How Does Psalm 8 Show Us God's Purpose in Creating Man?

     Don't you think the beauty that surrounds us should make us think who created this? In Psalm 8 David took that question up another level and asked God why did you create man? I sort of feel that God set it up like this because when David looked up at the night sky that was studded with stars it obviously evoked wonder within him. 

A friend sent this picture to me.

When I see Your heavens, the works of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is mortal man that You remember him, and the son of man, that You visit him?  Psalm 8:3-4

I read a real thought-provoking Life-Study on Psalm 8; in chapter 5 Witness Lee brings God's creation of man in Genesis 1 together with Psalm 8.   In Genesis 1:26-27 it's clear that God wanted man to express Him with His image and represent Him with His dominion. 

     Long before the fall that occurred in Genesis 3 Satan had rebelled and had been cast by God to the earth  (These are reference verses I picked up from the Life-Study-- Isaiah14:12-16; Ezekiel 28:13-16).  It may have looked as if Satan had won the day. Centuries passed between Genesis and David's writing of this psalm.  It may have even looked like God had given up, but on page 62-63 I learned this wasn't so:  

"Three portions of the Word speak of the same thing concerning man--Genesis 1, Psalm 8, and Hebrews 2. What is revealed in Psalm 8 was first spoken of in Genesis 1. Genesis 1 says that man was commissioned with the authority to rule over all the created things (vv. 26, 28). Psalm 8 repeats this. Then in Hebrews 2:6-8 Paul quotes Psalm 8. These three portions of the Word show that man has been in three stages: created in Genesis 1, fallen in Psalm 8, and redeemed in Hebrews 2....Man is the central object of God in His creation for the accomplishment of His economy to fulfill His heart's desire" (Lee, Witness. Life-Study of Psalms. Anaheim: Living Stream Ministry, 1993, Print).

  In this chapter I learned that God didn't give up His purpose that man would have dominion over every created thing including His enemy.  Through this psalm David shares in beautiful poetry God's intention of becoming incarnated to visit man and redeem him. And it amazes me that this psalm also shows us that it's through the praise of God's redeemed people that the enemy's mouth is shut up! 

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!!!

 

I really like this poster!   I heard on a documentary that if the earth wasn't located on one of the outside arms of our galaxy, all we would see at night would be interstellar dust.  It really makes me feel that God positioned the earth in such a way that we could see so many stars and planets so that we would start asking questions that would lead us to faith in God!!

 

 

 

 You can listen to excerpts of Witness Lee's speaking the Life-Studies of Psalms on Life Study of the Bible  with Witness Lee.   You can also read the online Life-Study of Psalms and check out other resources available to enhance your study of the Bible on Living Stream Ministry's website.


Others Posts on the Life-Study of Psalms:

What is the Focus of the Psalms?
How Does Psalm 8 Show Us God's Purpose in Creating Man?
Taking a Closer Look at Psalm 23 - Part 1 of 2
Taking a Closer Look at Psalm 23 - Part 2 of 2
Why is God's House Important in Psalms 25 -41?
Seeing the Divine Romance in Psalm 45
What Did the Psalmist Perceive in Psalm 73?
What are the Highways to Zion in Psalm 84?
Why Did the Psalmist Delight in God's Law in Psalm 119?