Psalm 8
Are you searching for meaning, purpose, and knowledge of the self? Where do you begin such a search? Our culture says, “Start with yourself.” The Bible says start with God. Although it may seem counterintuitive, it makes sense because God is our Maker. Thus, to answer the question, “Who am I?”, we must first answer the question, “Who is God?” The knowledge of the LORD is the beginning of all wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). What we find is a treasure beyond what we can fathom.
Who is God?
Psalm 8:1, 3 tells us that God is a Glorious Creator. With his finger, his paintbrush, Yahweh drew the moon and the stars, painting on the canvas of the sky. This is strikingly different than the Ancient Near Eastern cultures that believed that creation of the world and humanity was a product of war and bloodshed of the gods. However, the Psalmist, David, tells us that God is both an artist and an engineer who created the universe to display his magnificent BEAUTY and WISDOM.
We also see that God is a Gentle Father, who delights in the praise of the infants and children (8:2). God loves to use the weak and small children to humble the proud. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “How often will children tell us of a God whom we have forgotten! How doth their simple prattle refute those learned fools who deny the being of God!”
Who am I?
Then, in light of who God is, let us ask, “Who am I?” In reality, I am nothing, quite insignificant in light of all of creation. A mist that vanishes. Yet, although I am so insignificant, the Psalmist says that God is mindful of me and that He cares for me (8:4). That’s a startling thought. There is someone who always remembers me. I won’t be forgotten by this person even if everyone else forgets. And that person happens to be my Creator.
What is even more startling is that this God “crowns me with glory and honor” and gives me “dominion over the works of his hands” (8:5-6). The King of kings crowns me and you! He calls me to join him as royalty over his Kingdom and household, as co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17). As kings and queens, we are then entrusted with his work and we are called to steward the many dominions God places in our lives such as family, work, church, etc.
So, who am I? When we begin our search for meaning with God, where we end up is royalty. We were made for nothing less than this. Let us go from beggars to kings and reclaim the glory we were made for.
