Bible Study - Priceless (7) - Cherished in GOD'S Eyes - Psalm 8:1-8 - January 17, 2016

Bible Study – Priceless (7) – Cherished in GOD’S Eyes – January 17, 2016

This is lesson seven (7) in our series entitled “Priceless: Finding Your Value in GOD.”

Our focus scripture is Psalm 8:1-8.

GOD values and cares for even the weakest among us.

This is a lesson on the sanctity of life. The weakest and defenseless among us is the un-born child. Once conception takes place, a child has been created. 

According to the law of our land, up to a certain gestation period, this conceived person has no rights. But if someone kills the pregnant mother at any stage of her pregnancy and the conceived baby dies, the killer is charged with two murders.

The sanctity of life goes beyond a conceived child and includes all life including the elderly. Most people cringe at the thoughts of suicide, yet, assisted death is okay.

What are your thoughts on the issue of abortion, assisted death or suicide?  Is there any moral or ethical difference between the individual making an end-of-life decision versus medical practitioners making the decision to terminate the life of that individual or a conceived child? Let’s discuss.

Life is a gift from GOD and is precious.

Psalm 8 is attributed to David and emphasizes the magnificence and majesty of GOD and brings into question why such an awesome GOD would be mindful of mankind. Why would GOD love mankind such that HE would allow HIS only Son to come to earth and give HIS life for all who place their faith in HIM to have eternal life and become HIS child? The love of GOD is boundless. Christians, you were bought with a great price. You were redeemed by the shed blood of the lamb, JESUS.

The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

19 Do you not know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 

20 for you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

Let’s read Psalm 8:1-2:

1 LORD (Yahweh), our Lord, how magnificent is Your name throughout the earth! You have covered the heavens with Your majesty. 

[1 Yahweh, our Lord, how majestic [is] your name in all the earth, who put your splendor above the heavens. (Lexham English Bible) – Notice this translation used the word for GOD as it should as “Yahweh.”]

In our scripture, I capitalized the first use of “LORD” as do some other translations because David’s first use of “LORD” refers to the personal name of GOD, “Yahweh.” GOD revealed HIS name to Moses at the burning bush. Genesis 3:1-15. The vowels were added after the 7-9 century A.D. by the Masorites when they included the vowels for another word for “Lord”, “adonai” to render “YHWH” “Yahweh.” “YHWH” is called the tetragrammaton. “Tetra” means four thus tetragrammaton means “the four letters.”

The second reference to “Lord” in Psalm 8 refers to the “sovereignty,” “magnificence,” “excellence,” and “majesty” of GOD. These are descriptive attributes of GOD or HIS function.

David wanted the singers of this Psalm to know that they were singing about “Yahweh” and what HE does. The use of the word “majesty” was to emphasize the radiance, perfection and splendor of GOD.

When you love something or someone, how can you put that expression of love into words?

GOD’S “Majesty” or “Glory” and “Splendor” is available and visible to all and when you experience it, how do you describe it? You attempt to describe it by using human words that incite emotion and carry a comprehensive description. 

How do you explain the love that a mother or father has for their child? Precious, “You are so sweet, I could just eat you up” and the descriptive words go on.

2 Because of Your adversaries, You have established a stronghold from the mouths of children and nursing infants, to silence the enemy and the avenger. 

GOD uses the weak to confound the strong. JESUS referred to this verse in Matthew 21:16 as HE was entering Jerusalem:

16 and said to Him (JESUS), "Do You hear what these [children] are saying?" "Yes," Jesus told them. "Have you never read: You have prepared praise from the mouths of children and nursing infants "?

A stronghold is a military term for a perfectly established place of defense when attacked by an enemy. Satan establishes strongholds in our lives which resist the penetration of the Holy Spirit into our lives and GOD, by the indwelling Holy Spirit, establishes strongholds to resist the onslaughts of Satan. As Christians, we live in the middle of a battlefield. Christians and the non-Christian struggle between GOD and Satan but GOD will win in the end. Christians must fight using Spiritual weapons because the battle is fought in heavenly places. Ephesians 6:

Stay in GOD’S Word, pray and put on the full armor of GOD as described in Ephesians 6:11-13:

11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. 

12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. 

13 This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.

Christians must use heavenly weapons to fight in heavenly places. So Christians gird up each day for battle.  

Let’s read Psalm 8:3-9:

3 When I observe Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You set in place, 

David acknowledged the handiwork of GOD and HIS personal touch and detail as expressed by the use of HIS fingers. Your life and where you live is personal and important to GOD. When David pondered the thought of his existence and observed the reality of the awesomeness of GOD it boggled his mind.

4 what is man that You remember him, the son of man (humans) that You look after him? 

Since GOD is all powerful and majestic HE does not have to pay mankind one iota of attention but HE does and takes pride in HIS handiwork. Seek HIM in times of troubles and let HIM give you comfort and protection. Reject the evils in your life and embrace GOD by asking JESUS to forgive you for your sins and for HIM to come into your life.

5 You made him little less than God and crowned him with glory and honor. 

GOD made mankind a little less than Himself and blessed mankind with glory and honor as expressed in allowing HIS Only Son to come to earth to be born and live as a human. But the ultimate measure of GOD’S love was when JESUS chose to give HIS physical life on the cross to pay, in full, the penalty for sin and as proof that JESUS paid the penalty for sin in full, GOD raised JESUS from physical death to live eternally in HIS New Glorified body.

6 You made him lord over the works of Your hands; You put everything under his feet (control and responsibility): 

7 all the sheep and oxen, as well as animals in the wild, 

8 birds of the sky, and fish of the sea passing through the currents of the seas. 

The use of “lord” in verse 6 is a reference to a human ruler or the person responsible or in charge with the authority to act.

GOD’S name is above every name. There will be a time when every knee will bow and every voice will declare that JESUS IS LORD.

Verse 6 forms the basis for the sanctity of life:

6 You made him lord over the works of Your hands; You put everything under his feet: 

As already stated “lord” or mankind has been tasked to be stewards of GOD’S work. GOD has put everything under his feet, which is complete authority to care for what GOD has put into action.

GOD Gifts mankind with the responsibility to have dominion over what HE has created. “The psalmist was astonished that the sovereign Creator of the galaxies would bestow such relative significance on those as insignificant as man. (Lawson, Psalms 1-75, HOTC, 51)

– “GOD is the One Who crowns us with glory and honor and gives us dominion over the rest of creation.” (Page 78, Advanced Bible Study, winter, 2015-2016, published by LifeWay, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0175.)

Let’s read Ephesians 2:8-9: (Salvation is a gift from GOD.)

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- 

9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

Salvation is a gift as the result of any person placing his or her faith in JESUS CHRIST. Let’s consider 2 Corinthians 5:21:

God made him (JESUS) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him (JESUS) we might become the righteousness of God.

The love of GOD is expressed through CHRIST. Our sin was placed upon JESUS and HIS righteousness was placed upon all who place their faith in HIM. It is GOD’S Gift of eternal salvation through the miracle of rebirth which is impossible for any human to earn or achieve.

Psalm 8 ends with verse 9:

9 LORD (Yahweh), our Lord, how magnificent is Your name throughout the earth!

David ended Psalm 8 like he started it expressing the awesomeness of GOD throughout the earth.

GOD is to be praised and worshiped because HE cares for us and loves us as expressed in John 3:16-17:

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Life is precious. JESUS told us that we can only achieve the abundant life through faith in HIM as recorded in John 10:10:

¹⁰ A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

The probability of our existence, as a human, is astronomical. Our existence is orchestrated by GOD. For an unwanted pregnancy, adoption gives the opportunity for a child to live; Chose life.

Ephesians 1:4:

⁴ For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love.

GOD has a plan and purpose for every conceived human until HE calls him or her home. “We who have been created by GOD and recreated by JESUS CHRIST have a tremendous duty to GOD to preserve and protect all of HIS creation” Page78, Advanced Bible Study, winter 2015-16. Blessings!!!