Psalms 8:3

3 When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places -

Psalms 8:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 8:3

When I consider thy heavens
Where God dwells, and which he has made; the airy and starry heavens, which are to be seen with the bodily eye; and the heaven of heavens, which is to be beheld and considered by faith:

the work of thy fingers;
being curiously wrought by his power, and garnished by his Spirit: for the finger of God is the Spirit of God; see ( Matthew 12:28 ) ; compared with ( Luke 11:20 ) ;

the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained,
or "prepared" ^F8, for various uses to the earth, and the inhabitants of it. The sun is not mentioned, because it cannot be looked upon, as the moon and the stars may, nor be seen when they are. And it is generally thought that David composed this psalm in the night, When these celestial bodies were in view; and, it may be, while he was keeping his father's sheep, since, in the enumeration of the creatures subject to man, sheep are mentioned first, as being in view, ( Psalms 8:7 ) . The heavenly bodies are very glorious creatures, and are worthy of the consideration and contemplation of man, and even of a saint; whereby he may be led to observe the wisdom, power, goodness, and greatness of God.

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FOOTNOTES:

F8 (tnnwk) "praeparasti", Pagninus, Montanus; "parasti", Musculus, Piscator, Gejerus, Michaelis.

Psalms 8:3 In-Context

1 O Lord, our Lord, your greatness is seen in all the world! Your praise reaches up to the heavens;

2 it is sung by children and babies. You are safe and secure from all your enemies; you stop anyone who opposes you.

3 When I look at the sky, which you have made, at the moon and the stars, which you set in their places -

4 what are human beings, that you think of them; mere mortals, that you care for them?

5 Yet you made them inferior only to yourself; you crowned them with glory and honor.