verse 1 The facts:

1.	O Lord, our Lord

2.	How majestic is Your name in all the earth,

3.	who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!

1.	Who is addressed?

a.	Yahweh

2.	Over whom is Yahweh Lord?

a.	He is our Lord –who is our? The psalmist was a Hebrew–He is saying that Yahweh is the God of Israel

3.	In praise you always describe what a person is and lift them up for the qualities they have. What quality of Yahweh does the psalmist mention?

a.	Majesty (nobility)

4.	With what does the psalmist link that majesty?

a.	Yahweh's name

Interp:

1.	What is majesty?

a.	Word for nobles–those who are rich or have power and influence who rule over and protect others?

2.	Does anyone know the significance of a name to the ancient Hebrews?

a.	Name means/includes character.

3.	So what is really being said here?

a.	Yahweh, our Lord, your character is noble, majestic

Fact

1.	What interesting claim for the majesty of Yahweh's name does the psalmist give?

a.	He says that Yahweh's name/character is majestic in all the earth.

Interp:

1.	Why is that an interesting claim in the light of what has just been said about Yahweh?

a.	He is Israel's God, yet His name is majestic/noble in all the earth.

2.	What does this imply?

a.	He is not just the God of Israel–He's the Lord of the whole earth or He has claims over the whole earth,

b.	Perhaps he has shown the nobility of his character in the whole earth, even if it not acknowledged?

3.	With what does the psalmist connect the majesty of God's name in all the earth? (Hearing the parallelism?)

a.	Who have (or having) displayed your splendor above the heavens

Interp:

1.	What is splendor?

a.	Often means authority, can refer to a concept like beauty/brightness/glory–something which can be displayed across the sky

2.	What is God's splendor in the context? (Hearing the parallelism?)

a.	The majesty of His name/character

3.	How is the excellence of God's name in the earth connected to the display of his splendor above the heavens?

a.	It seems to be a subordinate clause. The majesty on earth is dependent on the splendor above. It could be translated, having or because you have

4.	In the context, what does it mean for God to 'display' His splendor? How does God go about putting His splendor on display? If His splendor is His character, what does this mean?

a.	Putting His character on display.

5.	So how does He display His splendor/character above the heavens?

a.

6.	What aspect of Yahweh's character is noted here?

a.	God exalts the humble–in this case children–in order to make the enemy and the revengeful cease (shabbath).

7.	How has the Lord displayed His splendor above the heavens?

a.	Through His handiwork in the stars?

b.	by establishing strength from the mouths of infants and babes . . . ?

8.	How do we know? Is there anything else in the psalm that is put above the heavens? Man. heavens are works of God's fingers, works of Gods' hands are made subject to man.

v.2 Facts:

1.	From the mouths of infants and nursing babes You have established strength

2.	because of Your adversaries

3.	To make the enemy and the revengeful cease

1.	What unique way has God established strength?

a.	From the mouths of infants and nursing babes

2.	From who? infants and nursing babes What part of them? mouths, established what? strength

3.	Why? (Who are God's adversaries?)

4.	to what end? (Make them cease what?)

Context:

Who are the infants and nursing babes from whose mouths God has established strength? Who else is spoken of in this psalm as weak or inferior in nature, but receiving special exaltation from God? Man

How does establishing strength from the mouth of infants and babes make the enemy cease? What does God want the enemy and revengeful to cease doing? putting man down? God's exaltation of man is the fastest way to silence the accuser of the brethren.

What can the mouths of infants do that is stronger than God's enemies? or strong enough to make the enemies stop? Stop what? Mouthing off? What could they say that would let God's enemies know it is time to stop? "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him?"

v.3 Facts:

1.	When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained

2.	what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for Him

2'.	Yet you have made him a little lower than God, and you crown him with glory and majesty!

1'.	You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.

What two contrasts do we see here? In light of God's creation in the heavens, why does he think of men or care about their children?

1. In man's consideration, compared to the heavens, the work of God's fingers man is ignorable.

2. In God's consideration (and action) man is a little lower than God and above works of His hands.