1 For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens. 2 From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and avenger. 3 When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place— 4 what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him ruler of the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet: 7 all sheep and oxen, and even the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!
Psalms · Majority Standard Bible
Psalm 8 Majority Standard Bible
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
Notes on this text (1)
- Greek and Latin Bibles number most Psalms one lower than Hebrew and English Bibles.
Cross references (9)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Psalm 8:9; Psalm 113:2–4; Psalm 57:5; Psalm 148:13; Exodus 15:11
- 2 Matthew 21:16; 2 Corinthians 12:9–10; Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 46:10; 1 Corinthians 1:27
- 3 Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:6; Psalm 104:19; Psalm 89:11; Psalm 111:2
- 4 Job 7:17; Psalm 144:3; Hebrews 2:6–9; Psalm 146:3; Luke 1:68
- 5 Hebrews 2:7; Hebrews 2:9; Genesis 1:26–27; Hebrews 2:16; Philippians 2:7–11
- 6 Genesis 1:28; Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:18; Hebrews 2:8; Ephesians 1:22
- 7 Genesis 2:20
- 8 Genesis 1:20–25; Psalm 148:10; Job 38:39–39:30
- 9 Psalm 8:1; Psalm 104:24; Job 11:7; Deuteronomy 33:26
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
For this reason, too, David said: "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise;" and again: "The heavens declare the glory of God." Hence also it comes to pass, that when the soul is involved in difficulties and distresses, for its own relief it calls out, "Oh" (O), in honour of the letter in question, so …
… to be; nor do they slay their own pride, as fowls of the air, nor their own curiosities, by which (like the fishes of the sea) they wander over the unknown paths of the abyss, nor their own extravagance, as the "beasts of the field," that Thou, Lord, "a consuming fire," mayest burn up their lifeless cares and renew them …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)
For instance, when after many miracles children were singing hymns unto Him, hear what saith the prophet, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast perfected praise." And again, "I will consider the Heavens, the works of Thy fingers;" which signifies Him to be Maker of the universe.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
This Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is not circumscribed in any place, nor is He less than the heaven; but the heavens are the works of His fingers, and the whole earth is held in His grasp: He is in all things and around all.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)
For even of this I would have you know that you have only a shadow when you hear the words, "I will consider the heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars," and the settled order therein; not as if he were considering them now, but as destined to do so hereafter.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)