Psalms 8:5
in Psalms 8You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For thou hast made him but little lower than God, And crownest him with glory and honor.
KJV
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
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This verse in Psalms 8
Commentary
19 notes on this verseBut there follows concerning man in comparison to the angels, to whom man is found to be close. "You have diminished him." In the angels the image of God is found through a simple intuition of truth, without inquiry; but in man through discursive reasoning; …
This site's exposition
a little lower than the angels
on Psalms 8:5-6
Man is set a little lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honor, and made ruler of the works of God's hands. Hebrews 2:6 to 9 quotes these verses and names Jesus as the man crowned with glory and honor, who tasted death for everyone. The psalm's dominion is filled up in Him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Therefore was the son of man first visited in the person of the very Lord Man, born of the Virgin Mary. Of whom, by reason of the very weakness of the flesh, which the Wisdom of God vouchsafed to bear, and the humiliation of the Passion, it is justly said, "You have lowered Him a little lower than the Angels" [Psalm 8:5].
From here on the humility and glory of the Lord Savior is related. He was made less not because of any necessity inherent in his role as servant, but by his loving free wish; as the Apostle says, "He emptied himself, taking the form of …
He has made us "a little lower than the angels," I mean, by reason of death: but even that little we have now recovered. There is nothing therefore to hinder us from becoming nigh to the angels, if we will. Let us then will it, let us will it, and having exercised ourselves thoroughly, let us return honor to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, world without end, Amen.
How by his teaching regarding the form of a servant which he took upon him, did he deign to show mildly glimpses of his divinity, to receive accusations preferred against him by his own creatures, and to answer them, not with anger but with mildness …
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 16 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
In the New Testament, after the universal scripture and the course of time, Christ was formed, as was man on the sixth day, that He may "have dominion over the fish of the sea," and "the birds of the air." As the Psalm says, "what …
12 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 8 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
"O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is Your name over all the earth! You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor." And in truth this name is admirable in so far as it refers to the eternal …
The Puritans and the Awakening5 voices
Crowned - Man, fallen and lost man: who is actually restored to glory and dominion in Christ his head and representative, who received this crown and dominion for man's good, and in his stead; which he will in due time communicate to his members. And so the two expositions of this place concerning mankind and concerning Christ, may be reconciled.
He is but for a little while lower than the angels, while his great soul is cooped up in a house of clay, but the children of the resurrection shall be isangeloi -- angels' peers ( Luke xx. 36 ) and no longer lower than they. (2.) He is endued with noble faculties and capacities: Thou hast crowned him with glory and honour.
This psalm is, in the New Testament, applied to Christ and the work of our redemption which he wrought out; the honour given by the children of men to him (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels,....
When we are observing the glory of God in the kingdom of nature and providence we should be led by that, and through that, to the contemplation of his glory in the kingdom of grace.
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For thou hast made him - Thou hast made man as such; that is, he was such in the original design of his creation, in the rank given him, and in the dominion conceded to him. The object here is to show the honor conferred on man, or to show how God has regarded and honored him; and the thought is, that in his original creation, though so insignificant as compared with the vast worlds over which God presides, he had given him a rank but little inferior to that of the angels. See the notes at Heb 2:
These verses may set forth man's position among the creatures before he fell; but as they are, by the apostle Paul, appropriated to man as represented by the Lord Jesus, it is best to give most weight to that meaning. In order of dignity, man stood next to the angels, and a little lower than they; in the Lord Jesus this was accomplished, for he was made a little lower than the angels by the suffering of death.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
In a modified sense, in his present fallen state, man is still invested with some remains of this original dominion. It is very evident, however, by the apostle's inspired expositions (Heb 2:6-8; 1Co 15:27, 28) that the language here employed finds its fulfilment only in the final exaltation of Christ's human nature.
These verses may set forth man's position among the creatures before he fell; but as they are, by the apostle Paul, appropriated to man as represented by the Lord Jesus, it is best to give most weight to that meaning. In order of dignity, man stood next to the angels, and a little lower than they; in the Lord Jesus this was accomplished, for he was made a little lower than the angels by the suffering of death. Man in Eden had the full command of all creatures, and they came before him to receive their names as an act of homage to him as the viceregent of God to them. Jesus in his glory, is now Lord, not only of all living, but of all created things, and, with the exception of him who put all things under him, Jesus is Lord of all, and his elect, in him, are raised to a dominion wider than that of the first Adam, as shall be more clearly seen at his coming. Well might the Psalmist wonder at the singular exaltation of man in the scale of being, when he marked his utter nothingness in comparison with the starry universe. Thou madest him a little lower than the angels—a little lower in nature, since they are immortal, and but a little, because time is short; and when that is over, saints are no longer lower than the angels. The margin reads it, "A little while inferior to." Thou crownest him. The dominion that God has bestowed on man is a great glory and honour to him; for all dominion is honour, and the highest is that which wears the crown. A full list is given of the subjugated creatures, to show that all the dominion lost by sin is restored in Christ Jesus. Let none of us permit the possession of any earthly creature to be a snare to us, but let us remember that we are to reign over them, and not to allow them to reign over us.
Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels - The original is certainly very emphatic: ותחסרחו מעט מאלהים vattechasserchu meat meelohim, Thou hast lessened him for a little time from God. Or, Thou hast made him less than God for a little time. See these passages explained at large in the notes on Heb 2:6 (note), etc., which I need not repeat here.
Modern Voices1 voice
It is the simple truth that man does differ from the brutes in kind and not in degree; and the proof of it is here; that it sounds like a truism to say that the most primitive man drew a picture of a monkey, and …
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? – What is man! is the antithesis of How Excellent is Thy Name! for the latter expression is intended to magnify, but this to depreciate. He says, When I consider Thy heavens, the moon and the stars, great creations and intelligences as they are, (I exclaim) What is man!
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, The moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained: – He does not mention the sun. Some say that (David) uttered this Psalm at night, at a time when he was considering the moon and stars, and discerning the wonders of the Creator. Others also say (Ibn Ezra, ad loc.) that in the daytime only the sun is seen, while at night a very great host is seen.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 2 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתְּחַסְּרֵ֣הוּ | vatechaserehu | and you have made lack him | H2637 → | 23 times |
| מְּ֭עַט | meat | little | H4592 → | 101 times |
| מֵאֱלֹהִ֑ים | meelohim | from God | H430 → | 2601 times |
| וְכָב֖וֹד | vekhavod | and honor | H3519 → | 200 times |
| וְהָדָ֣ר | vehadar | and majesty | H1926 → | 30 times |
| תְּעַטְּרֵֽהוּ׃ | teaterehu | you crown him | H5849 → | 7 times |
וַתְּחַסְּרֵ֣הוּand you have made lack him
vatechaserehuH2637 →23 times
מְּ֭עַטlittle
meatH4592 →101 times
מֵאֱלֹהִ֑יםfrom God
meelohimH430 →2601 times
וְכָב֖וֹדand honor
vekhavodH3519 →200 times
וְהָדָ֣רand majesty
vehadarH1926 →30 times
תְּעַטְּרֵֽהוּ׃you crown him
teaterehuH5849 →7 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death…
it leads to
- Philippians 2:7–9
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
- Revelation 5:9
And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and…
- Romans 5:18
So then, just as one trespass brought condemnation for all men, so also one act of righteousness brought justification and life for all men.
- 1 John 4:9–10
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.
- 1 John 2:2
He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
- Philippians 2:7–9
Through
Hebrews 2:16For surely it is not the angels He helps, but the descendants of Abraham.
it leads to
- Galatians 3:29
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.
- Galatians 3:16
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
- Romans 4:16–25
Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may rest on grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who…
- Galatians 3:29
Where this verse is studied
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About Psalms
This page draws on 16 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 8; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 16; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 8; Cassiodorus, EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 8:6; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 1; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 5; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; GK Chesterton, The Everlasting Man, Chapter I: The Man in the Cave (1925); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 32; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.