Fathers

Psalms 8

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O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 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. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

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What the Fathers say

Psalms 8:1

Western Saints

Augustine of Hippo

Accordingly it is said, "O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is Your Name in all the earth!" [Psalm 8:1]. I ask, how is His Name wonderful in all the earth? The answer is, "For Your glory has been raised above the heavens." So that the meaning is this, O Lord, who art our Lord, how do all that inhabit the earth admire You! For Your glory has been raised from earthly humiliation above the heavens. For hence it appeared who You were that descended, when it was by some seen, and by the rest believed, whither it was that You ascended.

Exposition on Psalm 8 ↗

Gregory the Dialogist

But this, dearest brothers, we must greatly consider on this solemnity: that on this day the handwriting of our condemnation has been blotted out, the sentence of our corruption has been changed. For that nature to which it was said, "You are earth, and to earth you will go," today went to heaven. For on account of this very lifting up of our flesh, blessed Job figuratively calls the Lord a bird. …

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 29 ↗

Thomas Aquinas

Above he set forth a Psalm in which David prayed concerning his persecution; here he sets forth a Psalm of thanksgiving: and first a Psalm is presented for the benefits bestowed upon the whole human race. Second, another for the benefits bestowed upon him for the destruction of enemies, or for the goods granted. Third, for the evils removed, at "I will give thanks": for here he expresses the affection of a man considering the benefits of God bestowed upon the human race, and giving thanks. …

Exposition on the Psalms of David ↗