A Brief Explication of the First Fifty Psalms, Psalm 8
PSAL. VIII. To the chief Musician upon Gitteth, A Psalm of David.
To the end the Prophet may commend the glory of Gods grace toward man, hee first admireth his glory in the works of Creation and Providence, which are able to stop the mouths of all blasphemous Atheists, ver. 1, 2. In the second place, he admireth the Lords love to man above all other, even the most glorious creatures, ver. 3, 4. Thirdly, he setteth out this grace of God to man, in the Incarnation, humiliation, and exaltation of Christ for mans cause, and for restoring of redeemed man in Christ, to their right unto, and over the visible creatures. ver. 5, 6, 7, 8. and closeth the Psalme, with the admiration of Gods glory in all the Earth. ver. 9.
Ver. 1. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies, that thou mightest stil the enemie and the avenger.
From his admiration of Gods glory in the workes of Creation and Providence, learn 1. The godly are not alwaies born downe with trouble; Sometime they have liberty to goe, and delight themselves in the beholding of Gods glory and goodnesse towards themselves, as the whole Psalme sheweth. 2. The mysterie of the glory of God, in his workes of Creation and Redemption, is such, as none save the eye spiritually illuminate by his spirit, can see it: And he that seeth it, cannot but be ravished therewith, when he doth discerne it; and none can sufficiently comprehend it, or take it up fully, save God himselfe. Therfore the Prophet directeth his speech full of admiration, wholly to the Lord, throughout all the Psalme. 3. The glory of the Lord is greatly sweetned unto the godly, in the time of their praising of his Majestie, when they consider their own Interest in him, as in their own propriety. Therefore saith he, O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name! 4. No words are sufficient to set out the glory of the Lord, not only as it is in it selfe, but even as it is discovered to a spirituall understanding; Therefore by way of admiration, must he cry out, How excellent is thy Name! 5. The heavens and celestial lights shining from above, do speake much of Gods glory; but in effect his glory is greater then they can hold forth; for his glory is set above the heavens. 6. Albeit the glory of the Lord doth fill the world, yet hath he enemies of his glory, to wit, profane and godlesse persons, Athiests, Epicures, and persecuters of his people and truth; For here are enemies spoken of, and avengers, opening blasphemous mouths against him, and his people, as if God, and his people, had injured them. 7. Not only the providence of God in new borne babes, framing them in the belly, providing nourishment unto them when they are borne, and making them to suck the brests; but also the giving of saving knowledge to some of them, in their tender years, is able to refute all Atheists and profane despisers of the glory of the Lord; for out of the mouth of babes and sucklings he hath ordained strength, or strong conviction, to still the enemie and the avenger, and put him to silence. Matthew 21.26.
Ver. 3. When I consider the heavens, the worke of thy fingers, the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained;
4. What is man that thou art mindfull of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him?
From his admiration in Gods respect, and love to man above all other creatures, Learne, 1. The weaknesse and unworthinesse of man, considered both in himselfe, and compared with his glorious creatures made for his use, do commend the bounty of God to man, and make it a matter of great admiration. For when the prophet considereth the glorious heavens &c. he asketh, What is man? &c. 2. Man of all the creatures is most esteemed and taken care of by God. For hee is mindful of man, and daily visiteth him.
Ver. 5. For thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
8. Thou madest him to have dominion over all the works of thy hand; Thou hast put all things under his feet.
7. All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field.
8. The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth thorow the paths of the seas.
In the third place, hee looketh on man considered in his Creation before the fall, and as he is in his head Christ (who is God incarnate, humbled and exalted for mans cause after the fall) restored to what hee lost by the fall. Whence learne, 1. Looke unto man in his creation, and God hath given him the place, in order of dignity, above all the creatures visible, next unto heavenly Angels: Thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels. 2. Looke unto man after his fall, restored by Christ unto his place, and in this respect hee is established in that dignity to be next unto the glorious Angels: Thou hast made him a little lower then the Angels. 3. Looke unto man in our Head Christ Jesus, God incarnate, and there man is wonderfully exalted in regard that for respect and love to man, the Man Christ being very God, is humbled unto the death of the crosse. And in this sense doth the Apostle, Heb. 2.7, 9. take this place, Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels, for the suffering of death. 4. Looke unto man in Christ Jesus, after his resurrection, and in his glorification; God hath crowned him with glory and Majestie. 5. It is no small point of dignifying man, that all believers have by Christ this title of Heirship, with lawful use and possession of the creatures recovered and restored unto him: Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thine hands. 6. As there is nothing which may doe man good service, which God hath not granted man dominion over in and through Christ, so there is nothing can harm him, but he hath put under Christs feet, and under beleevers feet in and through Christ, to wit, sinne and Satan, and all our enemies, and Death the last enemy; Hee hath put all things under his feete, as the Apostle gathereth, 1 Cor. 15.26. 7. Christ shall not lay downe his kingdome which he hath in his Church, and over all her enemies, till hee hath put downe all rule and authority, and power against him and his Church, and have subdued all enemies under himselfe. For hee must reigne till hee hath put all things under his feete, as the Apostle collecteth, 1 Cor. 15.25. 8. Nothing is excepted or exeemed from being subject to Christ, as man, no not the holy Angels (who are made ministring Spirits, to serve believers) but only God, essentially considered, he only is excepted. For he hath put all things under his feet; but when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him, as the Apostle proveth from this place, 1 Cor. 15.27.
Ver. 9▪ O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth!
Hee closeth the Psalme as he began it with admiration: Whence learne, 1. The praises of our Lord, and the excellency of our covenant right, and Interest in him, are worthy again and again to be considered, and that God should bee proclaimed Lord of us whom hee hath l…fted up to so high a Dominion. Therefore is this verse repeated again. 2. When a man hath begun to declare some reason of his wondering at the glory of God, manifested in the whole world, and specially in his Church, he must give over the ful explication of this glory, and close as he begun, with wondring stil as here the same exclamation of wondring at the excellency of Gods glory concludeth the Psalme, as it did begin it, O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the earth!