Psalms 8:3–6
David looks at the stars and marvels that God cares for mortals
Study it word by word3When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established,
4what is the mortal that you remember him, and the son of man that you attend to him?
5You made him a little lower than Elohim, and with glory and majesty you crowned him.
6You make him rule over the works of your hands; all things you put under his feet:
In its context
1For the director. On the Gitit. A psalm of David. YHWH, our Lord, how magnificent is your name in all the earth, you who have set your splendor above the heavens.
2From the mouth of children and of nursing infants you have founded strength because of your adversaries, to put an end to the enemy and the one who takes vengeance.
…
7sheep and cattle, all of them, and also the beasts of the field,
8the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
Its words in the original
- אֶרְאֶהere· see
See. Also look, observe, notice, consider; in some forms, "appear" or "show".
- שָׁמֶיshame· heavens, sky
The heavens: what is above, where the clouds, the sun and the stars are seen; also the dwelling of God. In Hebrew it is always plural. With birds, "the sky".
- מַעֲשֵׂיmaase· work, deed
Work, labor; what someone does or makes; a deed.
- אֶצְבְּעֹתֶיetsbote· finger
Finger; also toe.
- יָרֵחַyareach· moon
Moon.
- כוֹכָבִיםchochavim· star
Star.
- כּוֹנָנְתָּהkonanta· be firm, prepare
Be firm, be set, be ready; in the causative form, set up, establish, prepare, make ready.
- אֱנוֹשׁenosh· man, mortal
Man, mortal: the human being seen in his weakness; also people in general.
- תִזְכְּרֶtizkre· remember
Remember, call to mind; also mention. When God "remembers" someone, it is not that he had forgotten: it means he acts in his favor.
- בֶןven· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- אָדָםadam· human being, man, Adam
The Hebrew word "adam". It has three uses: (1) humanity in general, men and women alike: "human beings" (Genesis 1:27); (2) a particular man; in Genesis 2-4, the first man, "the man"; (3) the personal name of that first man, "Adam". In Hebrew "adam" sounds like "adamah", the ground he was formed from (Genesis 2:7).
- תִפְקְדֶtifkde· attend to, count
Attend to someone, take note of him. When God does it, he intervenes: for good (to fulfill a promise) or to call to account and punish. Also count, muster, appoint over, put in charge.
- תְּחַסְּרֵtechasre· lack, be lacking
Lack, be short of; decrease.
- מְּעַטmeat· little, few
A little; few.
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- כָבוֹדchavod· glory, honor
Weight, importance; from there glory, honor, splendor. Sometimes wealth: what makes someone "weigh".
- הָדָרhadar· splendor, beauty
Splendor, beauty, majesty.
- תְּעַטְּרֵteatre· surround, crown
Surround, encircle (to attack or to protect); also crown.
- תַּמְשִׁילֵtamshile· rule
Rule, have dominion or authority over something or someone.
- יָדֶיyade· hand, power
Hand. Figuratively, power or control ("into the hand of" = into the power of); also side, part, or share. Also a projecting piece, such as a tenon.
- שַׁתָּהshata· put, set
Put, place, set; appoint.
- רַגְלָיraglay· foot
Foot; the foot of an animal; also a step.