Psalm 8

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Settings by composers

• Heinrich Schütz
• Johann Sommer
• Johann Staden
• The final chorus of Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah sets the first line of the text, followed by "Amen." It is a single-subject fugue in all four voices.

Texts & translations

Church of England 1662 Book of Common Prayer

English text

1  O LORD our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the world : thou that hast set thy glory above the heavens!

2  Out of the mouth of very babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, because of thine enemies : that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.

3  For I will consider thy heavens, even the works of thy fingers : the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained.

4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him : and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5  Thou madest him lower than the angels : to crown him with glory and worship.

6  Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of thy hands : and thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet;

7  All sheep and oxen : yea, and the beasts of the field;

8  The fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea : and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the seas.

9  O Lord our Governor : how excellent is thy Name in all the world!

King James Version

English text

1  O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.

2  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.

3  When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;

4  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

5  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

6  Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:

7  All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;

8  The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.

9  O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

Luther's translation

German text

1  Herr, unser Herrscher, wie herrlich ist dein Name in allen Landen, da man dir danket im Himmel!

2  dem Munde der jungen Kinder und Säuglinge hast du eine Macht zugerichtet um deiner Feinde willen, daß du vertilgest den Feind und den Rachgierigen.

3  Denn ich werde sehen die Himmel, deiner Finger Werk, den Mond und die Sterne, die du bereitest.

4  Was ist der Mensch, daß du sein gedenkest; und des Menschen Kind, daß du dich sein annimmst?

5  Du wirst ihn lassen eine kleine Zeit von GOtt verlassen sein. Aber mit Ehren und Schmuck wirst du ihn krönen.

6  Du wirst ihn zum Herrn machen über deiner Hände Werk; alles hast du unter seine Füße getan:

7  Schafe und Ochsen allzumal, dazu auch die wilden Tiere,

8  die Vögel unter dem Himmel und die Fische im Meer und was im Meer gehet.

9  Herr, unser Herrscher, wie herrlich ist dein Name in allen Landen!