Psalm 8

Our God Is Awesome!

When did you have an overwhelming experience? What was that experience?

In the late 1980's and early 1990's, the word “awesome” overused and abused. Everything was “awesome.” Events and people were awesome. God was awesome. For a while, I wanted to purge the word from dictionaries, but my cynicism has cooled. Not everything is awesome, but certainly God is awesome.

Psalm 8 declared God was awesome. 8:2 and 8:10 proclaim the awesome nature of God’s name (which invoked his presence); his power stood over and above nature itself (8:2b). Even in the mouths of the weakest, the name of God could silence opponents (8:3).

No only was God’s name and power awesome, the order of his creation gave one pause. Despite the small stature of humanity in the cosmos (8:4-5), God gave them a place of honor in the hierarchy of creation and dominion over other creatures (8:7-9). Humanity should be in awe of their creator not only for his power, but because of his blessings.

We should note 8:4-5:

What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him?

Yet thou hast made him little less than God, and dost crown him with glory and honor. (RSV)

Because of the phrase “son of man,” the early Church used this psalm as an apologia for their faith in Jesus as the Christ (see Hebrews 2:6-10, 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 and Matthew 21:15-16). Jesus was the Son of Man who was given a place in glory.

Many scholars have seen the flow of the psalm as a chant that was shared between Temple choirs. Notice the narration, the question in 8:5 and the answer. Along with the bookends of 8:2 and 8:10, this psalm seemed to be a perfect fit for public worship.

Our God is an awesome God. Psalm 8 is a testament to that attribute and a song we should shout with gusto.

How do proclaim the awesome nature of God? How enthusiastic are you about God’s power and your place in his creation?