Psalm 8 - International Standard Version (ISV)

To the Director: On a stringed instrument.[a] A Davidic Psalm.

Divine Glory and Human Dignity

8 Lord, our Lord,
how excellent is your name in all the earth!
You set your glory above the heavens!
2 Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies
you have established strength[b]
on account of your adversaries,
in order to silence the enemy and vengeful foe.

3 When I look at the heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars that you established—
4 what is man that you take notice of him,
or the son of man[c] that you pay attention to him?
5 You made him a little less than divine,[d]
but you crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You gave him dominion over the work of your hands,
you put all things under his feet:
7 Sheep and cattle—all of them,
wild creatures of the field,
8 birds in the sky,
fish in the sea—
whatever moves through the currents of the oceans.

9 Lord, our Lord,
how excellent is your name in all the earth!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 8:1 Or according to a Gittite melody
  2. Psalm 8:2 LXX reads praise
  3. Psalm 8:4 A title of Messiah (cf. Dan 7:13-14) or a Heb. synonym for a human being (cf. Dan 8:17)
  4. Psalm 8:5 Or God; or gods; or than heavenly beings