What is Man that You are Mindful of Him? (Through the Psalms).

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him? ^Psalm 8:3-4

David is in awe of two things in this Psalm; God’s creation of nature and God’s creation of man. David, in a moment of worship and adoration has a deep personal revelation of the God of glory. As he looks up into the skies, he cannot help but realize how vast and endless the heavens are. The beauty and wisdom of nature points to God’s power and it captures his heart in worship and adoration. Thus, he confesses, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8:9).

But in the midst of God’s beautiful creation, David cannot help but realize how uniquely God created and cares for man. As powerful and magnificent as skies may look, David has a revelation of the worth and value God has put into man. “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet (Psalm 8:4; 6).

In this confession we can see a couple things. First, David is in awe of God’s personal care for man over everything else in creation. David looks up into the skies and He realizes no matter how beautiful and majestic the skies look, God loves man more. God has a unique interest in man that cannot be compared to anything else in creation. As beautiful as the skies may look, only man has the fingerprints of God imprinted in their DNA. Second, David is overwhelmed by a sense of humility when he sees how small he is in comparison to everything else in the world. David perceives how deeply God cares for him and instead of getting arrogant and prideful, it has the opposite effect; it humbles him. God’s personal care for him humbles him so low that he says, “What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?"

That is what the love of God does. It lifts us and humbles us at the same time. It lifts us to worship and adore him and yet humbles us of any pride and awe in ourselves.

Today, you may not be able to look up into the natural skies as David was able to, but look at your lives. The things that God has done for you, may it lift you and humble you at the same time. As we stop and see how personal and intimate God has been in our lives I pray that it will draw us into a deeper love and worship towards God.

How has God been moving in your lives? Stop for a moment and think where He has been present in your life.

How can you like David, find a moment to respond to God? When David saw how real God was, it led him to respond in worship and God. Where and when can you also stop and give God worship? Try to find a time and and space to respond to God.

"What is the purpose of man, according to the Bible?"

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God created man and that He created him for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). Therefore, the ultimate purpose of man, according to the Bible, is simply to glorify God.

A harder question to answer, perhaps, is what does it look like to glorify God? In Psalm 100:2–3, we’re told to worship God with gladness and “know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Part of what it looks like to glorify God is to acknowledge who God is (our Creator, for starters) and to praise and worship Him as such.

We fulfill our purpose of glorifying God also by living our lives in relationship and faithful service to Him (1 Samuel 12:24; John 17:4). Since God created man in His image (Genesis 1:26–27), man’s purpose cannot be fulfilled apart from Him. King Solomon tried living for his own pleasure, yet at the end of his life he concluded that the only worthwhile life is one of honor and obedience to God (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

In our fallen state, sin separates us from God and makes it impossible to glorify Him on our own. But through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, our relationship with God is reconciled—our sin is forgiven and no longer creates a barrier between God and us (Romans 3:23–24).

Interestingly, we are able to glorify God because He gave us glory first. David writes in Psalm 8:4–6, “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet.” (This is also repeated in Hebrews 2:6–8.) This verse reveals another purpose that God has given man: dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28–29). Again, though, this can only be properly fulfilled through a right relationship with God.

The more we get to know our Creator and the more we love Him (Matthew 22:37–38), the better we understand who we are and what our purpose is. We were created to bring Him glory. God has unique plans and purposes for each person (Psalm 139:13–16), but we can know that, whatever those plans look like, they will ultimately result in His glory (Proverbs 3:6; 1 Corinthians 10:31).

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