Thoughts
The Majesty and Glory of Your Name
Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…
“Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor.
You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”
Psalm 8 (NKJV)
A question— “Oh, what is man that you are mindful of him?”
That question is from verse four contained within the hymn “The Majesty and Glory of Your Name” by Linda Lee Johnson (lyrics) and Tom Fettke (music), reflecting David’s writing of Psalm 8.
And it is a feeling we have each probably felt before in our lives.
Does God really care?
Does God know where I am?
Does God even see me?
However, following David’s God-inspired words penned in Psalm 8 the hymn shares the heart of God as we read—
“When I gaze into the night skies, and see the work of Your fingers.
The moon and stars suspended in space.
Oh, what is man that You are mindful of him?
You have given man a crown of glory and honor,
And have made him a little lower than the angels.
You have put him in charge of all creation:
The beasts of the field, the birds of the air, the fish of the sea.
Oh, what is man? (Oh, what is man?)
Oh, what is man that You are mindful of him?”
Words reflecting the heart of our God who loves us.
Reminding us that no matter what we go through, or what we face, how often we are criticized, persecuted, or knocked down or around in life—we remain made in the image of God and are highly valued by our Creator.
The same God who threw the stars into the sky, and who created the universe with all its planets and galaxies beyond any limits which our minds try to fashion, loves us.
Then, our loving God sets us over and in charge of everything of His creation here on earth.
Leading David to remember and believe, something also for us to remember and believe for our lives, that in the heart and mind of God—we are each His highest priority.
I wonder if in our better moments we really do know and believe that, as well.
You and I are His highest priority.
God really does care. God knows where we are. God does see us.
Always.
The song concludes, following David’s inspired words in the last verse of Psalm 8, with these words—
“O Lord, our God the majesty and glory of Your name
Transcends the earth and fills the heavens.
O Lord, our God; little children praise You perfectly,
And so would we. And so would we.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
The majesty and glory of Your name.
Alleluia! Alleluia!”
Again, a question— “Oh, what is man that you are mindful of him?”
The answer—To our God, we are precious, loved, and just a little lower than the angels, and crowned with glory and honor.
And our response—Thank You, Lord.
Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
Amen and Amen.
In His Name–Scott
You will find peace and assurance in this performance of “The Majesty and Glory of Your Name” by the First Baptist Dallas Choir and Orchestra.
Recent Thoughts
God Moments in the Basilica
There are things that are supposed to fit a certain way, and then, of course, there have to be things that don’t fit. There are rules, doctrines, dogma, expectations, certain ways of proper behavior and decorum and etiquette. But Christ, in the passage above, talks about those things that don’t seem to fit, the least in society, and our response.
Rope Bridges and the Father’s Hand
When she reached the top of the apparatus, she stopped, for there in front of her was a rope bridge that spanned the walkway below, leading to the tower on the other side and eventually the way down. She could see her Mommy, Daddy and Mimi below her through the ropes, as they encouraged her to walk across the rope bridge. But she stood there—frozen—afraid to move forward and afraid to move back.
The Day the Stars Danced
I will never forget the moment, of many memorable moments, from that pilgrimage to our Nation’s capital, introducing our son, then a teenager, to some of the history of our Nation. As we listened to the curator proudly explaining and pointing out some of the notable things about the Declaration of Independence, chills and tears flooded my emotions.