Key Takeaway
Our worth comes from being made in God’s image.
What is a human being's value, and why should we care? Psalm 8 is about this and will provide the answer. The Bible is a story of how God relates to us; we are given songs to sing in it. Psalm 8 is one of the songs the early Church was well aware of.
It starts with David saying, “Oh LORD,” which signifies Yahweh, the Covenant God, and continues with “Our Lord,” which is Adonai, meaning Ruler, Master, or King. So, He’s saying, “Oh Yahweh, You’re the King.” When he says, “How majestic is your name,” it means it is both powerful and beautiful. His name is His reputation, eliciting a response because a name is made up of character. God’s reputation is known throughout the earth. The Psalmist starts and ends with this phrase.
Why is God’s name so great? Verse 2 tells us it is because He has the strength to still His enemies. Enemies represent human strength and arrogance that are aggressive. Essentially, there are people in the world who hate God and hate His morality. They want power without moral restraint. That’s a scary person. But God’s name is great because the values of His enemies don’t ultimately win. On the other hand, the verse mentions babies. Why? Because they are the opposite of an enemy. They are humble and weak. Babies are small and needy. God uses His strength to still His enemies through babies. God chooses babies for His team…and wins! That’s dominant. It’s meant to sound a little silly, but the writer makes the point that God’s name is majestic because He is strong enough to win, but He does it through the weak and the small. He’s mighty and merciful; this is our God.
Why should we care about the little things? Why should God care about the weak? God molded the entire universe. The immensity of HIs creation is overwhelming, so who are we that He would be mindful of us? Why should we matter to God? Because God has created us with dignity, glory, and honor. Every one of us has immense worth. Our dignity has been conferred on us, not based on our capacity but His mercy. Common things are conferred dignity when they are touched by royalty.
We are made in God’s image, as is shown in Genesis 9:6 and James 3:9. Because of this, we don’t murder people or curse them. We have dignity and value. It’s why we care about people; we see the image of God reflected in the faces of every man and woman on the planet.
Verses 6-8 show us that because we’re made in the image of God, we are meant to be like Him. He put us in dominion over domesticated and wild animals, over the birds and the fish. Notice the parallel: God is mighty and He cares for meek things. You have great dignity, so care for the things beneath you. Our purpose and meaning are to image our Creator. We are to use the power and influence He gave us to help all the things under us flourish. Use your might to help the meek. Our meaning is woven into creation.
So, why was the early Church attracted to this Psalm? It’s because this is how Jesus used His power. In Matthew 21:14-16, Jesus healed the blind and the lame. The religious elite hated this. Jesus is healing those who are helpless, and children are dancing around singing “Save Us, Messiah,” but the Pharisees tell Jesus to tell the kids to stop. Jesus responds by quoting Psalm 8. He essentially said, “Have you not read that out of the mouths of babies they’ll praise me?” Psalm 8 is about Yahweh. Jesus is identifying Himself as God, the Son of man.
Jesus is the head of a new humanity. Paul explains it in 1 Corinthians 15:21-27. All died in Adam, but Christ brought life. Jesus stepped forward, and all things were put under His feet. Hebrews 2:5-9 and Ephesians 1:19 support this. Jesus did not abandon us. He humbled Himself to death on a Cross to sacrifice His life to give us life. He is the resurrected King, and all things are under His feet. This is our God, this is our King. His name is majestic all over the earth.
Discussion Questions
What is the value of a human being, and why should you care?
Read Psalm 8:1. What are the two meanings of the word Lord used? What does this tell us about God?
What did the psalmist mean when he said that God's name is majestic?
How does Psalm 8:2 answer why the Lord's name is so majestic? What does God have the capability to do to His enemies?
Why did the writer mention babies in the same verse as enemies? What point is he trying to make?
When you consider God's creation, why is God mindful of us? In whose image are we created?
Using Genesis 9:6 and James 3:9, what do we not do to other people since we are created in the image of God?
How do Psalm 8:6-8 parallel Psalm 8:2? If our purpose and meaning are to image our Creator and use the power and influence He gave us to help others flourish, what does this tell us about the permanency of our meaning?
Why did the early Church gravitate to this Psalm? See Matthew 21:14-16.
Jesus quoted this Psalm to identify Himself as God. How did Jesus prove that He is the head of a new humanity? See 1 Corinthians 15:21-27.