[8:1] O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
[2] Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
to still the enemy and the avenger.
[3] When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
[4] what is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?
[5] Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.
[6] You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet,
[7] all sheep and oxen,
and also the beasts of the field,
[8] the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,
whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
[9] O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
(Psalm 8 ESV)
Psalm 8 seems to be a good medicine for combatting melancholy. I was listening to a sermon this week by John Piper on Spiritual Depression and he recommended regularly reading/praying Psalm 8 as a sort of antidote for melancholy. In other words, many of us do a lot of "self talk" whether we realize it or not. We think about how terrible things are going to be or how this bad thing is going to happen or how terrible our life circumstances are or ______ (you fill in the blank). Instead of dwelling on those things, why not be reminded of God's goodness?
I like Psalm 8 as a way to combat melancholy. Here are a few reasons.
It takes the focus off of me and places it back on God. Look at the first verse.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
Psalm 8:1 (ESV)
. . . how majestic is YOUR name . . . YOU have set YOUR glory . . .
Over and over we are rightly reminded of God. It's His name that's majestic. It's His glory. It's He who created the heavens.
It reminds me of man's place in the created order. Verse 3 reminds me that God not only created mankind but He is mindful of mankind. In other words, He cares for all of humanity--even me! Not only is does He care for us, He gave us dominion over all the earth.
It begins and ends with praise.
O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
(Psalm 8:1 ESV)
Right away, my mind is turned to the Lord and His majesty and His glory. That's a good way to begin and end a time of meditation!
So, the next time you're feeling a bit blue try meditating on Psalm 8. Even better, memorize it. It's only 9 verses long and yet it's a great reminder of God's majesty, power, and love.