Psalm 8 and Disciple Making
What does Psalm 8 have to do with the multiplication of the gospel, disciples, and churches until there is No Place Left? Using the simple SWORD Method here are some notes I came up with.
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
Psalms 8:1-9
God
The name of the Lord is majestic, full of majesty and glory that covers the entire face of the earth. The Lord’s glory is far above the heavens and has placed everything under his feet and domain. He is in total control and has total authority over everything. The Lord also has established strength in the mouths of babies and infants because of the foes, avengers, and enemies who oppose the kingdom of God. The strength given by the Lord is meant to still (שָׁבַת) transliterated shabath or “cease, still, rest” the enemy and the avenger. The Lord has an enemy and He has chosen babies and infants to still them with His strength. God, in His sovereignty, has given man dominion over His creation and has crowned us with glory and honor. He is God Almighty but is also mindful and cares for you and I. The Creator of the universe cares for us.
Man
The babies and infants described in verse 2 have been given strength by the Lord because of the foes, avengers, and enemies that oppose the kingdom of God. This seems like a paradox, babies and infants overpowering an enemy. Babies are dependent on their parents for everything. WIthout the strength given by the Father, these babies don’t stand a chance against the enemy. Again man is cared for by God, occupying the mind of God, and has been crowned by God with glory and honor.
Sin
The majestic God of the universe has everything under His feet and control. Everything under His feet is in submission to Him. The sin in Psalm 8 would be to find yourself in enmity with this God who has everything under His feet. To reject the God that cares for us and to assume a place of power that is not ours to take. Man is made lower than the angels (8:5), we are not God. Man is a created being and being such is to submit to the rule and reign of the Creator.
Command to Obey
The command to obey or example to follow would be to (1) Ascribe praise and majesty to the Lord of the earth (8:1,9). (2) Like babies and infants to obey our heavenly Father, humbly submit to Him and His commands, depend on Him for our needs, and rely on Him completely for our strength. (3) Obey the King! Everything created is under the rule and reign of God. We can either choose enmity with God or obey Him completely. Fortunately He gives us His strength to do this.
Conclusion
Jesus says that all authority in heaven and on earth is His and He has commanded us to make disciples of the nations, teaching them how to obey the King. We are not alone in this venture but are promised the presence, help, and strength of Jesus as we make disciples. John Piper rightly says that, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” Let’s push forward, in His strength, to make disciples of the nations who worship the majestic name of Jesus in all the earth until there is No Place Left.