Johannine Hours                   Psalm 8                   July 1997
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en
199707
July 1997
Psalm 8
A hymn of wonder and praise, Psalm 8 celebrates the God who is
revealed in the realities of creation. The author describes God as
a majestic king who fashions the universe in a struggle against the
powers of chaos (v.1-2). Then, contemplating the wonders of the
world set in place by God, his thoughts turn towards human beings,
whose smallness is in striking contrast with the immensity that
surrounds them.

At this point, the psalmist experiences a radical change of
perspectives. No, these beings apparently so frail and vulnerable
are in fact the cornerstone of creation. God made them to share in
his kingship, so that they can help all created beings to live in
harmony. The verb "to give dominion" (v.6) does not refer here to
oppression or exploitation; it describes the calling of a king, who
must ensure the rule of justice in the land and be a source of
blessing for his subjects (cf. Ps 72). The vocation of human
beings, the "viceroys" of creation, is thus to enable the entire
universe to be a faithful reflection of God's glory. It is
therefore appropriate that the Letter to the Hebrews applies this
psalm to Christ (Heb 2,5-9): through the "becoming less" of his
Son, God reveals and communicates his radiant Love at the heart of
the world. The "subjection" of all things to the Son (cf. 1 Cor
15,20-25; Eph 1,22-23) has a single purpose: liberated from the
forces of destruction, the universe is henceforth able to receive
the fullness of life through him.


How do we discover God's presence in the world?
Through what lifestyle and what actions can we live out our calling
to be caretakers of the created world in the image of God?
How does Christ show us the true vocation of a human being?


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