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How Majestic Is Your Name
To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.
8 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
(ESV)
Psalm 8 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
“Have you never read…” The words pierced like a dagger. It was a direct challenge to the authority and comprehension of these so-called representatives of God.
The Pharisees hated Jesus. They made it their mission to challenge Him at every turn. In Matthew 21, we read of Jesus’ passionate rebuke for the thieves who had turned God’s temple into a business. Yes, Jesus stormed through the temple like a hurricane, whipping and flipping tables as He called out those who had used His house of worship for their own selfish gain.
After the dust had settled, the blind and lame came to Him as He healed them. The children who had been running around in the temple lifted their voices in praise and adoration singing, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Again, the Pharisees became indignant.
But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘OUT OF THE MOUTH OF INFANTS AND NURSING BABIES YOU HAVE PREPARED PRAISE FOR YOURSELF’?”
Matthew 21:15-16 NASB
“From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.”
Psalms 8:2 NASB
Jesus quoted from the eighth Psalm which David had penned years prior. This is ironic because the children were singing “Hosanna to the Son of David.” But more than that, Jesus was providing the proof of His Messianic nature. He was worthy of their praise. The prophecies themselves were unfolding right before their eyes.
The other irony here is that the children worshipped because they saw Jesus as their Savior. As Hank has written, children are quick to trust and believe. They are impressionable because they are not self-sufficient. They have needs that cannot be met on their own. These children were dependent and Jesus welcomed them. Contrast their attitude with the Pharisees. They were stubborn, resistant, and hostile. They believed they were self-sufficient and needed nothing. Because they refused to humble themselves, they became even more foolish as Jesus directly calls them out for overlooking this prophecy in Psalm 8. “Have you never read…”
Furthermore, the Pharisees fit the bill for the description we read at the end of Psalm 8:2. They were considered adversaries/enemies of Jesus because they only sought revenge. So, which description accurately depicts your current attitude? Self-sufficient or dependant? Are you justifying your current behavior and priorities based on human wisdom? The shocking thought to consider is that the Pharisees really believed they were accomplishing God’s will. They were so completely enamored with self that they missed the reality of Jesus’ merciful teaching. Where is your self-sufficient attitude blinding you to your need for more Jesus?