ROTATION.ORG WRITING TEAM

PSALM 8
BIBLE BACKGROUND

PASSAGE

Story: Psalm 8
Key/Memory Verse: Psalm 8

BRIEF OVERVIEW OF PSALM 8

Psalm 8 is a hymn of praise written by David, God's anointed King of Israel. Originally, the Psalm was simply a personal outpouring of wonder and awe at the glory of God revealed in nature. It also explores the miracle of God's care and concern for humankind, a creation of God's as wondrous and important as the stars in the heavens. Psalm 8 seems to move from a personal, private meditation on the majesty of God -- "When I look …" -- to a more corporate awareness of all of God's people in the refrain -- "O Lord, our Lord." Scholars suggest that this Psalm was used in the Feast of Tabernacles to celebrate the Creator, recognizing that God's creation helps us to understand the importance of our relationship to God.

The words of Psalm 8 echo the words of the first chapter of Genesis. As well, Jesus quotes verse 2 of the Psalm in Matthew 21:16. In the book of Hebrews the writer uses verses 4-6 to prove that humankind is the crown of God's creation. In verse 9, the Psalm closes with a repetition of the opening words of adoration, suggesting a refrain reinforcing the awe experienced in worship. This wonder is not only the magnitude of God's power in creation, but of God's empowerment of humans within creation to be responsible for the earth and all it contains. Such awareness of God's glory and our responsibility evokes an appropriate childlike wonder at things too great to comprehend, but too wonderful to ignore.

CONTRIBUTORS: Ann Liechty, Phyllis Wezeman