist. We see this dominion over creation even to this day. A dominion that is shown over the things that swarm in the waters when that fishing line is jerked, hooking that fish on the line.

A dominion that is seen as we put meat on the table, exercising dominion over the various animals, both tamed and wild.

And even last week, Darcy and I got to enjoy dinner out with another couple and exercise our dominion over that which flys above as we enjoyed savory duck wontons across the street at Twilight Supper Club. And though we didn’t kill or cook them ourselves, man’s dominion was seen reigning over creation. As others caught and cooked, and we ate.

Man’s dominion continues to exist. But it is not as it was nor is it carried out the way it was intended to be exercised.

As was already mentioned, the introduction of the Psalms in Ps 2 tells us how the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain against the LORD and his anointed (Ps 2:1-3).

Nations and peoples continue to seek a dominion not under God, but over God himself.

The use of dominion is left corrupted. We see this in Absalom and David. David was meant to rule his household, Absalom as son was meant to submit to his earthly father’s rule.

Yet, Absalom is seen pursuing David to steal his throne.

Even David himself who has been given as God’s king over God’s people exercises his dominion poorly out of his weakness. A weakness that David realizes of himself here in the book of Psalms alone.

In Ps 3, David is crying out to the LORD for deliverance as his own son, Absalom, is pursuing him. Ps 5 shows David acknowledging his weakness and need for refuge in the LORD. Ps 6 David pleads with the LORD for mercy and not anger and wrath in the LORD’s discipline upon him. Ps 7, David acknowledges the need for repentance and that any who do not repent, God will whet his sword against.

It is this imperfection and weakness that has David pondering God’s majestic creation and then asking the main question here in Ps 8:4, what is man that the LORD is mindful of them and the son of man that he cares for them?

David looks at God and then considers man and God’s mindfulness and care for. And he is left to wonder why? Why in light of who God is and what he is capable of as he considers that which is in Ps 8:2…

As David considers how their are indeed these real enemies and avengers, those who rage and plot against the LORD. As he considers the weakness and sinfulness of man, including himself. Why would this God be mindful of man? Why would he care for them when he could use the mouth of babies and infants to accomplish his purposes?

This pondering by David might seem foreign to some of us. The reason for this is because we look to man and our strength. We look to the dominion we stil have and seek to hold onto it. We like to compare ourselves to man instead of God.

David though here in Ps 8 emphasizes what John Calvin would later write, “it is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God’s face.”

Man cannot rightly consider who he is apart from a knowledge of God. Calvin wrote that, but only after David makes it plain. For he is forced to ponder this great mystery as he considers the majesty of the LORD himself!

And yet, despite all of this weakness, despite our fallenness into sin, despite our imperfection, the LORD continues to be mindful of man and care for him.

David himself understands this very well. For he sees how the LORD has continually be mindful of him in hearing his prayers. He continues to see God’s care for him in providing refuge and deliverance, despite his weakness and own sinfulness.

He continues to use David and will use his remanent people to advance his majesty to the ends of the earth.

Dominion in and of itself is not evil. Authority is a good thing given to us from the LORD himself. And yet, even that very good dominion and authority is flawed because of sin entering into the world.

And so, for some …APPLY

But most importantly we need to see here that the application for us is to recognize we as mankind are a weak people. That we are a sinful people. A sinful people who use the part of dominion we still have in poor and weak ways.

And yet, through weakness, God’s majesty will continue to advance.

Point 2, the weakness of man.

Say Point 3 twice

3. The Majesty of God in Redemption

The whole of Ps 8 is about the majesty of God, a majesty that shines even in his mindfulness and care for man. A mindfulness and care that are seen most clearly in God’s redeeming work of mankind.

A work that began there in Genesis 3 with the promise of the Snake Crusher to come, to the arising of God’s Anointed King mentioned in Ps 2 who will ascend God’s holy hill and have everything put under him.

For where the first Adam was given perfect dominion and lost it, another is in view here in Ps 8. A new and better Adam. One who would receive a grown of glory and honor. A King more glorious than that of David. A King who would come and still the enemy and the avenger through that which the world deems as weakness.

Return with me to Ps 8:2… what are we to make of the mouth of babies and infants? Is this literal babies and infants whose mouth stills these? Maybe. Thankfully we are not left to our own to figure this one out. For another applies this for us.

For after David, one would come into Jerusalem mounted on a young donkey which had not ever been ridden on. And the crowds would lay before him palm branches and shout Hosanna to the Son of David. And this one would then enter the temple and cleanse it. He would rebuke the people in saying that this house was to be a house of prayer, but they had made it a den of robbers. All of this made the chief priests and the scribes mad, and they asked this one if he heard what was being said about him. And hear how this one, this Jesus responded, Matt 21:16b

Matthew 21:16 ESV

16b And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, “ ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise’?”

Jesus states that the mouth of infants and nursing babies giving praise to God’s Anointed King, His Beloved Son is that which stills the enemy and the avenger.

For it is this Jesus to whom will all dominion be given.

We read about this earlier in our service in our Scripture Reading from Hebrews 2:5-9. And in that reading, we learned that it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come. Now, this subjection and this crowning of glory and honor came to Jesus. It came through suffering and death. For a brief time Jesus was subjected under death, but then on the third day he rose from the grave, defeating death, showing that even death was subjected to him.

And though at present we do not yet see everything in subjection in him, it is by faith we trust that all has and will continue to be put under subjection to Jesus.

And that even now, the majesty of the Covenant LORD, יְהוָ֤ה is being displayed through weakness in the world. As a weak people acknowledge their weakness and call upon the name of Jesus to deliver them from the enemy and avenger, the devil himself.

It is the recognition of such weakness and the calling out to Jesus that sets Christianity apart from every other religion.

For every other religion forces man to attempt to do something to earn their salvation. Friends, even the Roman Catholic Church does this. But not Biblical Christianity.

The gospel, the good news of Jesus is not do. It is the recognition that we can’t regain dominion of that which was lost. It is a crying out to the only one who all has been subjected to and trusting in him.

And this is what we who are Christians hope in. We hope and we marvel how could God be mindful of us and care for us by this gift of salvation that comes in Jesus? This is why we look to God and magnify him for this care, for this mindfulness to us. That though we were lost in sin, he came to rescue us through Jesus.

There are some of you, friends, who are still trying to earn your way to salvation. Let me urge you to stop. Stop trying to earn and begin to cry out. Cry out as a baby, an infant to the only Savior, Jesus. Cry out to him for deliverance from your sin and come under his dominion as you turn from trying to build your own dominion. Friend, make today the day of your salvation.

But to return to those who are Christian, we must see that because God is mindful of man and cares for us, especially those who are in his King, King Jesus, we are called to exercise a new dominion as his people. We are called to be exercising our dominion by declaring the gospel, by being a kingdom of priests interceding on behalf of the world. Telling a lost and dying world about the majesty of God who cares for such weak and lowly sinners.

Endnotes

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. John T. McNeill, trans. Ford Lewis Battles, vol. 1 & 2, The Library of Christian Classics (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011), 37.

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And even though we enjoy such dominion still, it is a tainted and corrupted dominion. Dominion that is exercised at best carelessly and at worst wickedly as the poison of sin has not just filled the earth, but our very own hearts as well. Causing us to labor for this dominion not for the majesty of the LORD, but our own majesty.

We use dominion to build our kingdoms and not God’s. We like the nations and peoples rage against God, fighting him, resisting him to be our own kings. Or like David with his son Absalom, we fail to exercise our dominion in confronting sin and wrong.