All sheep and oxen ,.... The tame creatures, which are useful for food and clothing: yea, and the beasts of the field ; the wild beasts, which he can make use of to destroy and devour his enemies, and whom he can restrain from harming his own people, Jeremiah 15:8 . read more
The fowl of the air ,.... These he rained about the tents of the Israelites for their relief, Psalm 78:27 , and can command them to feed his people, as the ravens did Elijah, 1 Kings 17:4 ; or to destroy his enemies, Jeremiah 15:3 ; see Psalm 50:10 ; and the fish of the sea : instances of Christ's power over them, and of their being at his command, and for his service, may be seen in Matthew 17:27 ; and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas : some F11 Aben... read more
All sheep and oxen - All domestic animals, and those to be employed in agriculture. Beasts of the field - All wild beasts, and inhabitants of the forest. read more
The fowl of the air - All these were given to man in the beginning; and he has still a general dominion over them; for thus saith the Lord: "The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every Beast of the Earth, and upon every Fowl of the Air, and upon all that Moveth upon the Earth, and upon all the Fishes of the Sea; into your hand are they delivered;" Genesis 9:2 . To this passage the psalmist most obviously refers. read more
Verse 7 The preceding question, with respect to the extent of man’s dominion over the works of God, seems not yet to be fully answered. If the prophet here declares, by way of exposition, to what extent God has put all things in subjection to us, this subjection, it seems, must be restricted to what contributes to the temporal comfort and convenience of man while he continues in this world. To this difficulty I answer, That the Psalmist does not intend in these verses to give a complete... read more
Lord what is man? This is a song of praise equally adapted for men of every nation, country, colour, and clime. Its author was David, £ who, as a shepherd-boy, had cast an observant eye on the works of God, both in the heavens above and the earth beneath; and the habit of doing this reverently and devoutly grew with his growth; so that, though we are entirely ignorant as to what period of his life it was in which he penned this psalm, it is manifestly an echo of the thoughts which, in... read more
God the glorious Creator. It is midnight. The sky is bright with stars. As the psalmist muses, the fire burns, and he bursts into song. The psalm is not for Israel alone, but brings before the mind such a vision of the glory of God as the great Creator, as binds all people of every land and age in a brotherhood of worship. I. GOD 'S GLORY REVEALED IN NATURE . The heavens have a purpose. The outward glory images the inward and spiritual glory. The stars are silent witnesses... read more
God's glory revealed. "The great spiritual truth contained in the first passage of Scripture, that God made man in his own image, flashes forth in this psalm in true lyric grandeur, a ray of light across the dark mystery of creation" God is the most wonderful thought of the human mind, and this thought retains its hold upon us in spite of all atheistic influences. Here the thought is that God's glory is celebrated— I. BY CHILDHOOD . Putting to silence the clamour of the atheist.... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 8:3-9
David here goes on to magnify the honour of God by recounting the honours he has put upon man, especially the man Christ Jesus. The condescensions of the divine grace call for our praises as much as the elevations of the divine glory. How God has condescended in favour to man the psalmist here observes with wonder and thankfulness, and recommends it to our thoughts. See here, I. What it is that leads him to admire the condescending favour of God to man; it is his consideration of the lustre... read more