Psalms 8:1

“O Lord our God, etc.] Jehovah, the one God, who is Lord of all angels and men, and in an especial manner Lord and King of saints; how excellent [is] thy name in all the earth! by the “name” of God is not meant any particular name of his, by which he is called; but either himself, his nature and perfections; or rather that by which he is made known, and particularly his Gospel; (see <431706>John 17:6 <440915>Acts 9:15); this is excellent in its nature, it being good news, and glad tidings of good things, which display the love, grace, mercy, and kindness of God to men, as well as his wisdom, power, truth, and faithfulness; and in the subject matter of it, Christ and his righteousness, and…”

“Upon [or according to the] Gittith, probably means that the musical performance was directed to be according to a tune of that name; which, derived from Gath, a "wine-press," denotes a tune (used in connection with gathering the vintage) of a joyous character. All the Psalms to which this term is prefixed [Psa 8:1; Psa 81:1; Psa 84:1] are of such a character. The Psalmist gives vent to his admiration of God's manifested perfections, by celebrating His condescending and beneficent providence to man as evinced by the position of the race, as originally created and assigned a dominion over the works of His hands. (Psa 8:1-9) thy name--perfections (Psa 5:11; Psa 7:17). who hast set--literally,…”

“O Lord - Hebrew, יהוה Yahweh. It is an address to God by his chosen and special title, Exodus 3:14. Compare the notes at Isaiah 1:2. Our Lord - The word used here - אדני 'âdônay - means properly master, lord, ruler, owner, and is such a title as is given to an owner of land or of slaves, to kings, or to rulers, and is applied to God as being the ruler or governor of the universe. The meaning here is, that the psalmist acknowledged Yahweh to be the rightful ruler, king, or master of himself and of all others. He comes before him with the feeling that Yahweh is the universal ruler - the king and proprietor of all things. How excellent is thy name - How excellent or exalted art thou - the…”

“In - Not only in Israel, but among all nations. Which shews that this psalm speaks of the Messiah, and the times of the New Testament. Heavens - Where thy throne of glory is established, where the blessed angels celebrate thy praises, where Christ sitteth at thy right hand in glorious majesty, from whence he poureth down excellent gifts upon babes. Psalms 8:2”

“Ps 8 Psalm 8 opens the second segment of Book One (Pss 8–14). The psalmist celebrates God’s creation and the dignity of the ideal human being (see Ps 1). Instead of the world of enemies, wicked people, and distorted justice that is presented in Pss 3–7, this psalm promotes an image of the world as God originally created it. A weary person can envision a place of dignity in God’s world. 8:1 The Lord (Hebrew Yahweh), the covenant God of Israel (Exod 3:15), also holds the title of Lord (Hebrew ’adonay), the king of the earth. • The word translated majestic (sometimes translated “mighty”) can describe kings (Ps 136:18), heroes (16:3), mountains (76:4), or waves breaking on the seashore (93:4).…”

“our: Psa 8:9, Psa 63:1, Psa 145:1; Isa 26:13; Mat 22:45; Joh 20:28; Phi 2:11, Phi 3:8; Rev 19:6 how: Psa 72:17-19, Psa 113:2-4, Psa 148:13; Exo 15:11, Exo 34:5-7; Deu 28:58; Sol 5:16 thy: Psa 36:5, Psa 57:10, Psa 57:11, Psa 68:4, Psa 108:4, Psa 108:5; Kg1 8:27; Hab 3:3; Eph 4:10; Phi 2:9, Phi 2:10; Heb 7:26 Psalms 8:2”

“(Heb.: 8:2-3) Here, for the first time, the subject speaking in the Psalm is not one individual, but a number of persons; and who should they be but the church of Jahve, which (as in Neh 10:30) can call Jahve its Lord (אדנינוּ, like אדני from אדנים plur. excellentiae, Ges. ֗108, 2); but knowing also at the same time that what it has become by grace it is called to be for the good of the whole earth? The שׁם of God is the impress (cognate Arabic wasm, a sign, Greek σῆμα) of His nature, which we see in His works of creation and His acts of salvation, a nature which can only be known from this visible and comprehensible representation (nomen = gnomen). (Note: Cf. Oehler's art. Name in Herzog's…”