I. ASCRIPTIOI-f OF PRAISE (r-2). r. The Invocation (r). 2. The Inspiration (2). 11. MAN'S COMPARATIVE FRAILTY (3-4). His Insignificance. In Relation to the Heavens. III. MAN'S CONFERRED DIGNITY (5). His Eminence. I. Made lower than Heavenly Beings. 2. Set highest of Earthly Creatures. IV. MAN'S CONSTITUTED AUTHORITY (6-8). His Influence. In Relation to the Earth. V. ASCRIPTION OF PRAISE (9 ). SUPERSCRIPT.-A Psalm of David. SUBSCRIPT.-"For the Chief Musician; concemmg the Death of the Champion ( = Muth-labben)."
PRIMARY AssoCIATION.-David is the writer and the circumstances seem to connect themselves with the victory over Goliath, in which the despised shepherd boy overcomes the mighty Philistine, c£ 2 and I Sam. xvii. 14, typical of a mightier victory when David's Son and Lord conquered our great adversary. The victory of the Cross will issue in the blessed results set forth in this psalm. Instead of being lifted up with pride at his achievement, David, in a spirit of true humility, ascribes all the glory to Jehovah. He sees in the circumstances an exemplification of the truth that God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty. He is then led on to the more general theme of the dignity and destiny of man in the original purpose of God-the marvel of God's choice of man to be a revelation of Himself and to be His representative on earth. As a reflection of God's glory, nature is indeed wonderful, but man is more wonderful still. PROPHETIC ANTICIPATION.-In Ps. ii., Messiah is seen as King of Israel (c£John i. 49); in viii. He is seen as Son of Man (cf.John i. 51) in which character His rule is more extensive, in fact universal (John v. 27; Heb. ii. 4-6; Eph. i. 10; r Cor. xv. 27-28; 45-47; see also Ps. born.). Adam, first representative of the human race, failed to maintain the eminent place given him by the Creator. By his sin, he lost for mankind the lordship of creation. The purpose of God, however, is not thereby frustrated,'for Christ, the Second Man and Last Adam (1 Cor. xv. 45r, iu. resurrection becomes representative of a "new race" and, because of His perfect obedience even unto the death of the Cross, receives the highest and fullest honours designed for man. In Him, man regains more than ever Adam lost; c£ the millennial consummation, Isa. xi. 1-9; Rom. viii. 16-23. PERSONAL APPLICATION.-Here are the mystery and mastery of man. David. begins ( 1) and ends (9) with the glory of God; do we? The mystery of man is greater than the mystery of the skies. The spiritual ever transcends the material. Mindfulness is more than mere memory (4). The ,Eternal has enemies. The Almighty has adver saries, those who oppose His purpose and question His providence. The'' overcomer'' will share world rule with the Lord Jesus (Rev. ii. 26-27). Even "children" may be the Creator's chosen champions. Children c;:onfounded the carping critics in our Lord's days (Matt. xxi. 16). His witnesses are mostly the "weak" ones of the world. Christ is the only complete answer to the question, "What is man?"
VERSE NOTES 1. C£ 9: exclamation of reverent wonder; lit. "Jehovah our Adonai" (Sovereign Lord). Jehovah manifest in Christ the Son of Man; "excellent"= majestic; "Thy name," i.e. Thy character as expressed in the works of creation and providence; "above," or "upon the heavens," i.e. God has clothed them with a glory which manifests His own. Connect this line with verse 2, marking the contrast between God's revelation of Himself in the glory of the heavens and his revelation of Himself in the feeblest representatives of humanity. Connection of the two verses as such must still be preserved. 2. "children (infants) . .. founded strength . . . adversaries . . . to quell the ... " First line quoted Matt. xxi. 16 (from the LXX.) which foreshadows the subjects of the Kingdom and their praises, Matt. xviii. 3; "avenger" = one who usurps in his own interests a judgment function belonging to God alone, Deut. xxxii. 35; Nah. i. 2. 3. No mention of the sun suggests that David is contemplating the skies by night as doubtless he often did in his shepherd days; "fingers," God is viewed under the fig. of a clever handicraftsman. 4. (a) "man" = Heb. enosh = frail man, see App.; (b) "man" = Heb. adam; "visitest" refers to the Creator's constant care for His creatures; 4-6 quoted Heb. ii. 6 ff. 5. Note difference between A.V. and R.V. Former follows the LXX:., etc. Heb. = elohim (see App. II, 6). The language here significant in its very ambiguity. God has come down (in Christ) to be lower than God yet ever remains God-a striking paradox (c£ Phil. ii.); see Gen. i. 26-27; "glory and honour (majesty)" are attributes of God Himself, Ps. cxlv. 5, I2; and of His royal representatives on earth, Ps. xxi. 5; xiv. 3. 6. "dominion," c£ Gen. i. 26, 28; see I Cor. xv. 27. Such dominion given only to (a) Adam with his consort Eve, and (b) to Christ and His consort the Church. After the Fall rule was granted to Noah over the beasts of the field"(Gen. ix. 2); to Nebuchadnezzar over men, beasts and birds (Dan. ii. 38), but to Messiah the rule is extended to all things, including the fish, etc., i.e. universal rule, see Matt. xvii. 27. 7. (a) Domestic animals; (b) wild animals. 9. This closing exclamation of reverent wonder repeated for emphasis (1). Book One. II. Response of the Despised Remnant, ix.-xv. I. The Theme Epitomised. Existence of the Eternal and the Enemy, ix.-x.
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