Psalm 8

1  In finem, pro torcularibus. Psalmus David.
2  Domine, Dominus noster, quam admirabile est nomen tuum in universa terra! quoniam elevata est magnificentia tua super caelos.
3  Ex ore infantium et lactentium perfecisti laudem propter inimicos tuos,
ut destruas inimicum et ultorem.
4  Quoniam videbo caelos tuos,opera digitorum tuorum, lunam et stellas
quae tu fundasti.
5  Quid est homo, quod memor es eius? aut filius hominis, quoniam visitas eum?
6  Minuisti eum paulo minus ab angelis; gloria et honore coronasti eum;
7  et constituisti eum super opera manuum tuarum.
8  Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius,
  oves et boves universas, insuper et pecora campi,
9  volucres caeli et pisces maris qui perambulant semitas maris.
10  Domine, Dominus noster, quam admirabile est nomen tuum in universa terra!

1  Unto the end, for the presses: a psalm of David
2  O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens.
3  Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise, because of thy enemies, that thou mayst destroy the enemy and the avenger.
4  For I will behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers: the moon and the stars which thou hast founded.
5  What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?
6  Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour:
7  And hast set him over the works of thy hands.
8  Thou hast subjected all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen: moreover the beasts also of the fields.
9  The birds of the air, and the fishes of the sea, that pass through the paths of the sea.
10  O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in all the earth!

  Unto the end, for the presses, a psalm of David.
1  O Lord our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world : thou that hast set
thy glory above the heavens!
2  Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies : that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3  For I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy fingers : the moon and the stars,
which thou hast ordained.
4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him : and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5  Thou madest him lower than the angels : to crown him with glory and worship.
6  Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands :
  and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet;
7  All sheep and oxen : yea, and the beasts of the field;
8  The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea : and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.
9  O Lord our Governor : how excellent is thy Name in all the world!

1  O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2  Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7  All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8  The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9  O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

O God our Lord, how wonderful
Are thy works ev'rywhere!
Thy fame surmounts in dignity
The highest heav'ns that are.

E'en by the mouth of sucking babes
Thou wilt confound thy foes:
For in those babes thy might is seen,
Thy graces they disclose:

And when I see the heav'ns above,
The work of thine own hand,
The sun, the moon, and all the stars,
In order as they stand:

Lord, what is man, that thou of him
Tak'st such abundant care!
Or what tbe son of man, whom thou
To visit dost not spare!

For thou hast made him little less
Than angels in degree;
And thou hast also crowned him
With glorious dignity.

Thou hast preferr'd him to be lord
Of all thy works, and thou
Hast in subjection unto him
Put all things here below;

As sheep, and neat, and all beasts else
That in the fields do feed,
Fowls of the air, fish of the sea,
And all that therein breed.

O God our Lord, how excellent
Is thy most glorious name
In all the earth! therefore do we
Praise and adore the same.

O thou to whom all creatures bow
Within this earthly frame,
Through all the world how great art thou,
How glorious is thy name!

In heav'n thy wondrous acts are sung,
Nor fully reckon'd there;
And yet thou mak'st the infant tongue
Thy boundless praise declare.

Through thee the weak confound the strong,
And crush their haughty foes;
And so thou quell'st the wicked throng,
That thee and thine oppose.

When heav'n, thy beauteous work on high
Employs my wond'ring sight;
The moon that nightly rules the sky,
With stars of feebler light;

What's man, say I, that, Lord, thou lov'st
To keep him in thy mind?
Or what his offspring, that thou prov'st
To them so wondrous kind?

Him next in pow'r thou didst create
To thy celestial train;
Ordain'd with dignity and state
O'er all thy works to reign.

They jointly own his pow'rful sway;
The beasts that prey or graze;
The bird that wings its airy way;
The fish that cuts the seas.

O thou to whom all creatures bow
Within this earthly frame,
Through all the world how great art thou,
How glorious is thy name!

Immortal King! through earth's wide frame
How great thy honour, praise, and name!
Whose reign o'er distant worlds extends,
Whose glory heav'n's vast height transcends.

From infants thou canst strength upraise,
And form their lisping tongues to praise,
That struck with awe, each wrathful band
In mute astonishment may stand.

When, rapt in thought, with wakeful eye
I view the wonders of the sky,
Whose frame thy fingers o'er our head
In rich magnificence have spread,

The silent moon, with waxing horn
Along th'ethereal region borne,
The stars with vivid lustre crown'd,
That nightly walk their destin'd round,

Lord! what is man, that in thy care
His humble lot should find a share,
Or what the son of man, that thou
Thus to his wants thy ear shouldst bow?

His rank awhile, by thy decree,
Th'angelic tribes beneath them see,
Till round him thy imparted rays
With unextinguish'd glory blaze.

Subjected to his feet by thee
To him all nature bows the knee;
The beasts in him their lord behold,
The grazing herd, the bleating fold,

The fowls, of various wing, that fly
O'er the vast desert of the sky,
And all the wat'ry tribes, that glide
Through paths to human sight denied.

Immortal King! through earth's wide frame
How great thy honour, praise, and name!
Thy reign o'er distant worlds extends,
Thy glory heav'n's vast height transcends.

VERSION 1. (S. M.)
God's sovereignty and goodness

O Lord, our heavenly King,
Thy name is all divine;
Thy glories round the earth are spread,
And o'er the heavens they shine.

When to thy works on high
I raise my wondering eyes,
And see the moon, complete in light,
Adorn the darksome skies

When I survey the stars,
And all their shining forms,
Lord, what is man, that worthless thing,
Akin to dust and worms?

Lord, what is worthless man,
That thou shouldst love him so?
Next to thine angels is he placed,
And lord of all below.

Thine honors crown his head,
While beasts, like slaves, obey;
And birds that cut the air with wings,
And fish that cleave the sea.

How rich thy bounties are!
And wondrous are thy ways
Of dust and worms thy power can frame
A monument of praise.

Out of the mouths of babes
And sucklings thou canst draw
Surprising honors to thy name,
And strike the world with awe.

O Lord, our heavenly King,
Thy name is all divine;
Thy glories round the earth are spread,
And o'er the heavens they shine.

VERSION 2. (C. M.)
Christ's condescension and glorification

O Lord, our Lord, how wondrous great
Is thine exalted name!
The glories of thy heavenly state
Let men and babes proclaim.

When I behold thy works on high,
The moon that rules the night,
And stars that well adorn the sky,
Those moving worlds of light;

Lord, what is man, or all his race,
Who dwells so far below,
That thou shouldst visit him with grace,
And love his nature so?

That thine eternal Son should bear
To take a mortal form;
Made lower than his angels are,
To save a dying worm?

Yet while he lived on earth unknown,
And men would not adore,
Th' obedient seas and fishes own
His Godhead and his power.

The waves lay spread beneath his feet;
And fish, at his command,
Bring their large shoals to Peter's feet,
Bring tribute to his hand.

These lesser glories of the Son
Shone through the fleshly cloud;
Now, we behold him on his throne,
And men confess him God.

Let him be crowned with majesty,
Who bowed his head to death;
And be his honors sounded high,
By all things that have breath.

Jesus, our Lord, how wondrous great
Is thine exalted name!
The glories of thy heavenly state
Let the whole earth proclaim.

VERSION 3 PART 1, v. 1-2 (L. M.)
The hosanna of children

Almighty Ruler of the skies,
Through the wide earth thy name is spread;
And thine eternal glories rise
O'er all the heavens thy hands have made.

To thee the voices of the young
A monument of honor raise;
And babes, with uninstructed tongue,
Declare the wonders of thy praise.

Thy power assists their tender age
To bring proud rebels to the ground,
To still the bold blasphemer's rage,
And all their policies confound.

Children amidst thy temple throng
To see their great Redeemer's face;
The Son of David is their song,
And young hosannas fill the place.

The frowning scribes and angry priests
In vain their impious cavils bring;
Revenge sits silent in their breasts,
While Jewish babes proclaim their King.

VERSION 3 PART 2, v. 3 ff. (L. M.)
Adam and Christ, lords of the old and new creation

Lord, what was man, when made at first,
Adam the offspring of the dust,
That thou shouldst set him and his race
But just below an angel's place?

That thou shouldst raise his nature so,
And make him lord of all below;
Make every beast and bird submit,
And lay the fishes at his feet?

But, O! what brighter glories wait
To crown the Second Adam's state!
What honors shall thy Son adorn,
Who condescended to be born!

See him below his angels made;
See him in dust amongst the dead,
To save a ruined world from sin;
But he shall reign with power divine.

The world to come, redeemed from all
The miseries that attend the fall,
New made and glorious, shall submit
At our exalted Savior's feet.

Clement Marot (1551)
O Nostre Dieu & Seigneur amiable,
Combien ton Nom est grand & admirable
Par tout ce val terrestre spacieux,
Qui ta puissance eleves sur les cieux!

En tout se void ta grand' vertu parfaite,
Iusqu'a bouche aux enfans qu'on allaicte:
Et rens par la confus & abbatu
Tout ennemi qui nie ta vertu.

Mais quand ie voy & contemple en courage
Tes cieux qui sont de tes doigts haut ouvrage,
Estoilles, lune & signes differens
Que tu as faits & assis en leurs rengs:

Adonc ie di à part moy, ainsi comme
Tout esbahi, Et qu'est-ce que de l'homme,
D'avoir daigné de luy te souvenir,
Et de vouloir en ton soin le tenir?
 ***
Tu l'as fait tel que puis il ne luy reste
Fors estre Die. Cart tu l'as (quant au reste)
Abondamment de gloire environné,
Rempli de biens & d'honneur courronné.

Regner le fais sur les ouvres tant belles
De tes deux mains, comme seigneur d'icelles,
Tu as, de vrayt sans quelque exception
Mis sous ses pieds tout en suiettion.

Brebis & boefs, & leurs peaux & leurs laines,
Tous le troupeaux des hauts monts & des plaines
En general touts bestes cherchans
A pasturer & par bois & par champs.

Oiseaux de l'air, qui volent & qui chantent,
Poissons de mer, ceux qui nagent & hantent
Par les sentiers de mer grans & petits,
Tu les as tous à l'homme assuiettis.

O nostre Dieu & Seigneur amiable,
Comme à bon droit est grand & admirable
L'excellent bruit de ton Nom precieux
Par tout ce val terrestre spacieux?