Psalm-8
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Please Note: Some alterations or (additions) have been made relating to ‘Names’ and ‘Attributes’ having been corrected like it once was pre the now “Masoretic Text”.
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Remember the following two
truth’s from our beloved Scriptures!
“Ye shall NOT ADD TO THE
WORD which I command you, NEITHER SHALL YE DIMINISH FROM IT, that ye may keep
the commandments of יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם -
the LORD your Eloleichem, which I command you”. Davarim - Deuteronomy 4:2.
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With Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben
Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
“Be strong and courageous. Be careful to obey the entire Torah My servant Moshe has given you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Torah depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
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Let us first read Tehillim - Psalm Chapter 8. (JPS-1917), and obtain the many meanins of this chapter!
1. “For the Leader;
upon the Gittith. A Psalm of David.
2. O יְהוָה
- LORD, our Lord, how glorious is Thy Name in all the
earth! whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens.
3. Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings hast Thou founded strength, because of Thine adversaries; that Thou
mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
4. When I behold Thy heavens, the
work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast established;
5. What is man, that Thou art
mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou thinkest of him?
6. Yet Thou hast made him but
little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
7. Thou hast made him to have
dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:
8. Sheep and oxen, all of them,
yea, and the beasts of the field;
9. The fowl of the air, and the
fish of the sea; whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
10. O יְהוָה - LORD, our Lord, how
glorious is Thy Name in all the earth!
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Introduction to Psalm 8:
Psalm 8 is a short but profound hymn of wonder. It reflects on the majesty of the Creator as revealed in the natural world, and on the astonishing dignity bestowed upon human beings. The psalmist looks at the heavens, feels the smallness of humanity, and yet marvels that humans are granted responsibility and honour within creation.
This Psalm moves between ‘awe’, ‘humility’, and ‘gratitude’. It is both cosmic and intimate, a meditation on the vastness of the universe and the significance of a single human life.
Verse-by-Verse Explanation (JPS
1917):
Verse 1. “O יְהוָה -
LORD, our Lord, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth”.
The psalm opens with praise. The divine name is described as “glorious” throughout
the entire earth, suggesting that creation itself testifies to the greatness of
אֱלֹהִים -
Elohim. The Psalmist begins with wonder before even describing what inspires
it.
Verse 2. “…Thou
whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens.”
The heavens, the sky, stars, and celestial expanse are portrayed as proclaiming
Divine majesty. The language suggests that the grandeur of the universe is like
a continual proclamation of the Creator’s greatness.
Verse 3. “Out of
the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou founded
strength”.
Even the weakest and smallest humans — infants — are part of the divine plan.
Their very existence symbolizes strength, stability, and continuity. The verse
contrasts innocence with the forces of hostility in the world, showing that
divine strength often appears in unexpected forms.
Verse 4. “When I behold Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers”.
The Psalmist looks upward and sees the heavens as delicate handiwork — “the
work of Thy fingers.” This metaphor emphasizes both craftsmanship and intimacy.
The vast cosmos is portrayed as something shaped with care.
Verse 5. “What
is man, that Thou art mindful of him?”
Confronted with the immensity of creation, the Psalmist feels the smallness of humanity.
This is not despair but awe: Why should the Creator of galaxies care about
human beings at all?
Verse 6. “Yet
Thou hast made him but little lower than the angels”.
Despite human smallness, the psalm affirms human dignity. Humanity is placed
just beneath heavenly beings, crowned with “glory and honour.” This is a
statement of worth, purpose, and responsibility.
Verse 7. “Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands”.
Humans are entrusted with stewardship over creation. This dominion is not
domination but responsibility, a role that reflects the divine image within
humanity.
Verse 8. “All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field…”
The psalm lists categories of creatures under human care. Domestic animals,
wild animals, all are part of the sphere of human responsibility.
Verse 9. “The fowl of the air, and the fish of the
sea…”
The scope expands to the skies and the waters. Humanity’s role encompasses the
entire living world. The Psalmist is not boasting but marveling
at the trust placed in human beings.
Verse 10. “O יְהוָה - LORD, our Lord, how
glorious is Thy name in all the earth!”
The psalm ends exactly as it began, a literary frame
that brings the reader back to praise. After contemplating creation and
humanity’s place within it, the Psalmist returns to awe.
In Conclusion:
Tehillim - Psalm 8 is a meditation on the relationship between ‘the Creator’, ‘the universe’, and ‘humanity’. It begins and ends with praise, but in between it explores the paradox of human existence: we are small in the face of the earth, yet endowed with immense dignity and responsibility.
This Psalm invites the reader to stand beneath the night sky, feel the weight of wonder, and recognize both humility and honour of being a human!
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PLEASE NOTE: This site was originally created, for those who desired to return to our blessed and wonderful faith. Thus be wise and work on your faith and pray at least two or three times a day (if possible) and always seek our beloved אֱלֹהִים - Elohim’s guidance, for His love is always with us, especially when we seek Him, blessed be He! However this site has become very much a teaching site with hundreds of studies!
Remember
what אֱלֹהִים - Elohim, blessed be
He, said the following, via several of our prophets...
“Return unto Me, and I will return unto you, saith צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה- the LORD of hosts”. Mal’a’chi - Malachi 3:7. MEC).
And Remember ...
Enjoy your Sabbath Rest, Shabbat Shalom!
אֲנִי
יְהוָה
אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, בְּחֻקּוֹתַי
לֵכוּ; וְאֶת-מִשְׁפָּטַי
שִׁמְרוּ, וַעֲשׂוּ
אוֹתָם
וְאֶת-שַׁבְּתוֹתַי, קַדֵּשׁוּ; וְהָיוּ
לְאוֹת, בֵּינִי
וּבֵינֵיכֶם-לָדַעַת, כִּי
אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם
“I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your
Eloheichem; walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do
them; and hallow My Sabbaths, and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that
ye may know that I am אֱלֹהֵיכֶם יְהוָה - the LORD your Eloheichem”. Yechezkel - Ezekiel
20:19-20. (JPS).
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follows;
“The More Torah, the
More Life”
For אֱלֹהִים יְהוָה - the LORD Elohim, Blessed be His Sanctified Name,
He
is the one who gave us our Life!”
May the שָׁלוֹם - Shalom = Peace of צְבָאוֹת- יְהוָה= the LORD of hosts. be with you, and please always uphold our blessed שַׁבָּת - Shabbat, as well as the מוֹעֲדִים - Mo’a’dim - Feasts, and continue saying your daily תְּפִלָּה - Tefeelah’s (Prayers) and regular בְּרָכָה - Be’ra’chah’s (blessings) before food and drinks, etc!
שָׁלוֹם
עֲלֵיכֶם - Shalom Aleichem - Peace be with you!
Rabbi, Dr. Reuven Ben Avraham-Goossens, PhD.
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