Psalms

Psalm 8:1–4

¹For the choirmaster. According to Gittith.^a A Psalm of David.

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

You have set Your glory

above the heavens.

²From the mouths of children and infants

You have ordained praise^b

on account of Your adversaries,

to silence the enemy and avenger.

³When I behold Your heavens,

the work of Your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which You have set in place —

⁴what is man that You are mindful of him,

or the son of man that You care for him?

Footnotes

a 8:1 Gittith is probably a musical or liturgical term; here and in Psalms 81 and 84.
b 8:2 Literally You have ordained strength; LXX You have prepared praise; cited in Matthew 21:16|MAT 21:16

Read all of Psalm 8

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Psalm 8:1

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the choirmaster	לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ	lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ	Preposition-l, Article; Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H5329 be pre-eminent, enduring
According to	עַֽל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Gittith	הַגִּתִּ֗ית	hag·git·tîṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H1665 Gittite harp
A Psalm	מִזְמ֥וֹר	miz·mō·wr	Noun - masculine singular	H4210 melody
of David	לְדָוִֽד׃	lə·ḏā·wiḏ	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
O LORD	יְהוָ֤ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
our Lord	אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ	’ă·ḏō·nê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H113 lord
how	מָֽה־	māh-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
majestic	אַדִּ֣יר	’ad·dîr	Adjective - masculine singular	H117 majestic
is Your name	שִׁ֭מְךָ	šim·k̲ā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H8034 name
in all	בְּכָל־	bə·ḵāl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the earth	הָאָ֑רֶץ	hā·’ā·reṣ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
You	אֲשֶׁ֥ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
have set	תְּנָ֥ה	tə·nāh	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular; third person feminine singular	H5414 give, put, set
Your glory	ה֝וֹדְךָ֗	hō·wḏ·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1935 splendour, majesty, vigour
above	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the heavens	הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃	haš·šā·mā·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H8064 sky, aloft

Psalm 8:2

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
From the mouths	מִפִּ֤י	mip·pî	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6310 mouth
of children	עֽוֹלְלִ֨ים׀	‘ō·wl·lîm	Noun - masculine plural	H5768 child
and infants	וְֽיֹנְקִים֮	wə·yō·nə·qîm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H3243 suck
You have ordained	יִסַּ֪דְתָּ֫	yis·saḏ·tā	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3245 establish, found, fix
praise	עֹ֥ז	‘ōz	Noun - masculine singular	H5797 strength, might
on account of	לְמַ֥עַן	lə·ma·‘an	Preposition	H4616 purpose, intent
Your adversaries	צוֹרְרֶ֑יךָ	ṣō·wr·re·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6887 bind, tie up, be restricted, narrow, scant, cramped
to silence	לְהַשְׁבִּ֥ית	lə·haš·bîṯ	Preposition-l; Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct	H7673 cease, desist, rest
the enemy	א֝וֹיֵ֗ב	’ō·w·yêḇ	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H341 be hostile to
and avenger	וּמִתְנַקֵּֽם׃	ū·miṯ·naq·qêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Participle - masculine singular	H5358 avenge, take vengeance

Psalm 8:3

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
I behold	אֶרְאֶ֣ה	’er·’eh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H7200 see
Your heavens	שָׁ֭מֶיךָ	šā·mê·k̲ā	Noun - masculine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H8064 sky, aloft
the work	מַעֲשֵׂ֣י	ma·‘ă·śê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4639 deed, work
of Your fingers	אֶצְבְּעֹתֶ֑יךָ	’eṣ·bə·‘ō·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - feminine plural construct; second person masculine singular	H676 finger
the moon	יָרֵ֥חַ	yā·rê·aḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H3394 moon
and the stars	וְ֝כוֹכָבִ֗ים	wə·ḵō·w·ḵā·ḇîm	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine plural	H3556 star
which	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
You have set in place	כּוֹנָֽנְתָּה׃	kō·w·nā·nə·tāh	Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular	H3559 be firm

Psalm 8:4

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
what	מָֽה־	māh-	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
is man	אֱנ֥וֹשׁ	’ĕ·nō·wōš	Noun - masculine singular	H582 man, mankind
that	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
You are mindful	תִזְכְּרֶ֑נּוּ	ṯiz·kə·ren·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H2142 remember
or the son	וּבֶן־	ū·ḇen-	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
of man	אָ֝דָ֗ם	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
that	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
You care for him	תִפְקְדֶֽנּוּ׃	ṯip̄·qə·ḏen·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine singular	H6485 attend to, visit, muster, appoint