Psalm 8:3-4

Psalms 8:3-4 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; 4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?

Here is David, sitting in a pasture watching his father’s sheep, looking up at the heavens at night without the city lights diminishing his view. How awesome it is to consider the power of God’s Spirit at work in forming every star, every planet, every measurement and gravitational pull as each of these “moons and stars” all effect one another in their orbits or in their releasing of energy. Yet God “ordained” or rather, “prepared” all of this for His glory. It is undoubtedly true that these orbits effect the habitation of the earth. It is true that in His gracious plan to exalt, magnify, and glorify Himself and His name, He included this planet and all that dwells on it to benefit from the wonders of His hand. But we should never assume that the glories of His creation are for the end of making much of us or glorifying our name. Though we can stand in awe as the Psalmist, we stand in awe because we consider His might, His grandeur, and His infinite power in calling into existence everything we see. As incredible as it is to consider how vast is our universe, as incredible as it is to consider the wonders of God’s creation here on earth, these feelings are not be left upon the effect of the cause. Rather, we should immediately pursue reverence for the One who is behind all these works. We should stand with jaws dropped, legs shaking, and hands trembling as we are allowed to get a glimpse of the goodness, wisdom, power and grace of our God.

David understands the greatness of God and therefore understands the frailty of man. He cries out “What is man that you take thought of Him, And the son of man that You care for him?” The word David uses is “Enosh” for man, which signifies a frail, weak, sick, mortal man. This word demonstrates that man is of no stature, no esteem, a man who is a worm and is destined to die, and did die. That God would consider such a one as this. That God would be mindful of us. That God gave us the oil of gladness, taking care of us, loving us, granting us grace, mercy, and affection to us. That God calls us to Himself, forgives us of our sin through the great exchange of His glorious Son, and then resurrects us from the dead to exalt us to be co-inheritors of the Kingdom of God with Christ is almost too much for us to fathom. The difference between us is so great, yet because of the One who is greater, God comes, God forgives, and God redeems us to Himself to be another of His great works that glorify Him along with the stars, the moon, the sun, and the Holy angels.