Wednesday 28 December, 2016

1 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. 2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?[c] 5 You have made them[d] a little lower than the angels[e] and crowned them[f] with glory and honor. 6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their[g] feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, 8 the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

“Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth”

Psalm 8 is an example of the Psalms at its finest. This line, which sandwiches the chapter, is one we should all commit to memory. Poetic and profound, it’s a catch cry of God’s people throughout all of history up to today.

The entire chapter is an interesting mixture of praise, theology and imagery directed to worship of God. Prose that describes various intersections of spirituality, creation theology and deep questions of human existence.

I am encouraged to follow the thoughts of the Psalmist. To consider the majesty of the galaxies. To ponder the biosphere. To reflect on the uniqueness of humanity in creation. It is both exhilarating and peculiar feeling at one and the same time.
Lord, great God – I worship you today. You are amazing and your work is amazing. I stop in this moment to consider your greatness quietly, to breath and be still. Thank you for your overwhelming love. “Lord our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth”

Written by Sam Stewart