Psalm 8/Notes/Lexical.V. 2.595391

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  • YHWH is identified as our lord. A "lord" (אָדוֹן) is someone who exercises authority over a people or place.[1] Kings could be called "lords" (e.g., Gen 40:1; 1 Kgs 22:17; 1 Chr 12:20), and here in Ps 8:2 the title assumes YHWH's kingship; the word "majestic" (אַדִּיר) in v. 2a is used to describe the majesty of kings (e.g., Ps 136:18), as is the word "glory" (הוֹד) in v. 2b (e.g., Pss 21:6; 45:4).
  • YHWH's name (שֵׁם) is not only the word by which he is "known, addressed, or referred to," but also "the information generally known about him;"[2] "name" (שֵׁם) can signify "the nature or attributes of the person named."[3] Thus, to say that YHWH's "name" is majestic in all the earth is to say that YHWH is characterized by and known by his majesty which is on display throughout all the earth.

Psalm 8 - Shem.jpg

  • The sphere of YHWH's lordship, in which his "majesty" is displayed, is all the earth.

Psalm 8 - Erets.jpg

  • YHWH's majesty is bestowed on the heavens. Other passages in the Bible talk about someone "bestowing" (נתן) "glory" (הוֹד) "on" (על) someone (e.g., Num 27:20 [Moses to Joshua]; Dan 11:21 [someone to new king]; 1 Chr 29:25 [YHWH to Solomon]; cf. Ps 21:6 [YHWH to king]). In each of these passages the phrase means "to confer or transmit authority," usually of a king/leader to another king/leader. Thus, it is used here to speak of "heaven as the bearer and manifestation of the divine majesty"[4] and perhaps of the dominion which YHWH has given to the heavenly bodies (cf. Gen 1:16-18) or to divine beings.[5] Some translate the phrase "above the heavens" (ESV) or "higher than the heavens" (NLT) instead of "on the heavens"[6] Yet, given the clear and consistent meaning elsewhere of נָתַן הוֹד עַל ("bestow glory on someone") as well as the fact the heavens become the object of marvel in v. 4f (which assumes that they are glorious), the interpretation "on the heavens" is to be preferred.[7] YHWH bestows "glory" (הוֹד) on the heavens (v. 2) just as he bestows "glory" (הוֹד) on humans (v. 6).
  • The heavens (הַשָּׁמיִם) at the end of v. 2b is parallel with the earth (הָאָרֶץ) at the end of v. 2a. Together, the pair "heaven" and "earth" refer to the entire created world (cf. Gen 1:1) as the sphere of YHWH's lordship.

Psalm 8 - Shamayim.jpg

  1. ↑ "אָדוֹן does not primarily denote ownership of property, but lordship over a sphere, e.g., Joseph was אָדוֹן (lord) of Pharaoh’s household and מוֹשֵׁל (ruler) of his possessions (Ps 105:21)" (NIDOTTE).
  2. ↑ SDBH.
  3. ↑ NIDOTTE.
  4. ↑ Hupfeld 1855, 153; cf. BDB: "נָתַן הוֹד עַל put majesty upon one... so also perhaps ψ 8:2.".
  5. ↑ "The parallel in verse 4 suggests 'heavens' functions in this stanza as a metonymy for the heavenly host in the night sky" (Waltke 2010, 261). On the connection between "heavens" and divine beings, cf. Ps 89:6.
  6. ↑ Cf. GNB, DHH. Psalm 148:13 says that YHWH's majesty (הוד) is על earth and heaven, which, in light of the previous line (נשגב), it may be best to read על in the sense of "above." Cf. נתן + על in Deut 26:19; 28:1). The similarity between the two passages may support the same interpretation for Ps 8:2.
  7. ↑ Several translations reflect this interpretation: "you have covered the heavens with your majesty" (CSB; cf. ELB); "you reveal your majesty in the heavens above" (NET; cf. NIV, CEV; LUT; HFA, NGU).