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Nazarene Commentary 2000©

21^st Century Paraphrase of the Hebrew Scriptures© –
21^st Century Version of the Christian Scriptures© [NCMM]

PSALMS (1-24, 26)

PSALM 8:
YOU MADE HIM LESS THAN GODS

PS8:1 O Yehowah, our Lord, how magnificent 54 is Your Name in all the earth! The One who has established Your splendor in the Celestialum. 55

54	Magnificent: Or, excellent, marvelous, glorious, majestic.

55	Celestialum: Or, heaven.

PS8:2 Out of the mouths of children and little babies You have laid a strong foundation in order to force Your adversaries – foe and avenger – to be quiet. PS8:3 When I observe Your Celestialum, the work of Your fingers – moon and stars – that You have established, PS8:4 what is the frail human that You should even think of him? Or, the son of humankind that You should care for him? PS8:5 You made him less than gods. 56 Will You crown him with honor and glory?

56

You made him less than gods: The Hebrew is me-’ELOHIM’ and is also rendered by the Greek text as “angels” or “messengers.” Paul quotes these verses and applies them to Jesus the Nazarene during the days of his flesh. For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Hebrews 2:6-9. When on earth Jesus could not be called God, or “a god” as he was less than such a designation. There is an inference of Christ’s pre-existence here for in order to be made “less than God” he must have existed before.

PS8:6 Will You give him dominion over all the works of Your hands? Will You place everything under his feet? [Hebrews 2:6-9] PS8:7 Sheep and oxen, all of them, yes, even the wild beasts of the wood – PS8:8 the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea – even those who glide in the depths of the ocean? PS8:9 O Yehowah, our Lord, how magnificent is Your Name in all the earth.