Psalms 8:1-9
This psalm begins by establishing the smallness of man in contrast to creation, an impression that every one of us can experience in contemplating, for example, the prodigious immensity of a starry sky! "What is man?" Then, brought back to our puny dimension, we learn that nevertheless God had wonderful and glorious things in view for man and through man. But how was He to realise them, with a being who was both sinner and mortal? It was impossible to crown with glory and honour a creature in misery and corruption. So what God was unable to do either for or through the first Adam He has accomplished in Christ, the Second Man. Yes, the Creator has taken upon Himself the body He had created. He was made "a little lower than the angels." Hebrews 2:6-9, which quotes and completes our vv. 4-6, gives the unfathomable motive for it: because of the death which He must taste. And it is in this human nature that the Son has received universal dominion. In Him man recovers more than Adam ever lost (vv. 5-8; 1 Corinthians 15:27 . . .). Crowned with glory and honour, Christ, the Second Man, will introduce other men with Himself into heaven and will make them sharers of His glory.