Bible Commentaries
Psalms 8

Verses 1-9

Psalms 8:0

The Son of Man: All Things Put Under His Feet

1. A little lower than the angels; crowned with glory (Psalms 8:1-5 )

2. All things put under Him (Psalms 8:6-8 )

3. How excellent is Thy Name over all the earth (Psalms 8:9 )

Psalms 8:1-5 . In this Psalm we behold Christ again, and here as Son of Man. Three times this Psalm is quoted in the New Testament; in Matthew 21:16 , 1 Corinthians 15:27 and Hebrews 2:6-9 . The latter passage shows clearly who the Son of Man is who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, to taste death for everything and who is now crowned with glory and honor.

(The inscription of this Psalm is “upon Gittith”--the winepress. If the theory is correct that the titles of the Psalms were misplaced, then “Gittith” should belong to the preceding Psalm, where it would find a good application. But it is equally in place in the beginning of this Psalm, for the Son of Man went into the winepress, the suffering of death when He shed His precious blood.)

The Psalm begins with praise; it will be His praise in that coming day when all things are put under His feet as the second Man, the last Adam, then His Name will be excellent in all the earth and His glory will be set in the heavens (the New Jerusalem). The little children in the temple who sang their Hosannahs when the Lord Jesus was there foreshadow this coming praise. Many expositors have made of “the son of Man” Adam, the first man; but he is the type of the last Adam; the Lord Jesus is meant as Hebrews 2:6-9 tells us so clearly.

Psalms 8:6-8 . The first man lost his dominion through sin, the second Man has bought it back by His death. When He comes again then all things will be put under His feet. During His absence “we see not yet all things put under Him.” He must reign till all enemies are put under His feet.

Psalms 8:9 . The Psalm closes with the same praise with which it begins. It is the future praise of Him, who was made a little lower than the angels and whose Name in that day will be excellent in all the earth. We beheld Him as the perfect Man, as the King, rejected by men, enthroned by God, with the nations for His inheritance, in the opening Psalms. Then followed (Psalms 3:1-8 ; Psalms 4:1-8 ; Psalms 5:1-12 ; Psalms 6:1-10 ; Psalms 7:1-17 ) the experiences of the godly during His absence, especially the Jewish remnant and the Eighth Psalm shows Him as Son of Man, who comes for the deliverance of His people and receives the dominion over all the earth.