LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Research Paper
Old Testament context of
Psalms 8: 4-6
Submitted to Professor Schnittjer
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of .
OBST 680, New Testament Development of Old Testament Themes
January 28th, 2025
Submitted by
Lee Black
January 30th, 2025
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Introduction
The book of Psalms is a collection of sacred songs and poems in the Old
Testament written by David, Moses and other authors that are unknown. The plethora of the
book of Psalms since praise to God. The eighth Psalm is a focus of the creation and is the first
hymn to do so. The Bible commentary by Longman articulates it as “a hymn of creation praise”.1
God created all the universe and humanity for a specific purpose, and he gave man rule over
everything on earth. The purpose of this essay is to research the use of earlier Old Testament
scriptures in Psalms 8.
Context
The context of Psalm 8 begins with the author being David and this Psalm being
addressed “to the chief Musician upon Gittith.”2 The Psalm has a focus on the creator (God), His
creation, and his glory. In the focus text of Psalm 8:4-6 David highlights the reflective
phenomenon of God’s Creation and the superior place that humans are given here on earth.
Verse four of Psalm 8 asks the question “what is man that thou art mindful of him”? The book of
Gensis would be where David would have found his answer or to where he was referencing. The
first chapter of Gensis becomes the donor text for Psalm 8 which is the receptor.
The entire first chapter of Genesis goes through the entire creation of not only earth but
also the creation of man. It explains in all the verses leading up to Gensis 1:26 how God created
earth, then plants and all of the animals. This includes all creatures on land, the birds in the air
and all of the fish in the sea. This all leads up to the point when God reveals the greatest creation
1 VanGemeren, Willem A. Psalms. Grand Rapids: HaperCollins Christian Publishing, 2017
2 King James Bible. Local Church Bible Publishers, 1611
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and that is Man in Genesis 1:26 “God said Let us make man in our image”. The key word in that
statement is our, referencing that more than one was there highlighting the fact that Jesus was
present at the creation moment. In reverting back to the fourth verse where the question was
posed, Genesis 1:27 sheds light on the answer. God created man in his own image as the Bible
says, this would mean that God created man in a special way for a special reason. In his
commentary on Psalms Longman stated, “ Humans are less than God, to be sure, but they are
closer to God than anything else in the created order”.3 The psalmist reflected in Psalm 8:5 how
that God made man a little lower than the heavens however he also crowned them with glory and
honor. David was amazed at how God, the creator of everything would grant that much
significance on mere Humans.4 The emphasis in Genesis 1:27 is also that it used the term create
three times, highlight twice that God created man and making it known that it was male and
female.5
God gave man dominion over everything on the earth in Gensis 1:28 is emphasized in
Psalm 8:6 when David marveled over the fact that God had made man “ruler over the works of
your hands”. We as humans function as what some would say as rulers on earth; however,
humanity is subject to God our Heavenly King who has dominion over all. It is worthy to note
that when God said in Genesis 1:28 that he gave man dominion over everything on the earth he
was speaking of domestic and wild animals.6
3 Longman, Tremper. Psalms : An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2014
4 Lawson, Steven, and Max Anders. Holman Old Testament Commentary-Psalms. Nashville: B&H
Publishing Group, 2004
5 Schnittjer, Gary E. Old Testament use of Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2021
6 Goldingay, John, and Tremper Longman. Psalms : Volume 1 (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament
Wisdom and Psalms) : Psalms 1-41. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006
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The psalmist brilliantly used scripture that was written in Genesis 1 and expound on
God’s glory of creation in Psalm 8. David showed how man was made in God’s image and while
still showing the feebleness of humanity. Humans are so miniscule when compared to God, but
he has created humanity for a purpose. God made the earth, creatures and all living thigs for a
specific reason and showed care for man by placing trust in them to handle what he created.
God’s greatness is shown in Gensis and highlighted by David in the Psalm. God’s love and glory
are highlighted throughout these three verses of Psalms 8, and it all points to the eventual
moment when God shows his everlasting love when he sends his son Jesus down to earth to save
the eternal soul of humanity, his creation.
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Bibliography
Goldingay, John, and Tremper Longman. Psalms : Volume 1 (Baker Commentary on the Old
Testament Wisdom and Psalms) : Psalms 1-41. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.
Kinder, David. Psalms 1-72. Westmont: InterVarsity Press, 2014.
King James Bible. Local Church Bible Publishers, 1611.
Lawson, Steven, and Max Anders. Holman Old Testament Commentary-Psalms. Nashville:
B&H Publishing Group, 2004.
Longman, Tremper. Psalms : An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove: InterVarsity
Press, 2014.
Schnittjer, Gary E. Old Testament use of Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic,
2021.
VanGemeren, Willem A. Psalms. Grand Rapids: HaperCollins Christian Publishing, 2017.
