📖 Psalms — Chapter 8 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
Psalms 8:1 O LORD, Rour Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
Psalms 8:2 ROut of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou Tordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Psalms 8:3 RWhen I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
Psalms 8:4 RWhat is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psalms 8:5 For Rthou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Psalms 8:6 Thou Rmadest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
Psalms 8:7 TAll sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
Psalms 8:8 RThe fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
Psalms 8:9 RO LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
Psalms 8:1–2 — Majesty and the voices of children
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
The psalm begins by praising the Lord's excellent name throughout the earth. God's glory exceeds the heavens, yet strength is ordained through the voices of little children. The pairing challenges assumptions that God's greatness must be displayed only through the impressive or powerful.
Key Truth: God's majesty can be praised through the smallest voices.
Check What You Remember
1. Where is God's name excellent? (Psalms 8:1)
Find it in Psalms 8:1 (KJV).
2. Above what is God's glory set? (Psalms 8:1)
Find it in Psalms 8:1 (KJV).
3. Whose mouths are mentioned? (Psalms 8:2)
Find it in Psalms 8:2 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Psalms 8:3–5 — Wonder that God remembers humanity
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Looking at the moon and stars leads the speaker to wonder why God is mindful of human beings. Humanity's smallness does not mean worthlessness: God gives glory and honor. The psalm holds humility and dignity together, grounding human value in God's gracious attention.
Key Truth: Human dignity rests in God's mindful care.
Check What You Remember
1. What heavenly lights does he consider? (Psalms 8:3)
Find it in Psalms 8:3 (KJV).
2. Of whom is God mindful? (Psalms 8:4)
Find it in Psalms 8:4 (KJV).
3. With what has God crowned humanity? (Psalms 8:5)
Find it in Psalms 8:5 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Psalms 8:6–9 — Responsibility within creation
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
God gives humanity dominion over the works of his hands, including animals, birds, and fish. This responsibility is received from the Creator rather than independently seized. The closing praise frames human authority within God's greater majesty, calling for stewardship that remembers whose world this is.
Key Truth: Human responsibility remains under God's authority.
Check What You Remember
1. Over what is humanity given dominion? (Psalms 8:6)
Find it in Psalms 8:6 (KJV).
2. What creatures inhabit the sea? (Psalms 8:8)
Find it in Psalms 8:8 (KJV).
3. Whose excellent name closes the psalm? (Psalms 8:9)
Find it in Psalms 8:9 (KJV).
Related Scripture (KJV)
Hebrews 2:9 — Hebrews connects glory and honor with Jesus.
This related passage is selected for its connection with this chapter. It is separate from the chapter text.
Reflect and Apply
How can you show both humility before God and responsible care for the people and creatures entrusted to you?
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. What repeated declaration frames the psalm?
2. What striking contrast appears in the mouths of infants?
3. How does considering the heavens lead to a question about people?
4. How does human honour depend on God’s action?
5. How does the list of creatures develop dominion’s scope?
Notes
Write what you want to remember, questions to explore, or Scriptures to look up later. Your saved notes are private to your account.
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