“To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David – O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:1-4).
A few miles from the heart of Israel just outside of Bethlehem, in a village called Beit Sahour, there is a field of historical significance known as Shepherd’s Field. It is believe by many to be the same field where the Angel of the Lord visited the shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus. Becky (my wife) and I had the privilege of visiting this field on two different occasions.
As I consider the wonder of this Psalm I can imagine young David sitting on the hillside of this field, tending his father’s sheep. And while gazing up into the moonlit sky he begins to worship God with song. While this distinction moves from a general to a specific revelation I think, to a certain extent, I can imagine this because it reminds me of those times as a kid when I would listen to my grandfather, sitting back in his chair, his eyes closed, Bible on his lap, motivated by some passage he just read, he would worship God in restful song.
But, moving forward, as David looked up at the hugeness of the universe he asks God, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” What a humbling question. It is I believe a rhetorical question whose answer not only encourages worship but one that reminds me of the worth of man. Why does God take such an interest in man? What is the appeal I often ask myself as I wander through the day? The great God of the universe unselfishly concerned for my welfare.
While David’s question is illustrative, as the Psalm goes on to indicate, illustrative questions are often the gateway to additional considerations. Such as, it’s not unusual to wonder who we are. There are times in everyone’s life when they ask, “What is my place in the world – What am I going to do with my life – What about my future – Will I find the right person to marry?” And so on.
These are good questions to ask as long as long as the asking doesn’t paralyze us. In his sermon on the mound Jesus reveals that it is possible to become overly obsess with such things as what shall we eat – what shall we drink and what shall we wear. While these things are necessary he indicates that they must not to be our main priority. Giving greater credence to the song of David, he goes on to say, “God will take care of you.”
This is a beautiful reminder that God is paying attention. He knows exactly what we need. It’s therefore not a matter of neglect but rather a matter of priorities. Our primary focus is not physical but spiritual. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteous.” Thus, the appropriate question, one that is understood but too often understated is not about my place in the world but, my position before God.
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