PSALM 8 (part 1) - The Power of Praise (Psalm 8:1-4)

Psalm 8 is a majestic Praise Psalm of David declaring the Glory of God in the heavens and earth, and even above the heavens in God's Heaven (v1), as well as God's purpose for mankind (v5-9). Praise is declaring and demonstrating the excellency of His Name (His manifested nature). God created man to be His image-bearers to rule on earth under His Lordship, for His glory, which means we are called to praise Him with our life and lips. God has ordained that when we praise Him, we release the Glory and Presence of God through the Holy Spirit, who then becomes our strength within and our fortress without, protecting us from the enemy. Praise also has the power to silence our enemies (v2). To praise the Name of the Lord is a vital weapon in our spiritual warfare, which even the youngest and weakest of believers can use effectively. Indeed, "God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty" (1Corinthians 1:27). To draw upon God's grace, we must become like little children, humbly trusting in God, rather than in our own strength and wisdom (Matthew 18:3, 15:25-26), and then through our mouth we can release God's power and strength, which overcomes the enemy. Jesus quoted Psalm 8:2 in Matthew 21:15-16, to endorse the praises of the children, and in doing so He affirmed His claim to be God. The New Testament follows the Septuagint in translating 'strength' as 'praise' (v2) confirming that "the joy of the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). In Psalm 8:3-4, we imagine David, the shepherd, spending a summer night with the sheep staring at the moon and stars, and meditating on how great God must be that He created this universe with His fingers (v3). Compared to the vastness of Creation, man is seemingly insignificant, but David knew from the Scripture that man, created in God's image, was the crown of God's creation (Genesis 1-2), and that God was deeply interested in him and has a great plan and purpose for him, and even planned to visit him in the Person of the Coming Messiah (Genesis 3:15). Indeed, the Messiah would be descended from him. David is amazed at this truth, that God should care for us and be so involved with us.