I have been reading in the Psalms lately. Last night and again tonight I read Psalm 8:
1Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. 2Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.3When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
5You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.
6You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet:
7all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,
8the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
This has been a favorite psalm of mine ever since I heard a little known artist named Scott Walters sing a song he had written about it. The song was entitled “I Can’t Get Enough”. Here are the words to the first verse and chorus:
“You have set your glory in the heavens above
The moon and stars before me are a labor of your love
So when I consider all the works of your hands
I just have to wonder why you are mindful of man
Oh and I, I can’t get enough of your love. I just can’t get enough.
And as I look – everywhere I turn I can see how you care for me
And I – I can’t get enough”
I loved the portrait this song painted of falling in love with God through what he has created and being so taken by the fact that though he has created such wonders, he is mindful of us! This was a great worship song I loved to sing to God in my quiet time during my teen years. If you look again at the Psalm, you see that verses 1 and 3 talk about seeing God’s glory in nature. Verses 4 through 9 marvel that the God who created such extravagant beauty could be interested in and put such value on mankind. Then look at verse 2:
2Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
As I read this Psalm yesterday I thought this verse seemed out of place. It was a nice verse and all, but didn’t seem to fit in the flow of the rest of the psalm. It didn’t have anything to do with the vast array of the heavenlies yet it is sandwiched between 2 verses that talk about that very thing. I thought it somewhat odd and wondered about it, but didn’t have any answers. Tonight as I reread this, it hit me — the Psalm begins by praising God for the greatness of his name and of his power in creation. Then he goes on to express how unusual and powerful his God was – to use the weakest on earth to create the strongholds that defend against the enemy – that even actually silence him! Verse 3 goes on to consider other great wonders of God. It does all fit and flow together nicely. God’s ways are so unlike ours. A line from one of the songs we’re singing in “Totally Christmas” this year is “Who would’ve thought that a baby would’ve brought the good news?” None of us would have ever imagined it! No wonder he was not recognized by his own! They saw the greatness of his creation, but failed to see how he could use the small, frailty of a child to save them. After all, it doesn’t make sense! But how often does God work in ways that don’t make sense? His ways are higher. Isaiah 55: 8 & 9 says:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.…
How fortunate for many of us that he chooses the weak and the lowly to do such great things as silence the foe and avenger. Without God choosing to use the weak and the broken, most of us would be of no use. But praise God that with him and through him we can do great things! In our culture, weakness is looked down on. You have to be first, the best, perfect. Even if you can manage to pull that off, someone will still find something wrong with you. That’s the way it seems to work. Not so in God’s culture. The weaker you are (or admit you are – we’re all weak little nothings compared to our great God!), the more he can do with you. Those looking for recognition will fall short in God’s plan.
Another thing about that second verse is that I’m not sure we fully grasp our children’s value to the kingdom. They possess an innocence and a trust of God that I have lost over the years. When they praise him, their whole mind, soul and body does so with abandon! Jesus placed special value on children. He loved taking time to place his hands on them and pray for them. He even rebuked his disciples for sending them away when they chose to come. He also told his followers that if anyone would cause a little one to stumble, it would be better for him to have a millstone tied around his neck and be thrown into the sea (Matthew 18:6). He also said that children have angels that continually see the face of his father in heaven (Matthew 18:10). Children are valued and treasured in the heavenly kingdom. And God the Father has given them the ability to silence the enemy by their praise. How blessed we would be to treasure our children and teach them the value they have in Christ and his kingdom. Perhaps we could even learn a few things from them!
Truly the kingdom of God is different than any other. I am so grateful to have life within his kingdom. I have found my value there and a place to serve and grow. I encourage you to do the same if you have not done so already. He is truly an awesome God and he wants you to know – he is mindful of you. And he has provided a way to silence the enemy’s voice in your life.
~Tara Hensel
