Psalm 8:5 “You made him [man] a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.”
[You, Lord, made us for a specific position in your creation, higher than the animals and in your image lower than the angels and in this you granted us glory and honor because you loved us, giving us significant roles:]
Psalm 8:6 “You made him ruler over the works of your hands;”
[You gave us position and power, meaning and might, dominion and direction. You called us to partnership with you in administrating what you created. And this is still true, even after the fall, even though we are twisted and imperfect, for you are gracious and good, wanting us to have meaningful work and productive purpose.]
Psalm 8:7-8 “you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.”
[You are so gracious to give such a broad range of responsibility to humans whom you knew would fail and fall. This is true both in what Adam did, and in how we fail to treat your creation with respect and care—and I praise you that you will restore us and it to pristine purity again so we may rule further and righteously with you in the new heaven and earth!]
“O LORD, our Lord,”
[Again, you make yourself “our Lord:”
the personal,
present,
passionate,
powerful
and perfect God,
Ruler of all,
Lover of all,
Redeemer of all
–even though you know that many will not accept the forgiveness you have purchased at great cost.]
[Truly] “how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
Your name is
majestic in perfection,
in creation,
in redemption
and in salvation.
Therefore, you are worthy of worship from every being throughout all the earth, throughout all the universe, throughout all eternity.
May that worship be seen now in us giving honor through praise to your majestic name in whatever you allow in our lives throughout this day. Amen.
