Lord, how majestic your name is!
by Jo Corney
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Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:1)
Read Psalm 8
This was our responsive psalm at Synod worship one year. I remember the experience of hundreds of us responding collectively, ‘Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!’ As is the opportunity for shared responses, it felt unifying and uplifting and was heard as one voice.
I remember the ‘dance’ as the stanzas were read and the collective response raised in reply – somehow, the response made the psalm’s content all the more poignant for me that day. It is beautiful imagery used, but even so, I found myself differently invested in the description of God setting his glory in the heavens (verse 1b), the prompt to consider the heavens and the work of his fingers, the moon and stars he set in place (verse 3), leading then to the inquiry of ‘what are humans that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?’ (verse 4). They are beautiful ‘wordscapes’ that make images easily imagined – the language opens up the opportunity for vivid imaginings for the remainder of the psalm. Perhaps, as you read it today, you may have had a similar experience.
Psalm 8 unpacks a summary of creation and the special space God gave humankind in it. He made it for us and then placed us as the pinnacle of his creation.
Yesterday, we saw what great love the Father lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. Today, we see his creation of the place we live in. Totally incredible love and totally incredible provision for humankind by God.
What a gift we are reminded of today as we prepare to farewell 2024 and welcome 2025! The words of Psalm 8 are ancient, but what a wonder that the author knew God in such a way that he could write as he did. What a comfort that God remains the same, and we also can be encouraged by his care for us as we also may marvel, like the author of Psalm 8, with hearts uplifted saying, ‘Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!’
Heavenly Father, thank you for the blessing of your creation. Thank you for the gifts in it, offered to us ongoingly. Please help us to experience and be reminded of your love for us endlessly offered in the majesty of your creation. Thank you for reminding us of your love and value for humankind through the universe and earth. In the name of Christ, Amen.
Jo is a wife and mum who serves in various roles in her local Lutheran church community and as a chaplain within Lutheran Services.
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