We’re all squatters in this world, when you look at it that way. The land belongs to the Lord; we just use it a little while.”
–Elmer Kelton (The Day the Cowboys Quit)
“Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well.”
–Ecclesiastes 12:6 (NLT)
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Psalm 8
Yahweh, our Lord,
how magnificent is Your name throughout the earth!
You have covered the heavens with Your majesty.
2 Because of Your adversaries,
You have established a stronghold
from the mouths of children and nursing infants
to silence the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I observe Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which You set in place,
4 what is man that You remember him,
the son of man that You look after him?
David spent so much of his time as a shepherd and soldier and fugitive that he would have spent much of his time outside of a night marveling at the night sky. Can’t you imagine David, sitting around the fire with his men, and he begins to hum. He begins to look at the sky and the worship of his Maker simply comes forth from him.
Look at how he starts. He uses “Yahweh” and “Adonai”. Yahweh is the sacred personal name of God that is often used with His covenant. Adonai means “Sovereign” or “Master” emphasizing His dominion. In effect, David is saying, “LORD Lord.”
Look carefully or you’ll miss the meaning. It is not creation, nor the wonder of creation, but it is about the Creator. David’s attention was not on the night sky with the heavenly stars twinkling at him, but upon the LORD Lord.
David began to ponder the majesty and greatness of God. He realizes that only when we ascribe worth to God can we discover our true identity. In that great wondering, David wants to understand, wants to grasp how the great Creator, Yahweh, how such great care of him.
In the same way, to be like Christ, we must keep our eyes focused on Him. Too often we get caught up in the marvels of man, but none can compare to the majesty of God. I challenge you, the next time you are out at night look up at the sky and think of the great Yahweh and recognize that He is also Adonai. The simple act of looking into the sky at the glory of God makes me wonder that we too often make things too complex with the way we act and try to make worship. Look at the sky, be amazed, and then worship.