The majesty of God!
That is David’s experience here, and it happened while his soul was enraptured
by something that he had seen of God.
This sort of experience is not uncommon in the Scriptures. Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Isaiah and
other prophets, Peter, James and
John saw the glory of God (Matt 17:1-9) and spoke about them in poetic terms. The apostle Paul had experiences with God – some that
were so unspeakable that he could not talk
about them (2 Cor. 12:1-4). There can be no doubt that in Paul’s
many and difficult experiences, the vision of the
majesty of God must have sustained
him at many times. How else could he have remained
so joyful in a Philippian jail?
The apostle John (who had been with his brother James and with Peter on the Mount of Jesus’
Transfiguration) also tells us of
an experience where he was “ in the
Spirit” on the Lord’s day (Rev. 1:10) and where he saw unspeakable things – and the result is the book of the Revelation of John. Revelation really employs strongly poetic language. Eugene Peterson thinks that the Revelation is a poem, "the one great poem which the first Christian age produced." (Eugene Peterson: Reversed Thunder: p.5)
I believe that God gives
such visions of Himself in varying
strengths to His servants to
sustain them in difficult times in their ministries. I can only speak for
myself at this point. I was radically
converted in June 1978, when during the course of a University Mission, a sermon strongly spoke to me. At once I saw God for who He was. My life was
radically changed. That, for me was a foundational experience, and I
needed that, for God knew what He had in store ahead for me. I also remember the time, when in August 1989, Eastside Baptist Church had called me to be their pastor, I was
engaged in prayer, seeking God’s face as
to whether I should accept the call or not. His majestic hand was heavy upon me then, and I remember being very afraid. The
Lord spoke to me through the Scriptures
and made me aware of the fact that I would have to suffer many things
for His sake. I am so glad that the
Lord had warned me, and this 'vision' had helped me at various times when the going got tough.
Why is the experience of the majesty of God something
which we should seek?
John Piper has
written an excellent book entitled,“The Supremacy of God in Preaching. His
thesis is this, “The majesty of God is an unknown cure
for troubled lives. I quote:
"People are starving for the greatness of God, but most
of them would not give this diagnosis of their troubled lives. The majesty of
God is the unknown cure. There are far more popular prescriptions on the
market, but the benefit of any other remedy is brief and shallow. It does not
matter if surveys turn up with a list of perceived needs that does not include
the supreme greatness of the sovereign
God of grace." This is the deepest need: our people are starving for God.
Most often God is
pleased to show us His majesty by the plain reading and meditation upon the Scriptures, and by hearing the Word of God
preached.
...And so we turn to the 8th Psalm
Psalm 8 is attributed to David. We are not quite sure
what the background or occasion to this Psalm might have been. It is
also entitled,"according to Gittith”. Nobody is quite sure what that means, but it is probably a reference to some musical term.
The same term is found in Psalms 81 and 84. All of these Psalms share one
thing in common – they are all Psalms of adoration and praise to the Lord.
“O Lord our Lord…” The Hebrew uses two words
(a) Yahweh, the proper name of the LORD God of Israel and
(b) Adonai (lit. “Lord”) used to describe the bearer’s position and authority. The eternal “I am that I am” (the eternal and uncreated God, all powerful, all knowing and all seeing) is our Lord (Master). He is at once, the transcendent and the immanent God.
(a) Yahweh, the proper name of the LORD God of Israel and
(b) Adonai (lit. “Lord”) used to describe the bearer’s position and authority. The eternal “I am that I am” (the eternal and uncreated God, all powerful, all knowing and all seeing) is our Lord (Master). He is at once, the transcendent and the immanent God.
“How majestic (excellent) is your name in all the earth…” . The “Name” means far more than by what we mean when we name our
children. In Hebrew, a name
reflects a person’s attributes, qualities and excellencies. God’s name
describes who He is i.e. in this
instance He is the eternal God, who is also our personal Lord! That is who He is!
In all the earth !
No name is so universal, no name has such power, and no name such influence as the Name of our God. His Name
has been praised ever since man
was created with the breath of God in him.
Even after the fall, when man’s spirit died within him, and when man no longer was able to see clearly, nor was he able to perceive and desire God, God had
not removed the longing after Himself. There remains a God shaped
vacuum in all of us , "and we are restless
until our hearts are found in Him" (Augustine of Hippo : Confessions) .
“You have set your glory above the heavens". Not “in the heavens”, but “above" ! His Name is even greater, and beyond, and infinitely higher than the heavens. Who
can fathom the size of the Universe?
Who can understand its limits? Who can
conceive of an end to the heavens ? (see Job's dilemma)
No one!
And yet that will be the place where we will be one day. This God is our God!
No one!
And yet that will be the place where we will be one day. This God is our God!
“Out of the mouths of babies and infants you have
established strength (NIV you have
ordained praise…”) Not only in the highest heavens
above, but in the humblest quarters of the earth below (i. e. amongst
children and infants), the name of the Lord our God is praised.
C.H. Spurgeon says,“How often will children tell us of a God whom we have forgotten. How often does not their simple language about God refute those learned fools who deny the being of God!”
C.H. Spurgeon says,“How often will children tell us of a God whom we have forgotten. How often does not their simple language about God refute those learned fools who deny the being of God!”
What a contrast between the glory that reflected in the created heavens
(Psalm 19:1) and the glory that the humble lips of children and
infants express, and yet by both the name of God is
equally powerfully exalted.
It is this fact which silences "the enemy of God, the foe and the avenger!”
Evil men can do what they will. Our God is
still praised by the highest and lowest of all beings! God has established this
principle, and my brothers and sisters, even if we should fail to praise God
with our mouths, God will cause
the stones to cry out in praise of His Name (Lk.19: 40).
WHAT IS MAN THAT THIS
GOD SHOULD BE SO CARING TOWARDS HIM?
“When
I look at your heavens, the work of your
fingers…” A survey of the solar system has the tendency to humble us.
Pride is one of the chief traits of our human sinfulness. We think that the
world rotates around us – at least that is how we often act. That is why we have quarrels, strife,wars
etc. What man is in reality, is quite
sobering. We are frail, fallible and feeble. (See 1 Peter 1:24 ; cf. Isa 40: 6
– 8).
In comparison to the earth we are like a little grain of
sand on the beach, and in relation to the Universe, our earth is nothing! But the Lord our God cares for this earth, and He cares for
us!
“What
is man that you are mindful of Him?" In the course of the next few
verses David expounds the reasons why God
even regards mankind. God regards man because man is one of His created beings. He is the
choicest of God’s created beings, because men are made in His image (Gen. 1:27). And
does not God make all things well? Should not God think highly of that which He
made?
“He made Him…”
(a) a little lower than the angels, but still glorious (as is true of all His creation).
This fact also reminds us that man is not everything in this universe. This should greatly humble us.
(b) God made man to exercise dominion over His
creation (vv. 5 – 8 - see Gen 1:28). God permits and commands mankind to share His attribute of kingship, ruler-ship and dominion in a delegated way. This world must be subdued for the glory of the Great King. The order which mankind brings into this creation brings praise to God and truly glorifies Him. Conversely, to allow things to run into disorder dishonours God, and this detracts from the testimony of His majesty.
This is our God.
This is my God and this is your God.
This is the great and awesome God. He is the majestic God. He is the God who can speak through babies. He is the God who speaks from the highest heavens.
This is the God who is mindful of us, and who cares for us.
This is the God who esteems us, and trusts us to take care of His creation.
This God deserves our praise, our love and devotion.
This is my God and this is your God.
This is the great and awesome God. He is the majestic God. He is the God who can speak through babies. He is the God who speaks from the highest heavens.
This is the God who is mindful of us, and who cares for us.
This is the God who esteems us, and trusts us to take care of His creation.
This God deserves our praise, our love and devotion.
This God ought to be feared alone!
This God alone is our refuge and strength, for He alone is in total control.
This God is without beginning or end.
This God is our Lord and our Master!
This God alone is our refuge and strength, for He alone is in total control.
This God is without beginning or end.
This God is our Lord and our Master!
When you are captured by such a vision
of God’s majesty it is unlikely
that you will ever be in search of idol !
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