Mid Week Bridge – Pat Blanchard with thanks

Lord. may the consideration of you as creator inspire us today and may it lead to a greater understanding of your power and majesty around us and in us. Amen

Today we are looking at Psalm 8 together.

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants  you have established a stronghold against your enemies,  to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,  the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,  human beings that you care for them? 5 You have made them] a little lower than the angels  and crowned them with glory and honour.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea,  all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

In Peru we had a musical version of this psalm (in Spanish!) and the music group in my church played it with traditional Peruvian instruments, panpipes, etc and it was one of my favourite songs. They even recorded a CD and included it in the listing which means I can still listen to it now. Thinking of the immense landscape that was the Andes and the amazing wildlife, llamas, alpacas, and condors was so inspiring and helped me to have faith in a big God, especially when things were challenging where I was, in the sprawling, desert shanty towns of Lima.  Creation has been increasingly important to me in my Christian journey, walking in different places, communing with God the creator. As I frequently walk around Stanpit and Mudeford I am inspired and amazed at God’s handiwork in creation and my ability to enjoy and appreciate it and understand more about God and faith through it. I continue to give thanks to God for his wonder, majesty, power, and his presence with me.

Everything must begin and end with the worship of a big God and that’s how this psalm of David begins and ends. God is sovereign and is in control of everything, the heavens, creation, us, although at times we may doubt it.  I never cease to be amazed that we are invited to join in with our amazing God, to be able to contemplate his greatness; in what we see around us, in how he orchestrates circumstances and intervenes, and how he gives us strength to continue, and even through the people he puts alongside us when we are struggling. We are nothing, as we remembered on Ash Wednesday, dust, fragile, but with God we can be everything, saved, loved, part of creation and with the ability to worship and know God and glorify him to others.

Verse 2 of this psalm is cited in Matthew 21: 15-16, “But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.16 “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, “‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”   This highlights the importance of ministry amongst children and young people and their participation in the church family.  Remember Jesus encourages us to have faith like a child, helpless and totally reliant on Him. (Matthew 18: 3) This also reminds us that it is often in our weaknesses when we fully understand the greatness of God and his mercy to us.  In 2 Corinthians 12: 9 Paul says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” God’s strength is seen in the weak, the helpless, and this is evidence to our enemies, as when God works in the weak it couldn’t have been by their own strength – it points to God’s power and sovereignty.

Do we contemplate the heavens? With our changing weather I expect we’re always looking out the window to the skies! But do we really contemplate them, sun, stars, moon, the great expanse, and God reigning over it all?

Towards the end of the psalm, we have a reminder of Genesis, the glory and greatness of God in creation and the humanity of man.  Being a little lower than the angels we have a special place, and a great part to play.  We are made in God’s image and chosen to receive salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice. We have been given dominion over creation in Gods mandate to name, to multiply the fruits of the land, to manage Gods resources– we haven’t always done that very well!!

So, as a response to this psalm can I encourage you to spend some time out in God’s creation, hopefully the weather is improving! Look up, contemplate the greatness of God in nature and in those around you especially the children and those struggling in their weaknesses. Seek to bring glory to God in your own life through your actions and worship of Him.


Category: The Bridge , Thought for the week