"What is Man that You Are Mindful of Him?"

[Psalm 8]

On Sunday, November 15, 2005, two individuals passed away. Both were 79 years old by American age. One was the father of a friend, and the other was a senior pastor, a predecessor of my father. One was cremated after a Buddhist ceremony, and the other was buried after a Christian funeral. Reflecting on their deaths, I was once again led to ponder the question: What is man?

Looking at the Bible, the prophet Isaiah says that man is "like grass" (Isaiah 40:6), Paul refers to man as "a clay jar" (2 Corinthians 4:7), and James compares man to "a vapor" (James 4:14). Life, like grass, is fragile; life, like a clay jar, is easily broken; life, like a vapor, appears for a moment and then vanishes. From an eternal perspective, life is not as long or grand as we might think. In other words, man may be considered insignificant. However, the amazing fact is that, among all these countless people, we Christians are those whom God has chosen, loved, and blessed with the grace of salvation.

Thus, David, the psalmist, says in Psalm 8:4: "What is man that you are mindful of him? And the son of man that you visit him?" Based on this verse, I have posed four questions of grace under the theme "What is man that You are mindful of him?"

The first question is: "What is man that You should establish strength from the mouths of infants and nursing babies?"

Look at Psalm 8:2: "Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger." The "babes" mentioned here refer to "children who have just begun to speak" (as explained by Park Yun-seon). And "nursing infants" refers to babies who are still being breastfed, which was a common practice in Jewish tradition, where Hebrew women would breastfeed their children for several years. Ultimately, the phrase "ordained strength from the mouths of babes and nursing infants" means that "believers, by receiving God’s revelation and trusting in it, should be like innocent children, free from prejudice, in order to know God" (Park Yun-seon).

When we humbly, like children or nursing infants, long for the pure milk of God’s word, God reveals Himself to us, enabling us to know Him. What a marvelous grace and blessing! What is man that he can know God? Moreover, when we humbly seek God’s word like children or nursing babies, God manifests His power (the power of His word) through us. Therefore, God silences "the enemy and the avenger" (v. 2).

What am I, James, that God revealed to me through His word in John 6:1-15, calling me back to Victory Presbyterian Church as promised in Matthew 16:18? And through those promises, when I was weak and could only look to the Lord, He showed His power through those words, lifting my soul and bringing revival. For this, I can only offer my heartfelt thanks to God for His grace.

Second question: "What is man, that You love and care for him?"

Look at Psalm 8:4: "What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?" The word "mindful" here in the original Hebrew means "to remember", which implies "to love". Additionally, in the same verse, "visit" means "to observe or care for" (according to Park Yun-seon). As David, the psalmist, looks at "the heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have ordained" (verse 3), he marvels at God's grace in considering how such a small and insignificant being as man can be loved and cared for by God.

What do you think? When comparing ourselves to the vastness of God's creation, the heavens, the moon, and the stars, we are truly so small—like grass or a fleeting mist. Do we really deserve God's love and attention? But what's even more amazing is that, out of all of creation, God created us—human beings—in His image. This is why we receive His love and care. What an incredible grace and love from God!

What am I, James, that among so many of God's wonderful creations, I have been made in His image and receive His special love and care? I can only give thanks for His amazing grace.

Third question: "What is man, that You crown him with glory and honor?"

Look at Psalm 8:5: "For You have made him a little lower than the angels, and You have crowned him with glory and honor." This verse has two meanings: (1) "It prophesies that Jesus, representing humanity, would suffer and die, becoming lower than the angels, but He would later rise and ascend, being exalted" (Hebrews 2:6-9), and (2) "When referring to the saints redeemed by Christ, it means that they will be fully redeemed and conformed to the image of Christ" (according to Park Yun-seon).

The prophetic meaning of the Messiah has already been fulfilled. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, died on the cross, rose again, and ascended to heaven where He sits at the right hand of God. God the Father has exalted Him. Therefore, the second meaning remains for us: when Jesus returns, we will be fully redeemed and conformed to the image of Christ. At that time, God will "crown us with glory and honor."

What is man, that we can receive such an amazing, glorious, and honorable blessing?

What am I, James, that I can receive such a crown of glory and honor? It can only be by God's grace, and nothing else.

The last fourth question is: "What is man, that You make him rule over the works of Your hands?"

Let’s look at Psalm 8:6: “You made him ruler over the works of Your hands; You put everything under his feet.” Before the fall, mankind enjoyed the blessing from God to rule over all creation. However, when mankind sinned, that authority was lost, and in the true sense, humanity was no longer able to govern creation in an ideal way. Yet, when mankind is redeemed through Christ and salvation is completed, we will come into a place of ruling over all creation (according to Park Yun-seon). What is man, that he can reach such a position of ruling over everything? It can only be by God’s total grace.

I am reminded of hymn 410, first verse: "Oh, the grace of God! Why He would redeem such a useless one, I cannot understand." Truly, God has redeemed one so useless, has made Himself known to us, and given us the blessing of experiencing His love and care. He promises that on the day of His return, He will crown us with glory and honor and bring us to a place of ruling over all creation. How, indeed, can a being as insignificant as grass, a vessel of clay, or like a fleeting mist, be given such a blessing? I can only confess, “I do not know.”

As for me, James, I don’t understand what I am to live by the grace of God, but in my heart, I am filled with gratitude and humility.

James, Pastor
(With a heart longing to work even more in the strength of God’s grace)