Psalm 8
Remember the old hymn, Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed?
There’s a controversial little line hidden in that hymn that changes, depending on what hymnal you’re reading. The original version includes the line:
Alas, and did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For such a worm as I?
But in some newer hymnals, the lyrics have been updated to be more culturally sensitive (and maybe less gross):
Alas, and did my Savior bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?
What I really love about the eighth psalm is how mankind is assigned a high level of dignity, but still pales in comparison to the majesty of God the Creator.
An entire generation of western culture has remained obsessed with self as the center of all things. While self-help, self-development, self-growth, self-esteem, etc. are terms with merit, the side effect is that we’ve placed ourselves on the throne of all existence.
At the same time, many of us grew up under a theological mindset that so overemphasized sin and depravity that we’ve felt ourselves worthless in the eyes of God. This, combined with our focus on individual conversion and who is in and who is out has given us a false impression that those who have followed Jesus are priceless because of their redemption from sin alone.
The truth is in the middle, and that’s what the psalmist teaches us.
Mankind is, indeed, quite special. Every person reflects something of the goodness of our Creator and possesses inherent worth and dignity. So it is always right to remind people of their intrinsic worth and value and of how special it is to be human.
And on the other side of the coin, we must also acknowledge our desperate need for help, for salvation, and for grace from God. Because of God’s goodness, we are made good. But without God’s goodness, we are helplessly lost.
