Psalms 8:5

5. Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels Hebrew, Thou hast made him less, a little from, or than, God. Man, physically compared, is inferior to the wide creation; but another point of comparison restores him to his true rank. The Septuagint translates אלהים , ( God,) by αγγελους , angels; so, also, the Chaldee, Vulgate, the ancient Jewish, and some modern interpreters. So, also, our English Version. But this is a gloss and not a translation, and is not satisfactorily sustained by Hebrew usage. Elohim is used to denote kings, judges, princes, as representing God in dominion and authority. See Exodus 21:6; Exodus 22:8-9; Exodus 22:28; Psalms 82:1; Psalms 82:6; Psalms 95:3; Psalms 97:7; Psalms 97:9; Psalms 138:1. In Psalms 96:4-5, it means false gods, “gods of the nations.” In Genesis 3:5, it means the true God, not “gods.” In 1 Samuel 28:13, it seems to be used for a godlike form: “I saw a godlike form ascending,” etc. The rendering, “Thou hast made him little less than a god,” gives no sense, or, if any, a false one. “Remove him little from divinity; that is, from a divine and heavenly, or at least from a superhuman state,” (Alexander,) is too vague for satisfaction. Whatever may be the interpretation, Elohim must be rendered God, and the comparison must lie between man and God. Nor is this without authority. The statement of the psalmist is based directly on Genesis 1:27: “God created man in his own image.” Here is the foundation of the comparison, and of the asserted dignity of man. The idea is, not that man is only a little removed from the absolute Godhead, but that, in the original idea and purpose of God, he is the closest resemblance of God in endowments, the first in rank of created beings. Besides, מעשׂ , Septuagint βραχυ τι , ( a little,) may signify for a little time, as the quotation of the apostle, Hebrews 2:9, certainly does mean. In Hebrews 2:7 this passage is quoted from the Septuagint, not the Hebrew. It is a free quotation, ad sensum, without an attempt at verbal accuracy, the Greek version being used because at that time more widely read and better understood than the Hebrew text. Professor Stuart thinks, that the placing of man below the angels sufficed for the apostle’s argument without raising a question on the Greek text, though in doing so he claimed less for the argument than would have been claimed by insisting that the word Elohim should be interpreted God,” as in the Hebrew. To this it must be added that the apostle, in Psalms 8:7, ranks not the original dignity of man below that of angels, but only his earthly state. So Christ ranks “ βραχυ τι , for a little while, lower than the angels for the suffering of death.” But the sequel of the argument shows that by his resurrection, ascension, and regal enthronement at the right hand of God, he carries our human nature above the rank of angels, and thus illustrates the ultimate dignity of man, according to our text.

Glory and honour Two words nearly synonymous, and united for emphasis, expressive here, as often, of kingly majesty. Psalms 21:5. See note on Psalms 97:7.