This psalm contains a pleasant, but solemn meditation upon the glory, the greatness, and the grace of God. Let me here observe, (1.) How illustrious and widespread are all his glory and renown, ver. 1, 3, 9. (2.) By how weak and insignificant instruments, he manifests and spreads his superlative fame, ver. 2. (3.) Behold his marvellous condescension and bounty to mankind, but chiefly to the man Christ, in uniting his human nature to his divine person, and in giving him all power in heaven and earth, for the benefit of his chosen people, ver. 4-8.
May this Jesus, this name of God in him, be the enthroned inhabitant, the everlasting wonder, and the superlative darling of my heart. Let me, with the babes of Jerusalem, Matt. 21, pour forth my hosannas to him that cometh in the name of the Lord to save me hosannas in the highest. Let all the works of nature lead, and excite me to admire their Creator's kindness towards men towards sinful and insignificant me.
1 How excellent in all the earth,
Lord, our Lord, is thy name!
Who hast thy glory far advanc'd
above the starry frame.
2 From infants' and from sucklings' mouth
thou didest strength ordain,
For thy foes' cause, that so thou might'st
th' avenging foe restrain.
3 When I look up unto the heav'ns,
which thine own fingers fram'd,
Unto the moon, and to the stars,
which were by thee ordain'd;
4 Then say I, What is man, that he
remember'd is by thee?
Or what the son of man, that thou
so kind to him should'st be?
5 For thou a little lower hast
him than the angels made;
With glory and with dignity
thou crowned hast his head.
6 Of thy hands' works thou mad'st him lord,
all under's feet didst lay;
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and beasts
that in the field do stray;
8 Fowls of the air, fish of the sea,
all that pass through the same.
9 How excellent in all the earth,
Lord, our Lord, is thy name!
