We marvel at the words of David in Psalm 8. It starts, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens …”. The word ‘name’ applied to the eternal Creator, means His reputation achieved by the things He has done. (See Nehemiah 9:10; Jeremiah 32:20 and Daniel 9:15). And when we come to Psalm 135, note verses 5-13, “Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages”. This will come to pass when the kingdom is established and reaches its completion. Today’s Psalm ends, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” May we see the fulfilment of this.

How “majestic” indeed! In recent years men of science have uncovered more of the remarkable nature of all that exists. We think of David writing this Psalm, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him …” (verses 3,4). David thought of his own insignificance; remember when he “went in and sat before the LORD and said, ‘Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far?’” (2 Samuel 7:18)

The closer we come to God the smaller we feel! This started with David in his early years, discounted as a youth (remember when Samuel was sent to Bethlehem –1 Samuel 16:1-11). His experiences keeping the sheep brought him closer to God. He could see God more clearly than others. He was bring taught by God and was a good pupil. Out with the flock at night he meditated on God’s handiwork in the heavens. Samuel had earlier told Saul, “The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).

We can see why Jesus is called “the Son of David”. He is called that in the first verse of the New Testament! And in Matthew 5:9 Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”. Are we peacemakers? Our world seems to lack them and many seem to delight in being trouble makers, seeking their own kind of human glory.

Finally let us take to heart the words of Jesus in verse 16 and the way our Master uses the word “glory” when he said, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”. What glory awaits us if we “give glory” to our heavenly Father now.