Psalms
Chapter 8
1 1 2 For the leader; ＂upon the gittith.＂ A psalm of David.
达味诗歌，交与乐官。调寄＂加特＂。
2 O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth! You have set your majesty above the heavens!
上主，我们的主！你的名号在普世何其美妙！你的尊荣在天上彰显光耀。
3 3 Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have drawn a defense against your foes, to silence enemy and avenger.
由赤子乳儿的口中，你取得完美的赞颂；为使恨你的人受辱，为使仇敌有口无用。
4 When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place—
当我仰望你手指创造的穹苍，和你在天上布置的星辰月亮，
5 4 What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them?
世人算什么，你竟对他怀念不忘？人子算什么，你竟对他眷顾周详？
6 5 Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor.
竟使他稍微逊于天神，以尊贵光荣作他冠冕，
7 You have given them rule over the works of your hands, put all things at their feet:
令他统治你手的造化，将一切放在他的脚下：
8 All sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field,
所有的羊和牛，与野外的走兽，
9 The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
天空的飞鸟和海里的鱼类，及种种游泳于海道的水族。
10 O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth!
上主，我们的主！你的名号在普世何其美妙！
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Footnotes（注解）
1 [Psalm 8] While marvelling at the limitless grandeur of God (Psalm 8:2-3), the psalmist is struck first by the smallness of human beings in creation (Psalm 8:4-5), and then by the royal dignity and power that God has graciously bestowed upon them (Psalm 8:6-9).
2 [1] Upon the gittith: probably the title of the melody to which the psalm was to be sung or a musical instrument.
3 [3] Babes and infants: the text is obscure. Some join this line to the last line of Psalm 8:2 (itself obscure) to read: ＂(you) whose majesty is exalted above the heavens / by the mouths of babes and infants.＂ Drawn a defense: some prefer the Septuagint's ＂fashioned praise,＂ which is quoted in Matthew 21:16. Enemy and avenger: probably cosmic enemies. The primeval powers of watery chaos are often personified in poetic texts (Psalm 74:13-14; 89:11; Job 9:13; 26:12-13; Isaiah 51,9).
4 [5] Humans . . . mere mortals: literally, ＂(mortal) person＂. . . ＂son of man (in sense of a human being, Hebrew 'adam).＂ The emphasis is on the fragility and mortality of human beings to whom God has given great dignity.
5 [6] Little less than a god: Hebrew 'elohim, the ordinary word for ＂God＂ or ＂the gods＂ or members of the heavenly court. The Greek version translated 'elohim by ＂angel, messenger＂; several ancient and modern versions so translate. The meaning seems to be that God created human beings almost at the level of the beings in the heavenly world. Hebrews 2:9 finds the eminent fulfillment of this verse in Jesus Christ, who was humbled before being glorified. Cf also 1 Cor 15:27 where St. Paul applies to Christ the closing words of Psalm 8:7.