Isaac Watts wrote hymns from this psalm. It is also a great example of chiastic structure (ABC, CBA). The first sentence and last are identical.  Sandwiched in between, first comes God’s greatness, followed by the main points in verses 4 and 5, and then man’s position in the world because of God.   It is also a great passage written about God’s created man that is so easily applied to Jesus – this time by the Hebrew writer (Hebrews 2:6-8).  Jesus quotes verse two (“out of the mouths of babes”) in Matthew 21:16, when the chief priests and scribes became indignant from the shouts of the children of “Hosanna to the Son of David!” when he cleansed the Temple after his triumphal entry.

Jesus cleanses the temple; throwing moneychangers out and upsetting the tables with animals and birds –John 2: 12-22.

Verse two also clearly indicates that the psalmist’s praise to God comes on the heels of some victory over foes, but the psalm praises God’s majesty because of his creation of the heavens and the moon and stars which he set in place (Genesis 1:17).   Then he expresses wonder that this same great God made man “a little lower” than the heavenly beings (Genesis 1:26), and gave him dominion over all his works.

But Hebrews 2:10 ties both Old and New Testament together with such grace and beauty that we can only marvel:

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.