Psalms 8:3

Psalms 8:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
• New International Version (NIV)When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
• English Standard Version (ESV)When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
• New King James Version (NKJV)When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

Context of Psalms 8:3

1For the music director, upon the Gittite lyre: a psalm of David. 2Adonai our Lord, how excellent is Your Name over all the earth! You set Your splendor above the heavens. Out of the mouths of babies and toddlers You established power, because of Your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 4When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You established— 5what is man, that You are mindful of him? And the son of man, that You care for him?

Psalms 8:3 word by word

כִּֽי־אֶרְאֶ֣ה שָׁ֭מֶיךָ מַעֲשֵׂ֣י אֶצְבְּעֹתֶ֑יךָ יָרֵ֥חַ וְ֝כוֹכָבִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר כּוֹנָֽנְתָּה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• When I considerרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• thy heavensשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
• the workמַעֲשֶׂהma‛ăώeh · deed: workH4639
• of thy fingersאֶצְבַּע'etsba‛ · fingerH676
• the moonיָרֵחַyârêach · moonH3394
• and the starsכּוֹכָבkôkâb · starH3556
• which thou hast ordainedכּוּןkûn · to establish: makeH3559

Cross-references for Psalms 8:3

• Psalms 19:1For the music director, a psalm of David.
• Psalms 111:2Great are the works of Adonai— searched out by all who delight in them.
• Job 22:12“Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see the lofty stars how high they are?
• Job 36:24Remember to magnify His work, of which people have sung.
• Romans 1:20His invisible attributes—His eternal power and His divine nature—have been clearly seen ever since the creation of the world, being understood through the things that have been made. So people are without excuse—
• Psalms 33:6By Adonai’s word were the heavens made, and all their host by the breath of His mouth.
• Genesis 1:1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
• Exodus 8:19I will make a distinction between My people and your people. By tomorrow this sign will happen.”
• Exodus 31:18When He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave the two tablets of the Testimony to Moses—tablets of stone, written by the finger of God.
• Luke 11:20But if by the finger of God I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
• Psalms 104:19He made the moon for appointed times, the sun knows its going down.
• Psalms 136:7who made great lights, for His lovingkindness endures forever—
• Psalms 148:3Praise Him, sun and moon! Praise Him, all stars of light.
• Genesis 1:16Then God made the two great lights—the greater light for dominion over the day, and the lesser light as well as the stars for dominion over the night.
• Deuteronomy 4:19and so that you do not lift up your eyes toward the heavens and see the sun and the moon and the stars—all the heavenly host—and are drawn away and bow down and worship them. Adonai your God has allotted them to all the peoples under all the heavens.
• Job 25:3Can His armies be counted? On whom does His light not rise?

Commentaries on Psalms 8:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3When I Consider thy heavens - אראה כי ki ereh ; Because I will see. He had often seen the heavens with astonishment, and he purposes to make them frequent subjects of contemplation; and he could not behold them without being affected with the skill, contrivance, and power, manifested in their formation. The work of thy fingers - What a view does this give of the majesty of God! The earth is nearly eight thousand English miles in diameter: but to form an…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3When I consider thy heavens - When I contemplate or look upon. They are called his heavens because he made them - because he is the proprietor of them - perhaps because they are his abode. The work of thy fingers - Which thy fingers have made. The fingers are the instruments by which we construct a piece of work - perhaps indicating skill rather than strength; and hence so used in respect to God, as it is by his skill that the heavens have been made. The…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-9Verses 3-9 We are to consider the heavens, that man thus may be directed to set his affections on things above. What is man, so mean a creature, that he should be thus honoured! so sinful a creature, that he should be thus favoured! Man has sovereign dominion over the inferior creatures, under God, and is appointed their lord. This refers to Christ. In He 2:6-8, the apostle, to prove the sovereign dominion of Christ, shows he is that Man, that Son of man…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3Many nations near Israel worshiped the sun, moon, and stars as gods. They thought these objects controlled life and events. The psalmist reminds us that, while the sun, moon, and stars are great and beautiful, they are only created by God. Because these things are his creation, they point to God’s power and majesty. They give a reason to praise the Almighty, who alone is worthy of worship.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. The allusion to the magnificence of the visible heavens is introduced for the purpose of illustrating God's condescension, who, though the mighty Creator of these glorious worlds of light, makes man the object of regard and recipient of favor.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 8:3

• Astronomy
• God
• Heaven
• Humility
• Man
• Moon
• Power
• Religion
• Stars

In the dictionaries

• Astronomy
• Crown
• Gittith
• Moon
• Music, Instrumental
• Suckling
• Adoration
• Consider
• Finger (1)
• God, Image of

Commentaries on Psalms 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings