O' Praise His Name

TITLE: O’ Praise His Name

TEXT: Psalm 8, The Majestic Name of the LORD

INTRODUCTION:

It is a joy to be back in the hot seat this evening! Thank you all for the love and support over the last month during my time of rest, but I can say it is a pleasure to be back and leading us through the Word this evening.

Tonight we are going to take a few minutes and look together at Psalm 8 which has quickly become one of my favorite Psalms. I am personally walking through the Book of Psalms right now which inspired our text for this evening.

What is the Book of Psalms?

“Psalms is one of the longest books of the Bible, consisting of 150 (or 151) songs or poems. The poems are of several main types: lament, praise, thanksgiving, royal, and wisdom. Some were likely used in public worship; others seem to be private prayers reflecting struggles with sin, requests for help, and praises for God.” - Logos Factbook

The Psalms are the outpouring of the hearts of God’s people, just like you and me. Such glorious songs of praise alongside deep, intimate trials and struggles experienced by sinners saved by grace. The primary purpose of this collection of songs, poems, and prayers is the PRAISE of God.

Tonight, I want to do two things for us in this time of teaching. I want to encourage us to a renewed devotion to the Word of God in our daily lives, and I want to exhort us to praise the LORD just like the psalmists - both in times of great joy and adversity.

Psalm 8 ESV

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David. 1 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Behold His Majestic Name (v.1-4)

In his opening here, the psalmist David is not being repetitive for fun, but notice the clear distinction between the two different uses of the word “Lord”.

LORD: Yahweh (יהוה), The personal and covenantal name of the God of Israel. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who promised to make them a great nation and to bless them so that they would be a blessing. The one, true God who is in the heavens, does all that He pleases, the First and the Last, and who will share His glory with no other.

Lord: Adon (אָדוֹן), referring to the God of Israel specifically in a manner that reflects his authority. He is master, the one with all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28) who created all things including you and I for His glory and praise, whose wisdom and knowledge are infinitely vast and whose judgements are allways good, righteous, and true.

“how majestic…”

David centers here on the majesty of God, how mighty and magnificent His name is in all of the earth. Notice here that His majesty is not dependent on humanity’s acknowledgement of it. His name is already gloriously declared moment by moment in all of His creation!

Romans 1:19–20 ESV

19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

His majesty is no secret! it is clearly revealed in the works of His hands. The psalmist says His glory has been set above the heavens.

ILLUSTRATION: Fourth of July

Each year, we celebrate this wonderful holiday to remember the founding of our nation, and this year is a rather special one - 250 years.

Part of that celebration is fireworks. From young to old, we gaze in amazement at the sky as we look upon loud, wonderful bursts of different colors… and it truly is amazing.

Then on July 10th when people in Hazel Green finally stop doing fireworks… we go about our days rarely taking notice of a far superior display of power and glory.

Psalm 19:1–6 ESV

1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. 2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. 6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

And if the creation of this physical universe was not enough a declaration of His majesty… from the dust He created man. And from man, He created woman to be his perfect partner in this life.

Furthermore, from this perfect partnership He brings forth children. He forms them in their mothers’ womb, and from their babbling He receives praise. His glory and might are on display, and He silences all that oppose Him in the wonder of His creation.

“what is man…”

In considering all of these things… the psalmist stands in amazement.

Psalm 8:4 ESV

4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

Of all of His creation, we are so small in the grand scheme of things. Further, we are the only portion of His creation that does not obey Him completely but looks back at Him and his word and says “No”.

And yet… we are unique within His creation. We are special because nothing else is made in His image and likeness to reflect His character and to carry out His purpose in this world.

He looked upon His creation, said it was very good, and when our first representative Adam defied His word and when the rest of humanity inherited the same ingrained rebellion against the LORD, He did not cast us aside. Instead… He came for us.

Believe in the Saving Son (v.5-9)

David goes on to describe the many blessings and honors mankind recieved from the LORD’s hands.

He made us, designed us with His own hands (v.5)

He crowned his creation with glory and honor (v.5)

He gave us dominion over His creation to work it and keep it (v.6-8)

Christ Connection

Funny enough, the LORD was at work in David when he was penning this very psalm. In addition to proclaiming the great blessings of the LORD to undeserving sinners, the psalmist was also foreshadowing what was to come, more specifically who was to come.

The Letter to the Hebrews

This NT epistle is written to Jewish followers of Chirst, exhorting them to remain focused on the person and work of Jesus Christ who is simply BETTER than all things.

Consider the Introduction

Hebrews 1:1–4 ESV

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Connection to Psalm 8

Hebrews 2:5–9 ESV

5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6 It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Why is He, the Creator and Sustainer of all things, mindful of you, me, and all others created in His image?

GOSPEL

APPLICATION:

More than we find hope and joy in our nation this week, I want us to exult in the LORD simply because He in His glorious grace chose to shine His face upon us (not Americans… but sinners) that we might hear Him, see our sin, believe in Him alone, be saved, and be equipped for the work of ministry among the nations for His glory.

Seek Him today, maybe start in the Psalms, and you will be satisfied. Amen