E W 1-. Greatness of Yehovah in the earth.
X h -1. Glory of Yahaveh in the heavens.
j 2. His condescension of man.
X h 3. Glory of Yahaveh in the heavens.
j 4-8. His condescension of man.
W 9. Greatness of Yahaveh in the earth.
Psalm 8)
1 O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name (i.e. Yahaveh Himself; "name" being put for His character, person, and attributes. See 20:1. Cp. 5:11) in all the earth! (I.e. the great subject of this Psalm. See vv.4,5.)
Who has set Your majesty (or excellence) above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babes (referring to his own youth. A still more definite reference to 1 Sam. 17:14,33,42,55,56) and sucklings have You appointed strength (Put for the praise due for what is put forth by it. Quoted in Matt. 21:16.)
Because of Your adversaries,
That You might still the foe and the revenger.
3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have established;
4 What is mortal man, that You are mindful of him?
And the son of man (here the title relates to dominion in the earth. Cp. vv.1:6-9, and see Ezek. 2:1, Matt. 8:20, and Rev. 14:4), that You visit him?
(Quoted in Heb. 2:5-8. Cp. 1 Cor. 15:27 and Eph. 1:22.)
5 For You have made Him a little lower than the angels,
And have crowned Him with glory and honor.
(This refers to "the second man". See Heb. 2:8, and 2 Pet. 1:17.)
6 You made him (i.e. the "first man", Adam [Gen. 1:26]) to have dominion over the works of Your hands; (This he lost in the Fall.)
You did put all things (6 things enumerated in vv.7,8 [the number of man]) under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen,
Yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea,
And whatsoever passes through the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD our Lord,
How excellent is thy name in all the earth!
(Cp. 1 Sam. 17:4,46,&c., and 114, which has in the Sept., the title "A Psalm of David concerning Goliath".)