To the leader; according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.

This is a psalm of David written to probably be played on the Gittith which was some form of stringed instrument. But what really was a Gittith? Stedman has the most interesting idea if it’s true. Gittith was the original Hebrew word for a stringed instrument. Stedman suggests that the Greeks took the word and called it a kithara. From that came the Spanish guitarra, and from that came our English guitar.

Since I am a guitar player, I like this idea. I can imagine David sitting under the stars late one evening with his ancient version of the guitar composing this beautiful psalm.

Taylor comments on this psalm, "The author was stirred to praise by a contemplation of the glory of God as manifested in the wonders of the heavens, which in turn excited reflections on the place of man in the scheme of creation. The hymn is marked by such originality, imagination, elevation of thought, and artistry in the handling of its theme that it has won for itself a special place in the regard of all readers of the Psalter, ancient or modern."

O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

1. What do you think of when you consider God’s majesty? What is the most important characteristic of God which causes you to worship God above the heavens?

David opens the psalm with a huge rush of praise. How majestic is God’s name – how noble, how excellent. It is a name above all names. A name so revered by the Hebrews that they would not even pronounce it in public readings but would substitute the word Lord. The world does not hold the name of God in high regard – only those who call him their Lord as David does here in this verse, "O Lord, our Sovereign."

Only we who serve him can begin to understand God’s majesty. Others may intellectually be able to have some idea of the scope of divine greatness, but only those who experience God with their heart as well as their mind can begin to feel the immense nobility of God.

Share how you would describe the difference between intellectually understanding God and experiencing God from the heart.

God may be above all and lifted high above our understanding, but God shows love to us by giving us the gift of the glory displayed in the heavens.

MacDonald comments, "The majesty of the Lord is evident in all creation, if a person only has eyes to see it. Every area of natural science teems with evidences of the wisdom and power of the Creator. God’s glory is higher. ...the heavens, the planets, the stars, the limitless universe give only a partial view of how very great God really is."

Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.

2. How could God establish a bulwark (a defensive fortification) by the mouths of babes and infants? What is there about infants and toddlers that we can learn?

God is no respector of persons, not merely choosing the rich, the powerful, the brilliant, the strong, the beautiful. God also uses babies and children – the weak, the disadvantaged, the destitute. From their words God establishes a stronghold. What does this mean? Do our words have strength? When we pray, our words can be very effective. When we share our faith, words spoken to others can influence friends and neighbors. When we stand up for what’s right, words spoken to our society can help change our nation. When we reach out in love, our words can bring encouragement and help. This verse tells us that God will use our words to defeat the enemy – we who are nothing in ourselves, are everything in God.

Have someone read 1 Corinthians 1:26-28

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:26-28, "For consider your call, brethren; not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are."

Matthew Henry wrote in 1710, "It is here foretold that by the apostles who were looked upon but as babes, unlearned and ignorant men (Acts 4:13), mean and despicable, and by the foolishness of their preaching, the devil’s kingdom should be thrown down, as Jericho’s walls were.... The gospel is called the arm of the Lord and the rod of his strength; this was ordained to work wonders, not out of the mouth of philosophers or orators, politicians or statesmen, but of a company of poor fishermen, who lay under the greatest external disadvantages.... Sometimes the power of God brings to pass great things in his church by very weak and unlikely instruments, and confounds the noble, wise, and mighty, by the base, and weak, and foolish things of the world...."

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established;

3. What does the night time sky tell you about God?

God has given us a visible reminder of divine power. We see the universe in all its complexity – the moon, the stars. We are in awe how they all function according to the natural laws. They are all established, they are all ordained by the fingers of God.

Stedman comments, "The interesting thing is that 30 centuries after David wrote these words we feel the same impression when we consider the starry heavens. Though we are now able to go to the moon, which David could only see, yet all the knowledge that has been gained about the universe in which we live only serves to deepen our impression of the tremendous wisdom and power of God. How vast is the universe in which we live! Incredible in its extent and outreach, these vast distances are spanned only by the measurement of the speed of light – and even that is hardly adequate. These billions of galaxies whirl in their silent courses through the deepness of space. How tremendous is the power that sustains it all and keeps it operating as one harmonious unit! That is what impressed this psalmist."

What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

4. After looking at the moon and stars, have you felt like the psalmist? What was your reaction?

In comparison with the vast universe, what is humanity? A speck, an infinitesimal bit of dust. Why should God pay any attention to us? Not only does God pay attention to us, but God even communes with us, cares for us, and provides for us, causing the plants to grow in their seasons, providing color and beauty in the nature surrounding us, giving us comfort and help. God speaks to our mind with scripture; speaks to our soul by the Holy Spirit, speaks to our heart with love. God guides us, leads us, and has charted a plan for our lives. Our Creator works on our behalf.

Share why you suppose God cares about humanity.

Comments from an Early Restoration Movement Leader

In 1835 Alexander Campbell wrote, "It is in the kingdom of grace, as in the kingdom of nature. Heaven provides the bread, the water, the fruits, the flowers; but we must gather and enjoy them. And if there be no merit in eating the bread which Heaven has sent for physical life and comfort, neither is there merit in eating the bread of life which came down from heaven for our spiritual life and consolation. Still, it is true, in grace, as in nature - that he that eats shall not die. Hence, there are conditions of enjoyments, though no conditions of merit, either in nature or grace."

Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.

5. How are we crowned with glory and honor? What do you think the psalmist means that we are made a little less than the heavenly realm?

In verse 3 as we examined the heavens, the stars, and the moon, we felt how truly insignificant humanity must be, and we have to agree with David in verse 4 – What is humanity that God is mindful of us? We are a speck, some small unimportant part of creation that God would scarcely remember.

But here in verse 5 David changes his tune. Humans are important. We are just a little lower than the angels, and we are crowned with glory and honor. How is this possible? Certainly not through our own efforts could we achieve this. It is God who has done this wondrous thing.

In the Hebrew of this verse it reads, "glory and honor you crowned them." David puts the emphasis on God doing the work. It is God who takes the glory and honor, and it is God who does the crowning. The least important word in this phrase is "them" – humanity.

Share how you would compare eternity and the vastness of the universe with your everyday problems and concerns.

Our best efforts in our own ability can only achieve insignificance when compared to the vastness of the universe. It is God who has elevated us, and this should cause our hearts to rejoice. In ourselves we may be weak, like babies and children, but in God we are just a little lower than the heavenly realm, and we are crowned with glory and honor. This should give us confidence. We are not inferior. We are important – to God!

Use of the Hebrew word for God in Psalm 8:5

You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet,

6. What has God given humans to have rule over?

This is amazing. God has given us rule over all the creation. God did all the work for us, and now has turned it over to us. It is true that humans are one of the weaker creatures, and yet we are master over the most powerful creatures. We are also master over the earth’s natural resources. We have learned to harness the hidden energy lying deep inside the earth, and inside the atom. We have learned how to place the chemicals and resources in the earth under our immediate control. We use them, change them, and transform them to our own use. Along with these privileges given to us by God comes the responsibility that we are good stewards of what he placed in our care. Let us use the works of creation given to us, but let us also be prudent caretakers.

All sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the sea.

7. How do humans control animals and birds and fish? What does this speak to us about our responsibility toward our planet?

Humanity is also in control of the animal kingdom. Even the beasts of the field, we can tame and turn to our own use, as all of us have experienced when the circus comes to town. How can humanity do this? The animals are bigger and stronger. You would think they would fight ferociously for their independence. But God has given us dominion, and it is people who are the masters of the beasts.

Barnes wrote in 1871, "Nothing is more remarkable than this, and nothing furnishes a better illustration of Scripture than the conformity of this with the declaration (Gen. 9:2), "And the fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air." ...It is to be remembered that no small number of what are now domestic animals were originally wild, and that they have been subdued and tamed by the power and skill of man. No animal has shown itself superior to this power and skill."

O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

8. Why do you think the psalmist ends the psalm with the same words as at the beginning? What does this psalm teach you about God’s control over your life?

David concludes this psalm with the same words which began it. The Hebrew in verse 9 is identical to that in verse 1. Inside these two bookends of praise to God, he has stated and presented his reasons for the excellency of God’s name in all the earth. He has made his case, he has won the argument. We are forced in agreement with his words and compelled to join him in praising. O Lord our Sovereign, how majestic is your name.