It’s all in a name. I had the chance to personally meet John Calipari a few years ago. He is the coach for the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team. We had a very brief conversation. He did not seem interested in anything I had to say.
He hardly made eye contact and was distracted the whole time. I tried to make small talk and he made me feel small. Do you know what I mean? Have you ever had conversations with people you think are “celebrity” kinds of people and then find out that they are very different than you first imagined? So now when I hear his name I have certain feelings about a conversation I had nearly 6 years ago.
But with God, it is so different! Psalm 8 is written by David and he talks about the majesty of the name of the Lord.
The Lord’s name is majestic (v.1 and v.9)
David wrote that the Lord’s name was majestic over the earth. He opened and closed the psalm with this statement. Majestic means great, mighty, powerful, splendid and inspiring awe in someone.
When you hear the name of the Lord how do you respond? We sing, “O Lord our Lord how majestic is Your Name in all the earth.” When we sing that does it inspire awe in your heart? As part of our worship do we understand that the Lord’s name is beautiful and splendid?
It is more than a name we use when we accidentally hit our hands with a hammer or drop a glass on the floor. It is not a name we use when we’re mad at someone. It is not a name we use in vain or out of anger. It is the Lord.
The Lord’s word points to His majesty (v.3)
David points out the creative process of the Lord and how that made him feel. When he looked at the heavens, the moon, and the stars, David saw God as a “Big God.” He realized the majesty of the Lord. As large as the universe is, David understood that the Lord created a space to hang the stars, the moon, and even the earth. Does the Lord’s creation provide a sense of awe to you?
I love going to the beach and sitting while listening to the waves pound the beach and then roll back into the sea. How and why it does that is a mystery to me and I’ve heard from some that it has to do with the mood the Lord hung in space.
Nevertheless, I am in awe of the Lord who keeps the ocean rolling back and forth. So when I look at the ocean, I am reminded of the Lord’s majesty.
The Lord’s majesty points to his care (v.4)
As David ponders the Lord’s majesty, he also ponders his (David’s) place in the universe. He is truly amazed that the Lord cares anything about him. In verse 3 he was in amazement at the vastness and greatness of the universe. In verse 4 he was in amazement at the personal nature of the Lord’s interest in him. He even asked the Lord a question. He wrote, “What is man that you are mindful of him?”
In essence, he was saying, “In relation to Your universe, O Lord, why do you even think about us?”
I’ve often wondered the same thing. “Lord, why are my problems even a blip on your radar?” When I get to that place in my mind, I’m simply throwing a pity party for myself. The truth is that the Lord, the great, mighty, powerful, and splendid Lord cares intimately about each of our issues and wants us to rest in Him for His answer and His response.
How do we view the Lord’s majesty?
To me, God’s creation is one of the greatest proofs of His majesty. Lari and I had the incredible privilege to visit Waimea Canyon in Kauai. It was breathtaking. I stood there in awe. The colors and vastness of this creation overwhelmed me. It wasn’t like I was about to faint or pass out. I didn’t cry or shed tears because of the beauty. You know…men don’t cry. 🙂
But seeing something so amazing attaches itself to its Creator. When the Lord created the world He wrote His majesty on all He touched. The mountains, the sea, the canyons, the deserts, and all things great and small. When we look at the world around us we should see the Lord’s majesty. Do you?
I’m not talking about what we’ve done with God’s creation. I’m talking about God’s creation.
The responsibility of man points to the Lord’s majesty (vv.5-8)
In these verses, David describes man’s responsibility which was given by the Lord. We were created to be a little lower than the angels but crowned with glory and honor. We had an elevated position over the animals and were given dominion over the works of the Lord’s hands.
We are given the privilege of being stewards of the earth. Why? Because the Lord is majestic and His decisions are perfect.
Are you in awe?
Some Questions…
- When you look at the Lord’s creation around you, what do you think about the Lord?
- How do you view the Lord’s name? Do you view it as majestic, or as simply some name for the Lord, who is not involved in our daily activities or needs?
- How involved should the majestic Lord be in your daily life? How can you better reflect the Lord’s love for you and others by viewing Him as majestic?