Not only do we have several modern songs taken from this, but it stands as a prophetic message. Not prophetic in the popular Western notion of literal meanings hidden in the words as if by magic, this hymn asserts fundamental moral precepts that manifest again and again throughout the ages. This is a revelation of God’s character in the sense of how He does things here in His Creation.
It begins with a winsome assertion of God’s worthiness using His covenant name and title: Jehovah Our Lord. It’s hard to miss, since He has made His glory greater than the beauty of twinkling stars of night, or the blinding power of the sun in daylight.
Indeed, glory and power are inseparable. In the Hebrew symbolism, we see the power of a child’s lungs in a cry that no one can ignore. Such power to compel adults to act! Just so, the power of His glory plucks the heartstrings that only the truly dead can ignore. This was inherent in the Savior’s satirical comment to those who complained that kids were running around acting like Jesus was the Messiah, calling Him the heir to David’s throne. The religious leaders were unable to ignore children calling for their attention to the glory of God manifested in this troublemaker rabbi. Jesus was hinting that the leaders were God’s enemies for opposing any opportunity to glorify the Father.
And it was in that beauty of the clear night sky that David saw a reflection of God’s glory. Compared to that humbling sight, what concern could God have with mere people? How is that God has placed man one step below heavenly beings for their short time on this earth? In the Covenant of Noah God reaffirmed that humans would dominate this world, even though they so thoroughly failed to give Him His proper due. By comparison, the writer of Hebrews notes that of all humans, Jesus alone most assuredly held His high place over the Universe as master and Lord, the obedient agent of His Father’s revelation. Indeed, whatever Jesus taught was as close to God’s character as any human could come. So it was Creation in its limited time of existence was waiting for the full revelation of Christ’s lordship in how His followers conquered life by His teaching.
Perhaps David saw none of that, yet we are assured he would have understood it. That is, he would hardly reject what the writer of Hebrews made of his words any more than he would argue with how Jesus used them. David could not fail to recognize the truth of God however it was manifested, regardless of his penitent recognition of his own mortality and inability to live up to that glory. Thus, he closes this song back where he started, declaring the ineffable glory of his God.
